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.
Party: Liberal
Witness Testimony:
- 2952.
What is the height of these POLES ? — 40 or 50 feet some of them.
- 2953.
Fifty feet ? — Fifty feet some of them ; they were as high as they could get them ; I should think all of them were 50 feet, and some of them not more than 50 feet high.
- 2954.
There are a number of other items ? — Who was the 10L. 4s. paid to ? — Norris.
- 2955.
Who was the 12L. paid to ? — Cushney.
- 2956.
Who was the 20L. paid to ? — Minter.
- 2957.
There is another 5L. besides, which comes to 65L. 19s. altogether. How many POLES, do you say, were erected altogether for that 60L. ? — I do not know the number exactly, but I should think all over the parish there were at least 40.
- 2958.
You believe there were 40 at 30s. apiece ? — Some 25s.
- 2959.
You do not know how many men were employed in erecting them, I suppose ? — No, I do not indeed.
- 2960.
You took Pearson’s statement ? — I took Pearson’s statement.
- 2961.
(Mr. Turner.) Have you acted at previous elections ? — No.
- 2962.
What is the object of erecting such quantities of POLES and colours ; is it to distribute money ? — No, it is just a display of colour ; it has been a customary thing in this borough.
- 2963.
Is the real object the display of colour, or is it that it distributes money about the place among the friends of the cause ? — I think it is both ways ; to display colours and for the friends of the cause as well.
- 2964.
And I may take it that it is the same with regard to the ribbon, 59L. ; it is partly for display and partly because you want it to distribute money among the friends of the cause ? — Yes.
- 2965.
I see there are two BILLS, one for 24L. 11s., and one for 27L. ; who were those things supplied by ? — I supplied them personally.
- 2966.
Have you the amount which was supplied ? — I went to Bradbury’s, in London, for the goods at the time.
- 2967.
It is for twill supplied at the time ? — Blue twill and ribbon together.
- 2968.
Those two items amount to 52L. ; it seems an immense sum for ribbon. What quantity was there ? — I should think at least 500 yards of blue twill.
- 2969.
How much is that a yard ? —1s.
- 2970.
That is 25L. ? — I cannot tell you how many rolls of ribbon and glazed lining there were ; that was a common kind. I cannot tell you exactly how many pieces of that we had.
- 2971.
Is this common twill as much as 1s. a yard on any other occasion ? — Yes.
- 2972.
500 yards ? — About 500 yards.
- 2973.
500 yards you had down ; was that all used ? — Every bit
- 2974.
(Mr. Turner.) What became of it after the election ? — We kept it on the boats and it blew away; it disappeared after the election. I do not know what became of it.
- 2975.
(Mr. Holl.) Now, with regard to the regatta and this sum of 25L., who did you give that to ; who was the man to receive the money ? — Mercer.
- 2976.
I suppose all these people, Cushney, Minter, Norris and Mercer are voters ? — All voters.
- 2977.
Was any of that money distributed to voters in consideration for their votes, or was it all spent upon the POLES ? — Several of the men were engaged in these blue boats.
- 2978.
With regard to the POLES, were the men employed by Mercer, Norris, Minter, or Cushney, and were they voters ? — I believe they were voters and non- voters for that sort of work ; they were not all voters, but they were mixed up ; voters and non-voters.
- 2979.
The majority of them were voters ? — I think it most likely
- 2980.
With regard to this boat, as to which you say you paid 25L., who did you pay that to ? — Mercer.
- 2981.
He named a boat with how many men ? — I do not know how many men, but he will tell you that himself.