Rose, Edward Thomas | Day 3

Listed in 1881 Census as Tailor Master (1 man). Initially received a payment of £306 before the election and the balance a fortnight afterwards. Money was paid in gold at a rate of £50 a day.


Witness Type: Briber, Treater

Party: Liberal


Witness Testimony:

  • 2922.

    And then you received 320L. more ? — I received a balance to make up 340L.

  • 2923.

    That is 320L. more ? — Yes.

  • 2924.

    (Mr. Turner,) What did you do with that ? — Mr. Minter had 129L. He had the Upper Walmer part of the parish to attend to.

  • 2925.

    This was after the election ? — About a fortnight after.

  • 2926.

    Mr. Minter had 129L ? — Yes.

  • 2927.

    What for ? — He will tell you. I do not know exactly how he spent it,

  • 2928.

    That leaves 211L. for you ? — I have others as well.

  • 2929.

    We want to know what you did with that 320L ? —Henry Pearson, 27L, 15s. ; William Bullen, 19L. 10s. ; Stephen Haile, 6L. ; William Norris, 6L ; David Henry Axon, 23L 10s. ; William Trigg, 21L. 10s. ; Mr. Trollope, 13L. ; Mr. Miller, 9L, ; Mr. Huson, 18L. ; and Hookham, on account of painting FLAGS, 10L. 11s, ; Castle, for bill posting, 3L. 5s. ; Bullen and Norris, expenses to Ramsgate and Dover, 30s«.

  • 2930.

    Is that all ? — Except this— there is making 15 FLAGS, 3L. 7s, 6d. ; the white drill and calico for heading them, 1L. 3s. ; and petty expenses, 4L. 11s. 10d. — that completes it.

  • 2931.

    Had you any acknowledgments from these people to whom you paid those moneys ? — No, I took no receipt for them.

  • 2932.

    Some of them had large sums ? — Yes.

  • 2933.

    What did they want it for ? — I believe the main part of it was to be spent among the voters.

  • 2934.

    After the election ? — After the election.

  • 2935.

    Had they been promised money before the election ? — I believe they had been promised beforehand, and this was to pay the promises.

  • 2936.

    Who had promised it to them, you ? — No, these different men.

  • 2937.

    Did Mr. Edwards know that that was the object for which that money was to be applied ? — Yes, I told him there would be money required for that purpose.

  • 2938.

    To pay the voters promised before the election ? — Yes, he told me that could not be advanced until after the election was over ; that we must risk that.

  • 2939.

    Except those items which you have spoken of for FLAGS and so on, all that money was to pay voters who had been promised before the election ? — Yes, each man may have had some little expenses. I do not know how they spent their money.

  • 2940.

    That is what you gave them ? — Yes, and I have no doubt that is what it was for.

  • 2941.

    (Mr. Holl.) Did you have any account; the items altogether for POLES amount to 65L. 19s. ; POLES, 17L. 5s. ; who did you pay that to ? — That was paid to Mercer.

  • 2942.

    Is he a boatman ? — He is a boatman.

  • 2943.

    Did you have any account or any particulars from him of the POLES he had supplied for that 17L. 5s, ? — Pearson, who assisted me, said the demand they made for putting up a certain number of POLES was correct.

  • 2944.

    Did you have any particulars or account in writing ? — No, nothing.

  • 2945.

    All you had was a statement from Pearson that that was correct ? — Yes.

  • 2946.

    Is Pearson a boatman ? — Yes.

  • 2947.

    Whom you employed ? — He assisted me.

  • 2948.

    And you relied upon his statement that that was correct ? — Yes.

  • 2949.

    Do you know yourself how the money was spent ? — Yes.

  • 2950.

    Where were the POLES erected ? — All along the beach at Walmer.

  • 2951.

    How many POLES do you think were erected there by Mercer, because this is only one item ? — They were paid about 25s. to 30s, a pole ; that is the price in putting them up.