Testimonies

Olds, Samuel | Day 3

Witness Type: Briber, Councillor / Alderman, No Indemnity

Party: Conservative

Other Days The Witness Was Called On: Day 2 | Day 14

Witness Testimony:

• 2264.

  Did you tell him the amount ? — I told him 1,000L.

• 2265.

  Are you sure you told him 1,000L. ? — Yes, that is what it was.

• 2266.

  Are you quite certain of that ? — Quite certain I told him I had 1,000L., and he said, “I know nothing of it”

• 2267.

  Did you tell him how it came about ? — Yes.

• 2268.

  That a stranger brought it to your own room ? — Yes,

• 2269.

  And he told you to distribute it ? — Yes

• 2270.

  And you told him, I suppose, you were told it was brought for electioneering purposes ? — Yes, I did.

• 2271.

  And you were told to distribute it among the canvassers of your party ? — Yes ; and he said, “I know nothing about it.”

• 2272.

  That was the day you got it ? — Yes ; he said, ” It is nothing to do with me ; I know nothing about it ”

• 2273.

  Did he tell you not to distribute it ? — He said, ” I know nothing about it.”

• 2274.

  Did you tell him how you distributed it ? — I did not.

• 2275.

  You told him you had distributed it ? — I told him I had distributed it

• 2276.

  As you had been told ? — Yes.

• 2277.

  But you did not tell him to whom ? — No.

• 2278.

  You did not tell him the names of the people ? — I did not give him the names, I do not think.

• 2279.

  I suppose you told him that as soon as you had done it ? — I told him I had distributed it —it was gone.

• 2280.

  When did you tell him that— the same day ? — The same day it was done.

• 2281.

  That was on the Tuesday ? — It would be on the Tuesday ; it was distributed the day previous to the election ; that would be on the Monday I think.

• 2282.

  You got it on the Monday, as I understand ? — I got it on the Monday and it was distributed the same day. (Mr. Turner,) You told us not two minutes ago the next morning.

• 2283.

  (Mr. Holl.) Yes, you must be making some mistake; you must have got in some confusion; you said the stranger brought it down at 4 o’clock in the afternoon ? — Yes, by the 3.27 train. You see it is awkward to recollect the dates so long.

• 2284.

  And you say you distributed it the day before the election ? — Yes, it was all distributed the day before. I think Giles came over to the meeting, and I believe they took the money back with them. I will not be positive. I think it must have been the same day now.

• 2285.

  He will tell us about that ? — Yes, he will refresh my memory on that point.

• 2286.

  You think it must have been the same evening ? — I think so.

• 2287.

  Did you disburse the other 550L. to Barnes, Bushell, Phipps, Spears, and all those men the same evening ? — The same evening ; it was all done the day before the election.

• 2288.

  Just think ; there seems to be some little confusion in your mind ? — I am confused. I have got nothing to refresh my memory upon.

• 2289.

  Just take a minute or two to think quietly. What we want to know is this, we want you to tell us the facts. There must be some mistake or some confusion, for you told us a little while ago that this was brought over at 4 o’clock in the afternoon ? — The 3.27 train, not 4.

• 2290.

  You said you found this stranger at your house about 4 o’clock ? — Well, it would be soon after the train.

• 2291.

  Soon after 4 ? — I say soon after the train.

• 2292.

  You had an impression at first that Giles and Hughes came over that evening, and they were the first parties who had any money, and they did not have any money till the next morning ? — I will not be positive whether they did not have that the same night.

• 2293.

  If they had it the same night, did you distribute it to the other people the same night ? — Yes, ii was all done the day before.