Pearson, Henry | Day 5

Given money to give it to certain people with the intention of keeping them on shore displaying flags on their boats, and likewise for voting.

Witness Type: Briber

Party: Liberal

Witness Testimony:

  • 5110.

    Had you anything to do with that ? — Not a bit.

  • 5111.

    You had nothing to do with that ? — No.

  • 5112.

    Did you have any other money at all besides the sums you have mentioned, the 27L. 15s. to distribute among the names you have mentioned, and the 29L. 2s. to pay the crew of the ” Petrel ? “—There was a little sum that Mr. Rose gave an account for, that I gave out to little boys for carrying boards ; it is the same money over again. The boys I paid myself. They came to me, he reckoned them up, and I divided it to them.

  • 5113.

    How much did you receive to pay the boys ? — I think there were two or three different lots ; I could not hardly tell.

  • 5114.

    How many altogether ? — He paid some, and I paid some. I think I paid one lot myself, and Mr. Rose paid the other. One item was 5L. 4s. I think that is what I paid, and Mr. Rose paid the other. That is one item.

  • 5115.

    Putting all the items together, how much did you receive to distribute among the boys ? — No more.

  • 5116.

    Only 5L. 4s. ? — 5L. 4s.

  • 5117.

    Did you pay the boys who were hired to carry boards about ? — These are the boys.

  • 5118.

    You paid them ? — Yes, one lot.

  • 5119.

    How many were there that you paid ; about ? — 30 or 40 at a time.

  • 5120.

    30 or 40 boys you paid for carrying boards about ? —Yes.

  • 5121.

    Were they sons of voters ? — Principally.

  • 5122.

    How much did you pay them each a day ? — I think the biggest had 2s. ; some 1s. 6d. ; the biggest of them up as high as 2s. 6d.

  • 5123.

    Some 1s. 6d., some 2s., and some 2s. 6d, according to their size ? —Yes.

  • 5124.

    What were their ages ; the youngest and the eldest ? — Some were 11 and 12, some up as high as 18.

  • 5125.

    Did you receive any money at all besides these sums you have mentioned in connexion with the election ? — No.

  • 5126.

    Are you sure. I see here is a payment of 2L. to Mrs. Pearson for four dozen bows ; is that your wife ? — No ; I know nothing of it. That is not in connexion with me.

  • 5127.

    You do not think you received any other money at all ? — No.

  • 5128.

    In any way ? — No.

  • 5129.

    Did you pay any other moneys away beyond what you have mentioned to us ? — Not that I can recollect now. If there were it might have been perhaps 5s. or 10s. in some way, but I forget which now.

  • 5130.

    There is nothing that you remember ? — No.

  • 5131.

    At any rate no large sum ? — No large sum that I know of.

  • 5132.

    You are a voter, of course ? — Yes.

  • 5133.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Of course it was understood that those men who came would vote for you when they did come ? — They were all true Liberals, and they were so tempted by the other side that they said they thought they ought to have a trifle. I wanted to induce them to use their boats to display their FLAGS on. Some were going to sea that night. Then I said. If you like to display the FLAGS on the boats, when the time comes I know what you are. They said, “ Yes, we are faithful old Liberals, and we shall be so, but you ought to pay our expenses in staying on shore. They were there eight days displaying their colours and not going to sea, and I think they all voted for Sir Julian Goldsmid. I must say that I think they did.