Brassey, Henry A | Day 21
Henry A Brassey was one of the two Liberal MPs elected at the 1874 election and returned unopposed in 1880. He continued to hold the position until 1885. He was requested to appear at the trial and bring all papers and accounts relating to subscriptions and other payments made by him relating to Sandwich, Deal, and Walmer since 1874. He also prepared a statement regarding expenses at the 1868 and 1874 elections to counter remarks made by Mr Crompton Roberts during his cross examination.
Witness Type: Candidate / MP
Party: Liberal
Witness Testimony:
- 21262.
How is it that this precise sum £60 16s 2d was fixed upon. Had you no account rendered to you ? — Nothing whatever.
- 21263.
Why should you fix upon £60 16s 2d ? — He appears to have some of it in hand as far as I can gather from this. He does not appear to have discharged all.
- 21264.
Why should you send him a cheque for £360 12s 4d unless you had had some specific account? Was there any account or any intimation from him at all as to what amount was necessary ? — No. he sent me, I think, just a general statement of the election expenses, so much agency and so forth, a general statement of that sort, and I immediately sent him a cheque.
- 21265.
Do I understand you to say that you think he sent you an account ? — He sent me, to the best of my recollection in a letter, just a sort of general statement of the expenses of the 1880 election, agency, etc. I think those were the whole of the items amounting to £360 12s 4d, and I sent a cheque.
- 21266.
Do I understand you to mean this, that he had sent you some statement in which he represented that expenses had been incurred in one way or the other to the extent of £60 16s 2d; did he mention that sum ? — No, he did not particularise the £60 16s 2d. He made a general statement that the election expenses amounted to £360 12s 4d, agency, etc. No details beyond that to the best of my recollection. He sent me a letter I think in June, and I sent him back a cheque.
- 21267.
Do I understand that you received from him a letter or memorandum in which he represented that the election expenses amounted to £360 12s 4d ? — According to the statement, yes. I think I have already accounted for ——
- 21268.
What I want to gather from you is this: had you received from him, before you sent this cheque, any account, memorandum, or letter, in which he represented that was the sum due? Was it in consequence of that you sent a cheque, or did you send a cheque for that amount of your own motive ? — He sent me a general statement, saying the election expenses in connexion with Mr. Hugessen and my own election, agency, etc. amounted to £360 12s 4d, and I sent him a cheque for that amount, and only the other day I wrote to him for a more detailed explanation.
- 21269.
You say you sent him a cheque for this precise amount, because it was the amount mentioned in his letter to you ? — Exactly.
- 21270.
Can you give any explanation of whether that was made up of the returned expenses, and an additional £100 for himself, or did he merely make a general statement ? — A general statement.
- 21271.
Then I gather from what you say that in point of fact the reason why you sent a cheque for £360 12s 4d, instead of £199 17s 2d, was that Mr. Edwards had sent you a letter or memorandum stating that that was the total amount which was due in respect of the expenses which he had incurred, or had to meet ? — Yes.
- 21272.
And you took his statement for it ? — I took his word for it.
- 21273.
You took his statement as accurate, and sent a cheque accordingly ? — Yes, precisely,
- 21274.
So that with regard to £100 of the difference it was in respect of the additional £100 to make Mr. Edwards’ fee up to Mr. Emmerson’s, and with regard to the rest of the difference, £60 16s 2d, it was in respect of those matters he had to meet, and you took his statement for granted ? — Yes.
- 21275.
I see that, in this memorandum you have handed to me there is a reference made to a small cheque of £7 15s 6d, for the expenses of the Liberal Association. That I take it was a separate cheque to the cheque for £360 ? — Yes, that was a separate payment.
- 21276.
Then there is a cheque for £116 for several accounts paid by the election agent. What were those accounts, do you know ? — I believe that those were the agency accounts for 1879.
- 21277.
Registration ? — Registration and general subscriptions, and so forth.
- 21278.
Is this correct, so far as you know, that out of this amount of £116 19s 4d, the principal payments are for the Liberal Association for rent, rates, taxes, and housekeeper, £47 12s 8d ? — I believe so.
- 21279.
And the remainder for subscriptions for the year 1879 ? — I believe that is so.
- 21280.
Now the cheque that was sent to Mr. Emmerson for £378, and the cheque to Mr. Edwards for £360 12s 4d, and these two cheques that are here alluded to of £7 15s 6d for expenses of the Liberal association, and £116 19s 4d, for expenses of subscriptions and rent, rates and taxes, and housekeeper: are they all the moneys which were expended in connexion with the election of 1880, or the expenses which have been properly incurred ? — Yes, that represents everything.
- 21281.
Was anything more whatsoever, as far as you are aware, expended in connexion with the election itself than two sums of £378 and £360 which you sent to Mr. Emmerson and Mr. Edwards respectively ? — Not to my knowledge.
- 21282.
Nothing at all ? — Nothing at all.
- 21283.
Look at those returns (handing same to witness). Those are the returns of the expenses of the General Election 1880, the one for Sandwich and the other for Deal and Walmer ? — Yes.
- 21283.
In any way or at any time ?— No; not in connexion with the election.
- 21284.
Then these two sums of £7 15s 6d and £116 19s 4d are expenses, I gather, connected with the political position in connexion with the borough ? — Yes.
- 21285.
But not connected directly with the election itself ? — No.
- 21286.
Do I understand that this cheque for £7 15s 6d and the cheque for £116 19s 4d are independent cheques in addition to the £360 12s 4d ? — Yes, quite independent of that. I think I have given you a detailed list of all my subscriptions up to that period.
- 21287.
Does this detailed list which you have given to us include the £116 ? — I think not.
- 21288.
(Mr. Jeune.) That sum of £116 19s 4d does not include items which are shown either in the list of subscriptions or in this which is called a list of other payments ? — I think not.
- 21289.
When was the cheque for £116 19s 4d given ? — It was given subsequently to the cheque for £360, I think a fortnight or three weeks later.
- 21290.
When was the cheque for £360 given ? — I think in June. Yes, June.