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:
- 1270.
Then there is H. Clark ? — I paid him after he voted.
- 1271.
When did you arrange with him that you would pay him his expenses ? Where did he come from ? — He came from Sevenoaks.
- 1272.
How did you communicate with him ? — I think one of the committee wrote to him. He came and found me after he had polled. I did not see Clark until he came to me after he polled.
- 1273.
You say one of the committee wrote to him to come ? — Yes. I did not write.
- 1274.
Did you communicate with him at all, directly or indirectly ? — No.
- 1275.
After he came to you, having polled, you gave him 3L ? — Yes.
- 1276.
Did he say that he had been promised 3L. if he came over to vote ? — No.
- 1277.
Did he ask you for the 3L ? — He asked me. He said he supposed it was worth 3L (they were his words to the best of my recollection), and I gave it to him.
- 1278.
Who did the rosettes go to, I see altogether there are between 8L and 9L for rosettes ? — Where were they sent to ?
- 1279.
Yes, what was done with them ? — -Distributed amongst the electors at a committee room.
- 1280.
Coleman and Harris watching, 1L 10s. Is that yourself ? — No.
- 1281.
When did you make this list out ? — That is a copy of a list I made out when the accounts were made up.
- 1282.
Did you keep any memorandum of the money that you paid at different places ? — Simply on a few slips of paper I might have had with me.
- 1283.
You say this is a copy of what ? — That is a copy of a list I made up at the time the expenses were asked for.
- 1284.
When was that ? — I cannot say now. I met Mr. Emmerson, and he told me he wanted the accounts in that same afternoon. I run it through then, and that is a copy of it.
- 1285.
Was that after the petition ? — I cannot say whether it was before or after, now, about that time.
- 1286.
Are the claims for 89L. odd for the same public-houses that are mentioned in this list ? — The same.
- 1287.
That is the balance that you left for things which were supplied after you paid those sums ? — Yes.
- 1288.
Were the bills for this 89L. sent in to you ? — I collected them.
- 1289.
At the time they were collected did you in any way check the particulars ? — No, but I was surprised to think that they came to so much.
- 1290.
Did you in any way check or see any particulars of what had been supplied, or were they lump sums ? — Some stated that they simply took stock before and after the election, others produced a slate and showed the amounts, and some simply stated a lump sum.
- 1291.
(Mr. Turner.) Then when you made your payments by instalments you left a large balance generally ? — Not then. I left the odd money then.
- 1292.
(Mr. Holl.) That is how you disposed of this 40L. Is that the sum which you received from Mr. Emmerson on the first occasion ? — Yes.
- 1293.
Did you afterwards receive any more money from him ? — Yes.
- 1294.
How much ? — 50L.
- 1295.
When was that ? — I believe it was the day previous to the election.
- 1296.
Have you received any more money from him ? — None at all.
- 1297.
Of that you are certain ? — Yes, I will swear that.
- 1298.
Directly or indirectly ? — None whatever.
- 1299.
Have you received any more money besides that from any one ? — I have received no more money from any one.