Coleman, Benjamin Longden | Day 2
Farmer & Market Gardener Employing 22 Men 13 Boys (240 Acres)
Applied to Mr Emmerson to manage election. Received two sums of £40 and £50. The first was to engage Public Houses.
Party: Liberal
Witness Testimony:
- 1210.
It was given to you for that purpose ? — Yes.
- 1211.
Was anything said about whether the whole of it was to be devoted to that purpose, or was it left to your discretion ? — It was left to my discretion. There was nothing more said.
- 1212.
Nothing more was said at that time except that you were to keep the expenses down ? — No.
- 1213.
To keep the public-house bills down for supplying refreshments to your friends. Did you go round to these public-houses each day and pay the accounts ? — I might not have gone each day, I went several times.
- 1214.
I see the ‘King’s Arms’ is 6L ? — Yes.
- 1215.
Had you any account from them ? — They gave me a receipt.
- 1216.
Had you any account from them of what had been supplied ? — No particulars.
- 1217.
You paid the 5L. upon their telling you that they had supplied that amount ? — Yes, upon their faith.
- 1218.
Did you pay that sum all at one time ? — All at one time.
- 1219.
You did not go round from day to day then ? — Some houses I did.
- 1220.
You had no vouchers from them ? — I believe I have.
- 1221.
You have a receipt I know, but no bill with particulars ? — No.
- 1222.
You took their statement that they had supplied 5L. worth ? — They produced their slate in some instances, reckoned it up at so much, and I gave them the money.
- 1223.
You had no bill from the ” King’s Arms ” ? — No.
- 1224.
The next is the “Green Posts,” 10L. Had you any particulars of that ? — None.
- 1225.
Was that paid in one sum or several ? — I paid it twice. I asked him for a receipt for the 102. I believe I paid him twice.
- 1226.
Are you sure, was it not one sum ? — 10L in one sum. I paid him twice. He gave me a receipt for 10L. Up to that date that is what I paid him.
- 1227.
Are you sure it was one sum. You would not pay the first 5L. without taking a receipt ? — It was half a sovereign or something like that
- 1228.
Half a sovereign the first time, and 9L. 10s. the second ? — Yes.
- 1229.
Without any particulars ? — He simply produced his book, his slate, with a few names.
- 1230.
You say first a book, then a slate. Did he produce a slate or a book, or did he produce nothing. Just think, was anything produced to you at all ? — I remember at the “Bricklayer’s Arms” he had a slate.
- 1231.
The ‘Green Posts’ ? — A book he took from his drawer.
- 1232.
Are you sure of that ? — Yes.
- 1233.
Was that amount exactly 10L. ? — I cannot say. I asked him for a receipt for 10L.
- 1234.
The first is the “King’s Arms” which is exactly 5L., and the next is the ” Green Posts,” 10L. Do you mean that there were entries of goods supplied to different persons to the exact amount of 10L. ? — It might not have been the exact amount. He gave me a receipt for 10L., and the other account would run. I paid no odd money at the “King’s Arms.” I paid 5L, but to the best of my recollection were was 17s., 6d. due at the time.
- 1235.
Was there more due at the ‘Green Posts’ than at the ‘King’s Arms’ ? — There might have been some odd shillings due at the time, being large sums, If they were small ones I cleared them up. Being large amounts I paid the pounds and left the odd shillings. That is the system.
- 1236.
Were they to go on supplying then ? — Yes
- 1237.
They were ? — I endeavoured to check it as much as I could.
- 1238.
Did you endeavour to check it by paying ? — Yes.
- 1239.
Did you check it ? — I told them not to make it too heavy.