Testimonies

Denne, Charles | Day 6

Witness Type: Publican, Beerhouse Keeper, Treater

Party: Liberal

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 5

Witness Testimony:

• 5412.

  And you charged that to Sir Julian Goldsmid ? — Yes ; you see they work by day and night.

• 5413.

  Did anybody order you to supply all these refreshments to the numerous persons you talked about ? — No, I had no order.

• 5414.

  No order at all ? — No, and I was very doubtful about them at first.

• 5415.

  Do you mean that you supplied this quantity of refreshments, 80L., without any order at all ? — Yes, I had no order from anybody for it — only from those who partook of it.

• 5416.

  Those who partook of it I suppose ordered it, but apart from that, who told you to supply this large quantity of refreshments ? — I had no order at all only from the parties that partook of it.

• 5417.

  Do you really mean to tell us that ? — While Sir Julian Goldsmid was staying in the house it was ordered by his party.

• 5418.

  That is not nearly all ? — And also what was supplied upon the election day.

• 5419.

  By whom was that ordered ? — The order came from Mr. Edwards.

• 5420.

  What order did Mr. Edwards give you, what did he tell you to supply ? — He told me to supply any quantity of refreshments.

• 5421.

  Any quantity that was wanted ? — Within reason. I did not see Mr. Edwards himself, the message was sent to me.

• 5422.

  Did the message say who were to be supplied within reason ? — No ; no further than that I sent up to ask him if I was to supply the men with refreshments whilst they were there and he sent down word yes.

• 5423.

  As a matter of fact did you supply refreshments upon the election day to anybody upon your side who came and asked for them ? — I do not know about anybody — mostly we did after the election.

• 5424.

  What do you mean by after the election—after 4 o’clock ? — From 3 to closing time.

• 5425.

  From 3 to closing time you supplied refreshments pretty well to anybody who came and asked you ? — I was so situated that I was obliged to do so to keep down the mob — to quiet them.

• 5426.

  There was a mob was there round your house or in the house ? — In the house, and round the house, too. I was regularly beset.

• 5427.

  You supplied these refreshments to quiet them ? — We served that over the counter.

• 5428.

  You say after 3 o’clock upon the election day there was a mob of people in your house ? — I do not say in the house, but round the house.

• 5429.

  You supplied refreshments then to anybody that wanted them and asked for them ? — I had no orders to serve them. I made those pay from whom I could get the money. I had no orders to serve them. All the respectable portion of voters paid their money, bot I certainly could not manage to get it from all.

• 5430.

  Those persons who could not pay you supplied without their paying ? — I did it to keep them quiet.

• 5431.

  You supplied refreshments to those who could not pay to keep them quiet ? — Yes, so that I should not have a row with them.

• 5432.

  Did it keep them quiet ? — I did not serve them with any quantity they might ask for.

• 5433.

  Was it a little lemonade that kept them quiet ? —I do not know— we got through some dozens I know at that time.

• 5434.

  There were a great many people who could not pay, and to whom you had to supply refreshments to keep them quiet ? — Yes.

• 5435.

  A great many ? — Yes, that was so.

• 5436.

  Did you know them all by sight ? — No ; a good many came from the country, and a good many from Walmer.

• 5437.

  Would you know them by sight or not when you supplied them ? — I would most of them by sight.

• 5438.

  If they could pay they paid, and if they oould not pay you supplied them without their paying ? — Just so.

• 5439.

  And you have charged it in your bill to the committee ? — Not what was paid.

• 5440.

  But what was not paid ? — Yes, just so.

• 5441.

  Did you keep a score at the time, or was this written up afterwards ? — It was written at the time.