Testimonies

Testimonies

• 705.

  (Mr. Holl.) How was it that this room at the “Bell” was charged for 17 days ? – From the time I went to him to hire the house till after the election on the following Saturday ; I suppose it was 17 days, and he charged 1L. a day.

• 706.

  It could not be 17 days from the time Sir Julian Goldsmid came, and surely you would not take the house 10 days before he came ? – I might a week before ; immediately I saw that something was likely to arise, I went to the “Bell” hotel and took the house. I will not say it was ten days before Sir Julian Goldsmid came, because it might not be so long as that, but it was a week before.

• 707.

  This is a charge for ten days before Sir Julian Goldsmid ever came down. Have these accounts which are certified in the return of Section expenses been paid by you ? – Yes.

• 708.

  And this 443L. 5s. 11d, I may take it, has come out of moneys that have passed through your hands ? – Yes, they have been paid by me.

• 709.

  Altogether you say you have received 760L, ? – Yes, that is right.

• 710.

  That leaves a difference Of 316L ? – You have to add 50L. which was paid to Coleman.

• 711.

  That would leave in point of fact in your hands, deducting what was paid in the election returns, and the 50L. paid to Coleman, 266L. 14s. 1d. ? – Yes.

• 712.

  Do I understand that no part of the money that you received, except what you paid, and which is vouched in the election returns, and 50L. you paid to Coleman, has been spent by you during the election ? – No.

• 713.

  Nor by anybody on your behalf ? – No, I am not aware of it ; and it has all been left in my hands.

• 714.

  You have not paid any money yourself directly or through anyone else ? – No, I have stated everything that passed through me.

• 715.

  I understand you to say that you spent nothing beyond the 443L. 5s. 11d., and the 50L. you handed to Coleman ? – No.

• 716.

  That is all that passed through your hands directly or indirectly ? – Yes.

• 717.

  Have you got any memorandum, or diary, or cash book in which you have entered the different amounts you have paid ? – No, none whatever.

• 718.

  (Mr. Jeune.) I suppose you cashed Sir Julian Goldsmid’s cheque for 210L. through the bank ? – Yes, the London and County Bank ; it did not go into my account because I took the money for it, and there would be nothing in my book to show it at all.

• 719.

  You simply went into the Bank and cashed the cheque ? – Yes, and got the money for it

• 720.

  You did not cash it, I believe, for a day or two after you received it ? – No, I am sure I kept it for a day or two.

• 721.

  You will produce the correspondence between you and Sir Julian Goldsmid and his agent ? – Yes, I will produce any letters that I have.

• 722.

  You have copies, I suppose, of letters that you wrote to Messrs. Lewis and Lewis ? – Yes, I think I have copies of those letters.

• 723.

  Sir Julian Goldsmid, I suppose, wrote a letter when he sent you the cheque ? – I think the cheque was handed to me by Mr. Mercer. I have no letter, I think.

• 724.

  There are some letters of yours to Messrs. Lewis and Lewis ? – Yes, I think I can find some of those.

• 725.

  There are the two canvass books that you are to produce ? – Yes, I will produce them.

• 726.

  Are those claims that have been handed in all that have been made by you in connexion with the election ? – Yes, there are none others. I have handed in all the claims. I said to the judges that we did not admit the accounts, but these are all the claims delivered in.

• 727.

  These are all the claims that ever have been made upon you ? – Yes, we have had no other claims.

• 728.

  Not viva voce either ? – No, I am not aware of any.

• 729.

  Has anybody since the election come to you and claimed money, or stated that anything had been promised to them, which they had not had ? – No, I have had no application made to me whatever.

• 730.

  (Mr. Holl.) Except what you have mentioned as regards Coleman ? – Yes.

• 731.

  I think he told you there were persons who claimed to be paid certain sums ? – Yes, but those parties themselves have not come to anyone to make a claim.

• 732.

  That only came to you through Coleman ? – Yes.

• 733.

  And that Coleman will give us the details of ? – Yes.

• 734.

  (Mr. Jeune.) Mr. Crompton Roberts thought, did he not, of standing at the general election ? — Yes.