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:
- 1240.
And that is all you did ? — Yes.
- 1241.
Then there is the “George and Dragon,” the “Mermaid,” the “Three Colts,” the “Forrester’s Arms,” the “Bricklayer’s Arms,” the “Cinque Ports,” and the “Salutation,” to each of which you went and paid the bills ? — Yes.
- 1242.
You authorised refreshments to be supplied at other public-houses besides those which you engaged ? — All the houses which I paid money to are in that list.
- 1243.
(Mr. Turner.) Does that include the seven ? — Yes.
- 1244.
(Mr. Holl.) There are nine houses which you paid for refreshments ? — Yes.
- 1245.
So that you paid for refreshments to other houses besides the seven which you engaged at 4L. each ? — Yes.
- 1246.
Have you had from these public-houses any further claims ? — Yes.
- 1247.
Where are they, do you know ? — I have not got them now. I had bills. They gave them to me.
- 1248.
What have you done with them ? — I believe Mr. Emmerson has them. (To Mr. Emmerson.) Are they the 89L ? (Mr. Emmerson.) Those are the 89L., the particulars of which I handed in yesterday.
- 1249.
(Mr. Holl.) (To the Witness) All the further claims you handed over to Mr. Emmerson ? — Yes.
- 1250.
Here is an item of 3L. for railway and other expenses to Mr. Feare, what was that for ? — He lived beyond Sevenoaks. I have not his address with me. It was simply to satisfy him for his expenses.
- 1251.
He lived beyond Sevenoaks ? — He was a mason, and it was for loss of time.
- 1252.
You gave him 3L. ? — Yes.
- 1253.
When was it arranged that you would give him 3L. if he came to vote ? — I made no arrangement until I met him on the polling day, or the day before.
- 1254.
Had you not communicated with him before ? — Yes, through his wife. His wife wrote to him.
- 1255.
What did you tell her ? — I told her that his expenses would be paid providing he came.
- 1256.
What else ? — Nothing more passed between his wife and myself.
- 1257.
You told her that his expenses would be paid if he came ? — Yes.
- 1258.
And afterwards you met him there and agreed to give him 3L ? — He claimed 3L. I was obliged to give it to him.
- 1259.
It is a good deal more than his expenses, is it not. His fare there and back would not be more than 5s. ? — He was a mason and there was loss of time.
- 1260.
You paid him the rest for loss of time ? — Yes.
- 1261.
For coming over to vote ? — Yes.
- 1262.
Had you told his wife you would do that ? — No, I said nothing about that.
- 1263.
ou told her you would pay his expenses. Did you say you would pay him his expenses, and for his loss of time ? — No, that I would pay his expenses, simply those words.
- 1264.
You paid him the 3L before he voted ? — No, not until after he had been.
- 1265.
I thought you told us you met him at the polling booth ? — No, I said I met him after that day, after I met him he claimed his 3L.
- 1266.
On the day before when you met him, did you not tell him what you would give him. He asked what he was to have then surely ? — He might have done, but I really cannot remember now.
- 1267.
Did you tell him what you would give him ? — If he had asked me I should have done. I cannot say whether I remember.
- 1268.
You cannot say whether you remember promising that you would give him 3L. or not ? -— No.
- 1269.
You did not pay him until after he voted ? — I did not pay him until after he voted.