Olds, Samuel | Day 3
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 2 | Day 14
Witness Testimony:
- 2144.
Was it Hughes only, or each of the five, that told you they had distributed this money, or only portions of it ? — They said they had distributed the money, and fancied they were out of pocket.
- 2145.
I understood you to say that you gave the whole of the 450L. to Giles and Hughes ? — Yes.
- 2146.
Did East, Hooper, and Lock get what they distributed from Giles and Hughes ? — Yes.
- 2147.
Who was it told you they had distributed it and were out of pocket ? — Hughes for one, and Hooper for another.
- 2148.
Did you hear anything of the sort from Giles ? —Yes, from Giles as well. I have heard them all say the same thing.
- 2149.
Did East and Lock tell you the same thing, too ? — Yes, East as well.
- 2150.
And Lock ? — Yes.
- 2151.
They said they had distributed this money, and were out of pocket ? — Yes, I think Lock had 180L.
- 2152.
How much did Giles have ? — Giles had altogether, with his own money, that is, the 6L. allowed him, 24L., and I think he expended it all.
- 2153.
He had 18L. besides the 6L. ? — Yes.
- 2154.
Do you know whether Giles bribed any number of men ; do you know how many he paid ? — It would be six at 3L apiece.
- 2155.
He kept 6L himself ? — No, I think it was all used ; I do not think he kept any.
- 2156.
Do you think he paid eight voters 3L apiece ? — Yes.
- 2157.
How much money did East have ? — I am not positive, but I think about 60L I merely enquired of mm the way in which he had distributed it afterwards.
- 2158.
Do you know how much Hooper had ? — No, I do not.
- 2159.
Hughes kept a portion ? — Yes.
- 2160.
Do you know how much Hughes kept ? — No, I cannot speak from memory.
- 2161.
Hooper had some ? — Yes, Hooper and Hughes had the remainder.
- 2162.
That is to say the difference between 264L. and 450L. ? — Yes.
- 2163.
With regard to the distribution of the other portions to Worrels, Barnes, Bushell, and the other men whose names you have given, how were you guided in the amounts you gave to them ? — They merely told me they had so many persons, and they wanted so much money to pay them.
- 2164.
At what rate was that calculated by them ; at what rate were they to pay the men ? — 3L. a man.
- 2165.
It was the same at Deal and Walmer as it was at Sandwich, 3L. a head ?-— Yes.
- 2166.
Did you distribute the whole of the 550L. ? — Yes.
- 2167.
You distributed the whole of the 1,000L. in fact ? —Yes.
- 2168.
At the rate of 3L. a head, 550L. would bribe about 180 people. They gave you the names of the people that they thought they could pay ? — Yes, the names of those that they had got.
- 2169.
Have you got the names of those people now ? — No, I destroyed them all ; if I had the lists, I should have no difficulty.
- 2170.
Can you remember any of the people whose names they gave you ? — No.
- 2171.
They will know no doubt ? — Yes, they will know.
- 2172.
Do you know the names of any of the men that Hughes, Giles, Hooper, East, and Lock were to operate upon ? — No ; I had more time with the Sandwich people, because I checked the Sandwich list to see that they were all voters.
- 2173.
You checked the list they brought you with the register to see that they were voters ? — Yes, and I gave them the money accordingly, but at Deal they rushed upon me so quick that I had not time.