Testimonies

Simmons, Daniel George Frederick | Day 17

Witness Type: Briber, Freeman, Treater

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

• 18830.

  For what time was that £12 12s? How many weeks ? — I do not know whether two or three weeks.

• 18831.

  Did you pay that yourself ? — Yes.

• 18832.

  At what time, about, were they taken ? — They were taken in the early part of the election, the first week I was there.

• 18833.

  Then there is an item of “Mrs Crofts” or “Mrs Cox for charity, as directed, £3” ? — That is the poor woman mentioned in Mr Compton Roberts’ statement. Some poor woman that he went and found she was in great distress; she had lost two or three children, and I met Mr Crompton Roberts one morning, and he said I was to be there and go and relieve her. He did not know where she lived or who she was, but he described as well as he could the sort of house it was, and the only way I could find out was by hunting up the gentleman who was with him when canvassing the morning before, and after great difficulty I found him, and found this poor woman.

• 18834.

  Was her husband there at all ? — I really could not say whether she had a husband or not; I assume she had.

• 18835.

  And I suppose Mr Crompton Roberts went to canvass there, and that is the reason he came to know of her ? — Yes. I am not certain, but I assume so.

• 18836.

  When you returned, after you went to town on the 8th, what part did you take in the election ? — I simply assisted Mr Crompton Roberts in all manner of ways.

• 18837.

  Did you canvas for him or with him ? — Yes. I was canvassing about among those whom I thought would be of any assistance to us, and did generally everything Mr Crompton Roberts wished.

• 18838.

  Would you please condescend to particulars a little ? — Now and then he would send for me, the first thing in the morning before breakfast, sometimes to go and read some of his letters, and to do anything that he wanted me to do, write some letters and answer some.

• 18839.

  Was yours the part of secretary to Mr Crompton Roberts ? — Yes, that was the understanding I went down there on.

• 18840.

  Then I see there is £1 to Thomas Baker and others for erecting a flag ? — Yes.

• 18841.

  Had you anything to do with the flags ? — Only that one. Some boatmen asked me if I could not give them something to do one day. It was a Saturday, and I told them they might go and put a flag up. I knew the men very well.

• 18842.

  Then on the 16th you went to town again ? — That was on the Sunday. Mr Crompton Roberts sent for me first thing in the morning, and he said he had caught cold the night before, speaking, that there was a meeting advertised for the Monday, and that he was anxious to have some good speakers for that night. I had to come to London to see if I could find some.

• 18843.

  And did you succeed ? — Yes.

• 18844.

  Who did you bring down ? — Mr Gibson.

• 18845.

  Then on the 17th there is, “Rail to Deal, 17s.” That is your return on that occasion ? — Yes.

• 18846.

  Then there is an item of £18 which Mr Roberts has spoken about; that is, “Sums in various items” handed to Dr Hulke, Mr Bristow, Alderman Ralph, and others for small charities, and so on, recommended by them. What is that really ? — Small sums of money given by me at various times to those gentlemen, and sums given away by myself during the course of the election, during the whole time. They were mostly small sums.

• 18847.

  What were those “small charities,” charitable institutions, or what ? — Mostly poor people, similarly situated to that poor woman, Mrs Crofts or Cox. I had a lot of memoranda relating to those things, but I cannot find them. I searched for them the whole of yesterday.

• 18848.

  What was the object of paying these small sums ? — They were to relieve them.

• 18849.

  Were they or their husbands voters ? — Mr Crompton Roberts directed me to do anything of that kind if I thought it was necessary, at the time he relieved that other woman.

• 18850.

  Were the husbands of these people, or most of them, voters ? — I cannot say; I did not make any inquiries. I purposely abstained from making any inquiries.

• 18851.

  How did you find them out ? — They were named to me by those gentlemen whose names you have there.

• 18852.

  Did those gentlemen promise them these small sums if they voted ? — No.

• 18853.

  What induced Dr Hulke to come to Mr Crompton Roberts for money for small charities if there was nothing in it ? — I suppose these poor people’s cases came to the ears of these gentlemen, and they used to mention it to me, generally about the Royal Hotel; I was generally there. I had the full memoranda of these particulars until Mr Crompton Roberts, about last August, sent me the balance.

• 18854.

  Have not you got these memoranda now ? — No, I have been very ill since then. I was away from business and incapacitated from business a long time, and in the interval these things have gone. I cannot lay my hand on them now.

• 18855.

  It seems to me rather strange these sums should have been paid to perfect strangers by Mr Crompton Roberts, or by you to Mr Hulke for them, without some object. Were none of the husbands of these people, to whom these small sums were distributed, voters ? — Not as far as I am aware. It was not given me with that object; not the object of influencing any voters.

• 18856.

  What was the object ? — Simply to relieve necessity.

• 18857.

  And were the cases all inquired into before they were relieved by you or Dr Hulke ? — I relied on the gentlemen; they were all reliable gentlemen.

• 18858.

  Upon Dr Hulke — Yes.

• 18859.

  It never occurred to Dr Hulke to relieve them himself, did it? He came to Mr Crompton Roberts, the candidate, for the money ? — Yes; and really the candidate and sitting member for that place is expected to do so.