Olds, Samuel | Day 2

In total Olds received £2,500, purely for bribing Publicans and voters.
He secured and paid for committee rooms in 88 public houses – 71 in Deal & Walmer, according to testimony by Daniel George Frederick Simmons, plus 17 in Sandwich. Each was paid £5 a-piece. Well over the odds when their annual rent was on average £12.

In November 1881 he was found guilty and sentenced to six months hard labour. Released in May 1882.

Witness Type: Briber, Councillor / Alderman, No Indemnity

Party: Conservative

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 3 | Day 14

Witness Testimony:

  • 1685.

    You took a bag of gold round with you ? — Yes.

  • 1686.

    And paid out of that bag ? — Yes.

  • 1687.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Was the money given to you to pay these houses ? — It was given to me to pay through Simmons.

  • 1688.

    That is to say it was given to you by Simmons ? — Yes, I was to go with Simmons and see that they were paid, and returned the receipts for the money.

  • 1689.

    When was that; after the polling ? — No, the following day.

  • 1690.

    After the polling ? — No, they were paid for at once when we engaged them.

  • 1691.

    Every morning you had so much money put at your disposal by Simmonds ? — Yes.

  • 1692.

    How much each day ? — I really do not know, I did not count it.

  • 1693.

    (Mr. Holl.) Upon the first day you got two sums of 150L. and 120L., making 270L ? — That would be about it.

  • 1694.

    And upon the same day you got one sum of 100L. and another sum of 20L., making altogether 390L. ? — No doubt that is correct.

  • 1695.

    71 houses at 5L. each would be 355L ? — Yes, and the balance would be returned with the receipts at the end of each day.

  • 1696.

    (Mr. Jeune.) The total was 355L. for the houses ? — That would be about it, I had to return a sum of money to Mr. Hughes, the agent. The money came from Mr. Hughes.

  • 1697.

    (Mr. Holl.) There are 68 5L. receipts, which gives 340L., and then there is the “Royal” Hotel, 20L. ; have you kept no account of the money that you received or paid away for the houses ? — I returned the balance, whatever it was, every night to the agent with the receipts.

  • 1698.

    That was to Mr. Hughes ? — Yes,

  • 1699.

    Or did you return it to Simmons ? — Simmons and me together returned to Mr. Hughes the balance that was not expended.

  • 1700.

    Do I understand that some portion of this 390L. which you received upon account of committee rooms was returned ? — Yes.

  • 1701.

    Can you tell me what amount was returned ? — I really cannot from memory, it is so long ago.

  • 1702.

    You kept no account, as I understand you, beyond returning the receipts, and what amount of money you returned to Mr. Hughes you cannot tell ? — No, I really cannot from memory.

  • 1703.

    Did you out of the money you received on account of the houses have or retain any money beyond which you returned receipts for ? — None.

  • 1704.

    Did you expend any of that money upon anything else except the houses ? — Nothing.

  • 1705.

    l am keeping this separate from some money that you afterwards received in respect of canvassers ; whatever money that was left over and above what you paid for the houses and returned receipts for, I understand you to say you returned to Mr. Hughes ? — Yes.

  • 1706.

    You did not expend any portion of that money for any other purpose than the houses ? — No, nothing.

  • 1707.

    Can you remember whether you returned any amount ? — I know there was an amount returned.

  • 1708.

    Do you remember what it was, 5L, or 10L, or whether it might have been as much as 30L. or 40L., that you returned upon the two days ? — For the two days it would be principally expended I think, but at the finish there was something, 20L or 30L, handed back; that is as near as I can think of it. I am not positive as to the amount, but I know there was a sum handed back.

  • 1709.

    A sum was handed back to Mr. Hughes out of what you received on account of committee rooms ? — Yes.

  • 1710.

    You received money also on account of the canvassers ? — Yes.

  • 1711.

    I see you received the sum of 36L, another of 90L., then 30L, and again 90L. ? — Yes.

  • 1712.

    I suppose you kept an account of the money you received on account of the canvassers ? — No, I did not ; I merely took it and paid them and returned the receipts.

  • 1713.

    Have you returned receipts for all you paid to the canvassers ? — Yes, all of them.

  • 1714.

    They would be amongst the vouchers ? — Yes.