The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-02 00:00:00

alti anb Witt.

PERJURIES perpetrated before the election com-
mittees have formed the ground of three actions
tried on Monday and Tuesday last by the Court of
Queen's Bench. One Motet had sworn, when ex
amined relative to the Chatham election, that he saw
Sir F. Smith meet Bradshaw, a voter; heard him
promising that if Bradshaw would give him his vote
ho would get him into the " college"—meaning
Greenwich Hospital—and find a place for his son ;
that be saw Sir F. Smith take his hand out of his
trousers pocket and give Bradshaw money; and that
he met Bradshaw afterwards, who showed him
three sovereigns, hinting that lie had got theory or
his vote, and saying, " This is better than a look."
Upon all these statements Mount stood now charged
with perjury, the prosecution against him being con-

201

ducted by order of the House of Commons. Sir F.
Smith, on examination, stated that Bradshaw met
him early in the progress of his canvass and ten-
dered him his vote. lie shook hands with him thou
and afterwards when they happened to meet, but
gave him neither money nor premises, nor was any-
thing said about the " college," or a place for his
bon. lie could not have taken his hand out of his
pocket while talking with Mount, because the
trousers he then wont haul none. Mount subse•
quently came to a meeting of his friends at the Sun,
anti having stated his desire of getting into the hew
pital—which, as he had a pension already, would
have been a saving to the public—he (Sir F. Smith)
made some inquiries on his behalf at the Admi-
ralty, but found that he had not served long enough
at sea to be eligible. Bradahaw himself' declared that
he had promised his vote voluntarily to Sir F. Smith,
had asked no favour of hint then, nor spoken to hint
in Mounts presence at any time. The prisoner was
found guilty, and sentenced by Lord Campbell to
six months imprisonment in the House of Correction.
—Martin had deposed before the committee on the
Southampton election that he had seen, on the
morning of the 'tolling-day, Mr. Andrews, then Mayor
of Southampton put his band upon the shoulder of a
man named Oakley and ask him to vote for the
Liberals, telling hint that he should lose nothing, for
he had made it all right. This assertion was de-
clared a fabrication, and the deponent thereto prow •
clued for the perjury. Mr. Andrews, besides denying
the action and words imputed to him is tote, corro-
borated the denial by various ciremnstanetst. lie
had no doubt said and done many things on the
election day, and seen half Southampton, probably ;
but as regarded Oakley, he observed that the 'lolling
place situated nearest his residence was one
which he (Andrews) had visited last in order, while
Oakley haul registered his vote by half-past eight.
Oakley confirmed this denial, and. though other menu -
hem of the Oakley family deposed to having seen
Andrews in the neighbotultootl, anal to having be-
lieved that he had canvassed their relative at a
very early hour on the morning in question, the jury
found a verdict of guilty, and Lord Campbell pro-
nounced a sentence of two years' imprisonment.--
Before the sante committee George Warren swore that
Sir A. Cockburn had Willed hint with money, and
one of the candidate's party—.lanes Sharpe---had
promised to get him a licence to sell beer. Being
charged with perjury us regarded both assertions, it
was shown, with respect to the money part of the
affair, that Sir A. Cockburn, having come canvassing
with his friends, gave the defendant. half *crown
for three glasses of porter worth 4 ad., and told
him to keep the change, because he sold his beer
too cheap. The committee had ruled that this
was not bribery, but the Court of Queen's Bench
seemed of opinion that the defendant, in terming it
so, was nut guilty of perjury. Respecting the licence,
it was stated on his behalf, and admitted lay Sir A.
Cockburn on his personal examination, that a great
deal of talk, familiar anti jocose in character, took
place on the occasion. As to the exact tenor of what
passed the revolleetion of the various witnesses was
very imperfect. It appeared, however, that Sharpe,
who was a lawyer, and had previonsly ipposed the
defendant's application fair a licence, then excused
himself as having done so only professionally, and
either he or Poceek, another of the canvassing party,
alluding to the licence, haul 'glinted te the candidate
and said, "You know who can get it for you."

1.0r.1 CAM Nab' It 154,111.1 certainly 44plwair tllNt the ex•
prettelona which 1144 been elated by the defendant had nut been
Wien, but there had been a great deal of Etinvertiation, and the
defentbutt, might well base iutagetedl that wiVI friendly
feerleirdel lint, and Illtleirilll,l I.l' lintettring A There awl
nothing in the *halm of bribe or prt ;;;; ass a mistake.
Verdict, not guilty.

A BRUTAL STASI:SIMI CASE was investigated on
Tuesday at the Westminster Police Court. Two
excavators, named Page and Derr►ck, who had
worked together for several months at the new
Crystal Palace, went to a tavern at Chelsea and
quarrelled over their cups. After a hot scuttle Der-
rick found himself stabbed in six places. Page
escaped at the tune, but was arrested in a day or
two. Before the magistrate he testified much com-
punction for the unmanly act, and said " he wished
to suffer for it." Ile was committed for trial.