Edwards, James Barber | Day 3

Received three sums amounting to £1820 – of £200 & £320, from Sir Julian Goldsmid and £1300 from Mr Foord. Was called to give evidence at the Petition Trial and asked to produce all bills delivered to him. Found guilty and sentenced to 6 months in prison.

Witness Type: Briber, No Indemnity, Petition witness, Treater

Party: Liberal

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 4 | Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 14 | Petition Day 1

Witness Testimony:

  • 3238.

    Did you ever have any conversation with him about it afterwards ? — No.

  • 3239.

    You never recurred to the subject again ? — No.

  • 3240.

    Not on any occasion ? — Not at all. I never asked him for any money after that.

  • 3241.

    Did you ever recur to the fact ? Did you ever mention to him again the subject of your having received this sum of 1,300L. ? — No, never. I do not think I mentioned it to anybody. I did inform him that the money had come, but beyond that I never alluded to it.

  • 3242.

    (Mr. Jeune.) Did Mr. Foord tell you his name at that interview ? — No.

  • 3243.

    Did he say who he was ? — No.

  • 3244.

    You never saw him again after that time ? — No, I never saw him again. I think he said he was a friend of Sir Julian’s, but who he was I did not ask, and he did not volunteer.

  • 3245.

    (Mr. Holl.) Have you ever heard since anything more than the name ? — No, that is all.

  • 3246.

    And you believe he came from Rochester ? — Yes.

  • 3247.

    Is that all the money that you received in connection with the election ? — I received no more money from any other person.

  • 3248.

    What you received from Sir Julian Goldsmid was 520L., and this 1,300L. ? — Yes.

  • 3249.

    Two cheques of 200L. and 320L., and this 1,300L ? —Yes. ,

  • 3250.

    You did not receive any money from anyone (I am not speaking^ of what you spent yourself) in connection with this election beyond that 1,820L. ? — Not a penny.

  • 3251.

    How did you dispose of that amount ? — I disposed of the following sums at the election ; Mr. Outwin, 1,125L., Cornwell, 297L.

  • 3252.

    Was that paid in gold ? — Yes, the whole of it was paid in gold, except Mr. Cornwell’s, and I think some of that was in silver, because he had to pay messengers and so on.

  • 3253.

    What did you pay besides Outwin and Cornwell ? — Ramell, 208L., and Rose, 680L.; making together 2,310L.

  • 3254.

    Did you disburse or pay directly or indirectly to anyone any sums beyond those ? — No.

  • 3255.

    That leaves a balance in your favour of 490L. that you spent over and above what you received ? — Yes.

  • 3256.

    Of this 490L., 300L., you think, you drew it upon the 12th of your own money ? — Yes.

  • 3257.

    And as to the other 200L. ? — That I had in hand at the time of the election. I paid Hancock, towards carriages, 30L., and that has been returned by the election agent. There were a lot of carriages ordered from Dover, and this man had not the money, and asked me to pay 30L. on account, and I did do so. Then there was Hayward, the printer’s bill. There was also a Mrs. Jones, a widow here, who had an account for supplying ROSETTES and RIBBONS ; she very much wanted her money, and I said I could not pay it, because I was out of pocket already, but I said, if she liked, I would lend her 18L., which I did do, and took her I.O.U., and those are the only moneys I paid.

  • 3258.

    And those have not been repaid to you ? — No, I have not been able to get any money from Sir Julian Goldsmid.

  • 3259.

    At the time you paid this money to Outwin it was not paid in one sum, I presume ? — No, I think he had two small sums of 50L. and 25L. in the COMMITTEE ROOM, and then 500L., 300L., and 250L. The small sums were before and the other sums just upon the night of the election, and day of the election.

  • 3260.

    50L. and 25L. he had previously ? — Yes, during the week

  • 3261.

    Do you know what he required those sums for upon the night of the election, 500L., 300L., and 250L. ? — To carry out the election, J suppose, in the best way he could ; he gave me no account, only that he wanted some more money.

  • 3262.

    He told you he wanted so much money for the purposes of the election ? — Yes.

  • 3263.

    Was he more specific than that ? — No, not that I know of. I suppose it was well understood, if it was required, it was for illegal purposes.

  • 3264.

    And you gave it to him ? — Yes, I gave it to him.

  • 3265.

    Of course you knew that the probabilities were that the larger portion of it would be used for illegal purposes ? — No, I did not know it, I supposed it. I do not know now that it has been expended in that way. I have never had any account, with the exception of about 50L. I have an account here that he gave me of COMMITTEE ROOMS.

  • 3266.

    You have not had an account of the other expenditure ? — No, and never asked for it.

  • 3267.

    Now, with regard to Rose, how did you pay him that sum of 680L. ? — I paid, I think, upwards of 300L. before the election came on from day to day as he wanted money ? — If he said he wanted 60L. I gave it to him. I think I heard him say that I paid all the money about a fortnight afterwards. I think he is mistaken in that. Two days after the election I think I called upon him and paid some money, and the rest was paid about a fortnight afterwards. I had had enough of it by the time the election was over, and the day after the election I started away, and when I returned I paid him, because I promised him, although I paid it out of my own pocket.