Baker, Henry Minter | Day 14
Testified to receiving nothing for himself but there was an expectation that any money he expended would be repaid to him By Mr. Coleman. Manager of a grocery store in Dover owned by Mr Dickensen, he distributed the money to a number of Sandwich voters.
Party: Liberal
Witness Testimony:
- 16661.
Is that all that you expended including the 15s or 20s that you expended in liquor ? — Yes.
- 16662.
It is all that you expended ? — Yes, every penny. (Mr. Holl.) That you are sure of ? — Yes, quite certain.
- 16663.
(Mr. Jeune.) Do you live at Dover ? — Yes.
- 16664.
Had you been over here upon the affairs of the election before the polling day ? — I was there upon the Monday but not upon the election affairs. I was at Sandwich but it had nothing to do with the election.
- 16665.
Did you do anything in connection with the election? Did you canvass or do anything of that kind ? —No.
- 16666.
You were over at Sandwich upon other business ? — Yes.
- 16667.
Did anybody ask you to come over, or ask you to help upon the election morning ? — No.
- 16668.
Where is it that you have a vote? Sandwich, Deal, or Walmer ? — Sandwich.
- 16669.
And you went over simply to vote ?-— Yes, intending to go away again within half an hour.
- 16670.
And you met Mr Coleman ? — Yes.
- 16671.
You knew Mr Coleman before ? — Yes.
- 16672.
Did Mr Coleman ask you to go and canvass ? — No.
- 16673.
Who suggested to you to go and give money to these people ? — I asked Mr Coleman myself if I spent any money should I get it back again, and he said “Yes.”
- 16674.
And off you went. How came you to give money to these particular people ? — The first man I met was a man named Pittock, and I said, “Have you voted yet?” He said, “No,” and I said, “Would you vote for Sir Julian Goldsmid,” and he said, “I do not know.”
- 16675.
He was a man you had known before ? — Yes.
- 16676.
Had you known all these people before ? — Yes, except one or two I had.
- 16677.
You simply went round, and picked up anybody that you knew ? — Yes.
- 16678.
With regard to the one or two that you did not know, how did you find them out ? — Someone introduced me to them; a man named Stokes introduced me to one or two.
- 16679.
A man to whom you had given £4 introduced you to others ? — Pittock introduced me to Hopkins; I did not know Hopkins before.
- 16680.
The man that you do not know, to whom you gave £3 or £4, you think worked for Mr Gillow ? — Yes, I think so; I cannot remember who it was asked me to pay him.
- 16681.
Can you tell me how you came to pay him ? — No, I cannot; it was outside the committee room and there were a dozen people round him. They said the man had not voted, and someone said, “Have you got the money,” and I said, “Yes, here you are,” and gave him £3 or £4. I cannot say which.
- 16682.
There was a little knot of people outside the committee room? — Yes.
- 16683.
And you gave the money to this man standing the pavement with everybody looking on ? — Yes, that is so.
- 16684.
You do not know his name ? — No.
- 16685.
You did not know whether he was a voter ? — No, I did not. I took other people’s word for it. He might not have been for what I knew.