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:

  • 1715.

    To whom did you return the vouchers for the canvassers ? — To Mr. Hughes.

  • 1716.

    You have got a list, of course, of the canvassers you employed ? — No, after the election I had a few papers and lists, but I destroyed them all, thinking they would be of no use.

  • 1717.

    How many canvassers did you employ ? — I think 41.

  • 1718.

    Did you pay them all ? — Yes.

  • 1719.

    I see there are payments to a number of other persons under the head of canvassers, did not Axon pay some of the canvassers, because I find sums of 9L, 18L. and 9L, making together 36L. paid to Axon for canvassers ? — He would be in another district. I do not think I paid Axon.

  • 1720.

    I am not asking you that, I am asking you whether you paid all the canvassers for Deal and Walmer, or whether many of them were paid by others ? — Some would be paid by others, and some by me.

  • 1721.

    Did you engage the canvassers ? — No, Mr. Hughes generally.

  • 1722.

    Who nominated them ? — They were principally nominated by Mr. Hughes, but some by me.

  • 1723.

    Just look at that lot of vouchers (handing a bundle of papers), and tell me whether you find there any of the vouchers that you spoke of in respect to the canvassers that you employed ? — This first gentleman has nothing to do with me.

  • 1724.

    That I concluded, but run your eye over each paper and see whether you find there the vouchers that you speak of in regard to the canvassers, the first gentleman has obviously nothing to do with you, because it is for boards and board boys ; look at the others and see whether you find there the vouchers you have been speaking of ? — The top man on the first sheet, Barnes, is a canvasser, but none of the others.

  • 1725.

    I am asking you to look through the papers and tell me whether you find there the vouchers you have been speaking of in regard to the canvassers ? — No, I paid none of these.

  • 1726.

    You say you employed 41 canvassers ? — Yes.

  • 1727.

    How many days were they each of them employed ? — They started from the 4th up till the time of the election being over.

  • 1728.

    They could not have started upon the 4th because Mr. Roberts never came down till 6 o’clock on the 4th ? — They were set on directly, some of them were set at work the following day, the 5th.

  • 1729.

    You had 41 canvassers altogether ? — Yes.

  • 1730.

    They were not all employed, I suppose, the whole time ? — Yes, nearly ; some of them gave the whole of their time. Some of them are pilots and they gave up their turn at sea and stayed at home. The election came on upon the 18th, and they were employees from the 5th till the 18th.

  • 1731.

    How many canvassers will you undertake to say were employed so many days ? — I should say some were employed from 12 to 13 days, and some 10 days.

  • 1732.

    Do you mean to say there were 41 employed for 10 days ? — Yes, very nearly, and some more.

  • 1733.

    Beginning upon the 5th, and taking out the Sundays, because there would be two Sundays you cannot get more than 10 days ? — I should think it would be about 10 days.

  • 1734.

    That would be as regards some of them, because you do not represent that the 41 were employed for ten days each of them ? — They were employed nearly the whole of the time.

  • 1735.

    How many were employed upon the 5th, for instance ? — I really cannot say from memory, but they were all selected in about a day or so, and set to work.

  • 1736.

    How much did you pay them a day ? — They were not paid by the day.

  • 1737.

    How were they paid ? — They were paid 6L. each.

  • 1738.

    Do you mean that you paid 41 men 6L. each ? — Yes.

  • 1739.

    Of course you can give the names of those men ? — I really cannot from memory.

  • 1740.

    I must trouble you to refresh your memory; You would not pay 6L. to 41 men without knowing who they were ? — You have the vouchers.

  • 1741.

    No, we have no vouchers ? — The names have been returned.

  • 1742.

    I must ask you to give us the names ? — I could not do it from memory.

  • 1743.

    Have you got the receipts for the amount that you paid ? — I returned them to Mr. Hughes.

  • 1744.

    When was that ? — Directly they were paid.