Simmons, Daniel George Frederick | Day 17

Questioned at very great length about his expenses. He was somewhat ‘forgetful’ and ‘careless’ in his record keeping. Although he had previously lived in the area and knew many of the people involved in the election, he was rather vague about who he had dealings with!

Witness Type: Briber, Freeman, Treater

Party: Conservative

Witness Testimony:

  • 18950.

    You made it up to the sum of £1. £7 you say you gave to Dr Hulke. Now what money did Mr Bristow have ? — All the other that was given was in small sums; a pound or 10s.

  • 18951.

    Did you give it to Mr Bristow ? — They used to meet me, and say I have heard of such and such a case, do you think we ought to give anything ?

  • 18952.

    What is Mr Bristow’s Christian name ? — I do not know. I do not know which Mr Bristow it is; all I know is, it is a Bristow.

  • 18953.

    What is he ? — A pilot.

  • 18954.

    Do you know where he lives ? — No. I know him very well by sight.

  • 18955.

    A Mr Bristow has been examined ? — It is a very small sum. I daresay he might not have thought of it.

  • 18956.

    How much, as nearly as you can remember, was it? £1, or £2, or £3, or £4, or £5 ? — I have been trying to refresh my memory, but I really cannot do it. All yesterday I was trying to find some clue. My illness has been an affection to my head. I have been laid up for a long time, and incapacitated from business altogether, and I cannot find any due. Those papers were purposely taken away from me because I should not trouble myself with them.

  • 18957.

    Can you give me any idea whether you gave £2, or £3, or £4 to Mr Bristow ? — No; they were only four amounts given at the time for some cases of distress.

  • 18958.

    You made no enquiry into the cause of distress ? — No.

  • 18959.

    And if he came to you and told you he wanted a pound to give someone in distress, you gave it him. Is that what you mean ? — Yes.

  • 18960.

    And you made no enquiry ? — No.

  • 18961.

    Had you authority to do that to anyone who came to you and told you they knew of some case of distress ? — Not to anyone. I was to use my discretion as to who I thought was reliable.

  • 18962.

    You say you yourself made no enquiries into the cases ? — No. I did not go into the details.

  • 18963.

    Not to enquire whether it was a case of distress or not ? — No.

  • 18964.

    Neither the name or address, or anything ? — No. Names might have been mentioned to me at the time. I really forget who they are now.

  • 18965.

    Then Alderman Ralph; how much was given to him ? — I cannot swear to the amount.

  • 18966.

    About; was it £1, £3, £5, or more ? — It was given in different amounts. They were all given in a hasty moment, and it is a difficult matter to say now what they are. People used to be racing about, and perhaps they would meet me in the street, and I should be only too glad to give it to them to be off.

  • 18967.

    How would they know you were the person to apply to ? — From my first of all having to seek Mr Bristow for the gentleman who was canvassing with Mr Crompton Roberts at the time he desired this woman to be relieved.

  • 18968.

    Were Dr Hulke, Mr Bristow, and Alderman Ralph, all with him at that time ? — No. Dr Hulke asked me quite independently of the others.

  • 18969.

    How came Mr Bristow and Alderman Ralph to ask you to give the money for charities? How came they to come to you at all ? — Simply because Mr Bristow knew I had relieved this poor woman.

  • 18970.

    Did Alderman Ralph know that ? — From him, I suppose.

  • 18971.

    But do you know that he did ? — I cannot swear that.

  • 18972.

    And the others, they should they come to you ? — I did not enquire into that.

  • 18973.

    How much did you spend yourself in relieving distress ? — £2 or £3.

  • 18974.

    You say you know the place; tell me who were the people that you gave it to. If you had a case of misery there, that you yourself investigated and relieved, you would be sure to know who the person was and where the person lived ? — Well, I could scarcely do that. I have been away some time.

  • 18975.

    You canvassed the people when you were there you say, and when you were there at the election you found these people, and relieved them. It is not very long ago ? — It was when I was going about I used to stumble across a case of the kind now and then.

  • 18976.

    Surely you remember where it was, and when it was; they could not be so very numerous. Surely you must know the names of some of them, at any rate. The names of the people whom you found in distress, and to whom you gave money to relieve them ? — No, I have not been able to refresh my memory at all.

  • 18977.

    Surely you must remember. Give me the names of those you remember ? — I have been trying to do so the last few days. I thought probably I might be asked that question, although I could not know that I should be catechised as to that account.

  • 18978.

    Do you really mean to say you cannot give us any idea how much you gave to Mr Bristow and Mr Alderman Ralph, or the name of any person you personally relieved ? — No, I have not the slightest idea.

  • 18979.

    But you must have had an idea when you returned this account ? — Yes. I have the items that I have supplied that sum from. I had those items for some considerable time afterwards, and it was not till after the petition, I think, that they were destroyed. I kept them on purpose to vouch the accounts. They were looked up at home, and after that they were destroyed by my wife, I think. At the time I was very bad.