Rose, Edward Thomas | Day 3

Listed in 1881 Census as Tailor Master (1 man). Initially received a payment of £306 before the election and the balance a fortnight afterwards. Money was paid in gold at a rate of £50 a day.


Witness Type: Briber, Treater

Party: Liberal


Witness Testimony:

  • 2892.

    What did they get a day ? — I think about 2s. 6d. or 3s. according to their age.

  • 2893.

    Do you mean to say they were all actually employed ? — They were employed every day.

  • 2894.

    How many days ? — About 8 or 9.

  • 2895.

    How long were the messengers employed for ? — Some were employed eight days.

  • 2896.

    Four of them ? — Four were employed eight days each, and others occasionally.

  • 2897.

    What would they be wanted eight days for ? — Every day while the election was going on I had four regular messengers at the COMMITTEE ROOM at Walmer.

  • 2898.

    You had four messengers each day at the COMMITTEE ROOM ? — Yes, in attendance every day.

  • 2899.

    What did they get ? — 5s. a day.

  • 2900.

    That is IL a day, that would be 8L for the eight days ? — I have got it more in detail here in my list.

  • 2901.

    Have you received the whole of this 306L. ? — The whole of it.

  • 2902.

    From whom ? — Mr. Edwards.

  • 2903.

    That is the 50L. per day that you spoke of ? — Yes, about 50L. per day.

  • 2904.

    (Mr. Holl.) How much did you get before the election ? — 360L, it was rather more than that. A fortnight after the election the canvassers were paid. Mr . Edwards wanted to know how much I had in hand, I told him, and he gave me sufficient to pay the canvassers.

  • 2905.

    How much did you have before or after the election day ? — I think I had about 12L. in hand on the election night.

  • 2906.

    Out of what ? — Out of the amounts I received from Mr. Edwards.

  • 2907.

    How much was that ? — The account came to 306L 6s. 8d, but other things were to follow. The canvassers were to be paid.

  • 2908.

    How much money had you received from Mr. Edwards up to the time of the election ? — About 320L.

  • 2909.

    You had received that amount up to that time ? — Yes.

  • 2910.

    You received that in gold ? — Yes, in gold.

  • 2911.

    Did Mr. Edwards appoint you to act ? — Yes, he asked me to do what I could in the correspondence and keeping the accounts at Walmer for him.

  • 2912.

    You did more than that, you had to manage the expenditure of this money, did you not ? — For Walmer.

  • 2913.

    Did he ask you to act as agent ? — Yes, he and Mr. Emmerson of Sandwich together.

  • 2914.

    He asked you whether you would act for Walmer ? — He asked me whether I would act for Walmer.

  • 2915.

    What sort of authority did he give you to act ? — He said I was to do what was necessary ; he saw me every day, and I reported to him.

  • 2916.

    Did he leave it to your discretion, or did he tell you what to do with regard to getting POLES, FLAGS, and all these things ? — Not altogether ; he was aware of what was being done ; every day he went through my accounts and saw what was doing.

  • 2917.

    He knew what you were ordering in the way of FLAGS, POLES, and so on ? — Yes, he knew.

  • 2918.

    (Mr. Turner.) I see in your items here Major Jones, expenses 3L 10s. What does that mean ? — He is an out- voter. He came down from London to vote.

  • 2919.

    (Mr. Holl). You say you received 320L. about the time of the election ? — Yes.

  • 2920.

    You received the other 340L. subsequently ? To balance ; to make up the 640L.

  • 2921.

    You received 320L afterwards ? — I had a small balance in hand after the day of the election.