Hughes, Edwin | Day 19
Witness Type: Briber, Petition witness
Party: Conservative
Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 20
Witness Testimony:
- 19448.
Upon what day was it first determined to pay for any votes ? — I suppose upon the Tuesday. It comes gradually; first of all there is the money upon the other side.
- 19449.
I want the date ? — Upon the 12th we knew that the other side were distributing money.
- 19450.
Upon the 12th you say it was first determined on by you to give money to voters ? — I had not finished my sentence: it was first upon that date conceded upon our part that it might be necessary to counteract the payments made upon the other side.
- 19451.
What was the date when it was first determined that it might be necessary to counteract the payments made upon the other side ? — Upon the 11th or 12th. It was not a decision that we should do so, but that it might be necessary.
- 19452.
That would be the day following that upon which Sir Julian Goldsmid came down ? — Yes.
- 19453.
When did you actually determine to give money ? — We should prepare to do so, but no money was available until Monday the 17th.
- 19454.
When did you first take steps, if I may so say, to put yourself in funds to do it, if necessary ? — It was not to put myself in funds, but it was to put Olds in funds. The first steps would be taken upon the 12th, I think, and that is with regard to the £1400.
- 19455.
Upon that day you did obtain from Mr. Crompton Roberts a cheque for £600 ? — Yes, upon the 12th.
- 19456.
Was it the 11th or the 12th ? — Now I come to think, I believe it was upon Tuesday the 11th, but that money would not reach Olds till the Monday.
- 19457.
Upon the 11th it was that you got from Mr. Roberts a cheque for £600 for the purpose of being able to provide Olds with funds to distribute ? — I do not think that the purpose was sufficiently defined at that time to say that it was for that purpose, because it had not been decided to give it to Olds at that time.
- 19458.
Upon the same day as you got the cheque for £600, you obtained from Mr. Crompton Roberts, a memorandum enabling you to obtain from Mr. Hoare a further sum if necessary ? — Yes, certainly.
- 19459.
To be clear, upon the 11th of May I understand you got from Mr. Crompton Roberts a cheque for £600 ? — Yes.
- 19460.
Do you know to whom that cheque was made payable ? — It was payable to Mr. Hoare.
- 19461.
Was it ‘Hoare or order’, or ‘Hoare or bearer’ ? — Hoare or bearer.
- 19462.
What did you do with that cheque ? — l cashed it
- 19463.
Did you cash it yourself ? — Yes.
- 19464.
Did you go straight to the bank and cash it ? — Yes.
- 19465.
Did you communicate with Mr. Hoare respecting that cheque at all ? — No, not the least. I never saw him.
- 19466.
To what bank did you go ? — A bank in Princes Street: the London Joint Stock Bank.
- 19467.
Did you get that money in gold ? — Yes.
- 19468.
What did you do with that £600 ? — I paid it into the Bank of England, to a deposit account.
- 19469.
In whose name ? — In the names of five, but it was paid into the Bank of England with another £300, making £900.
- 19470.
What were the names ? — Mackie, Olds, Myhill, Hayman, and Thomas, I think, though I may have made a mistake in one name.
- 19471.
Was the whole of that £900 paid in those five names jointly ? — Yes.
- 19472.
From where did the other £300 come ? — From my bank. I drew a cheque for £300, cashed it, and added it to the £600, and paid in the £900 to the Bank of England.
- 19473.
What was the date of the cheque that you drew ? — The 11th.
- 19474.
Was it your own money ? — Yes. I drew it out of my own account. I cannot say what money it was, but I drew it out of my own account.
- 19475.
Had you had any money provided for you, directly or indirectly, to meet that amount ? — There was no difficulty about meeting it. I can always draw £300.
- 19476.
I did not mean to suggest that you could not draw that amount, but had you, as a matter of fact, directly or indirectly, had that money supplied to you by anyone ? — You are speaking of the £300?
- 19477.
Yes ? — Not that particular month. But I had a balance in hand of Mr. Crompton Roberts at the time. I owed Mr. Crompton Roberts as much as that, or more.