The Express.
London, England, 1853-04-13 00:00:00

LEICESTER.

The increasing interest, arising from the total
change of tactic,, amounting to contradiction. in the peti-
tieners. ease, attending this committee, was evidenced, yes.
terday, in the large attendance both of members and
strangers. The evidence offered, however, was, on this
day, quite of an eaplanalory cliarset•r; and nothing what-
ever was elicited either to throw a new leslit on the case, or
to carry it a single step further.
The tint witness was Henry Goodrich, who had been
examined the previous day, and who was now crow examined
by Mr. Serjeant Wilkins. Ile was one of the subordinate
persons who had been employed by Holyoake to obtain
evidence, after the general eleation, against the silting
, members; and the object of the searching nod severe
1 cross-examination to which he wan exposed, was to obtain
from him, contradictions of the previous evidence offered
on the part of the petitioners ; and, nonentity, to damage
the witness's character. It appeared that he had been ern-
/ played by the Midland Railway Comoany as a eheektaker
at the Leicester station, and he admitted that he had been
discharged for the non-entering in the proper book of an
2 excess tare. It was also evidenced by this witness that one
l of the previous witnesses had declined making any commu-
nication before a Mr. Greatore: on the ground that he (the
deelining witness) had been so often before that gentleman
for poaching. The witness (11. Goodrich) obstinately an-
swered all questions as to (Afars lee had made to tee confess-
ing voters of money for their inforrention by a direct denial.
lie himself had received ISt. a week while employed by
Holyoake ; with about 3s. more altogether, for his
expenses; but being pressed, he admitted that he might
have further expectations for his agency iu the business.
Ile could not trace the money by which he had been paid
farther than his father. liolyoake had else been paid by
his father. It he knew anything about the matter it was
that his father had been paid by Mr. Greaten:. Red there
been any misunderstanding between ilia father and Great.
ore: regarding the amount of ruon..v expended for the pro-
' motion of the petitioners' Cabe ? Nu.-- Would he swear
that ? Well, there had been a dispute. (The equivocating
manner of the witness, although the paint was of secondary
importance, hero pr alueed a decidedly unfavourable im-
pression.) The witness, in continuati,in, was cross-sx-
amined at great length in the endeavour to ti: him upon
I the admissions of pr. ceding witnesses us to the induce-
, incnts to confession which he had offered ; but although he
; equivocated and hesitated, he persisted in his general de-
, Male. He was re-examined by Mr. Muttram, with the
view of vindicating his character so far as it was affected by
the fact of his basing been t'i-miased by the Midland Rail-
way Company ; but the counsel did not succeed in eliciting
more than assertions that the cause of the dismissal con-
sisted in a fault of routine.

The next witness was the brother of the last, viz., James
Goodrich (examined b 3 %Ir. Muttram), whew evidence was
of a general character, end only emit to the effect that he
had heard Ludlam state that hu (Ludlam) knew all about
the election.

Cross examined by Mr. Serjeant Wilkins—He stated
that be had been employed for the purpose of watching
Stainee's agents (Staines was the agent of Walmsley and
Gardner). That was his " job ;" and the r.bject was to
gain information to unseat the sitting members. (This
answer was obtained by the counsel after a reluctance on
the part of the witness, which called the remark from the
chairmen (Mr. Divett), that "There is no doubt that
he did.")
Win. Goodrich, father of the preceding witnesses, was
next called—He had been employed with Holyoake to ob-
tain a ease against the sitting members. He had seen a
man named Kirk who professed to have received 41. 10s.
for the purpose of dist ibuting among voters for Walmsley
and Gardner ' • these apocryphal voters getting 101. a heed.
Kirk said that his evidence was PO important that the
other side (Walmsley and Gardner) would give him
401. to keep quiet. He had seen Kirk and Ladino
together, Ludlam -speaking to the same effect ; and it had
been understood that one would not go into any statement
unless the other joined. Ludlans's hesitation, in his
" poacher " capacity, to speak before Mr. Greatorex, was
also spoken of by this witness. The witness proceeded to
refer to the " statements " which Ludlam and Kitk had
made and signed respecting their own supposititious corrup-
tion ; and the counsel was about to read these statements,
when,
Mr. Serjt.Wilkins interposed, and made a strong objection
to so irregular a proceeding, adding his opinion that the
course pursued on this committee was unprecedented in
the annals of parliamentary committees. The learned
serjeant was entering on a general argument, when,
The Chairman said—lt is as clear as possible that these
witnesses have given two different statements about the
same fact; and the only question for us is, Which is the
true one.
Mr. Mottram thought it would be for the convenience of
the committee that they should hear these statements.
The Chairman—The whole tenor of the thing induces a
belief that these statements have been cooked. In fact,
the fact which has previously come out, that these wit-
nesses get los. a day while they arc in London, is in itself
very suspicions in its influence on the credibility of the
evidence.
Mr. K. Macaulay (who at this moment entered the
committee-room) addressed the committee with a view of
inducing a hearing of the signed statements.
The Chairman, however, declined hearing the learned
counsel. It was best to speak openly on such occasions.
Hie conviction was, from what he had heard, that the
agents of the petitioners had been suborning witnesses.
The evidence which had been recently offered left the mat-
ter just where it bad been on the previous day.
After some further discussion of the point, the room was
cleared ; and when re-opened, the committee announced
that they declined hearing the written statements read.
The cross-examination of the witness continued. He was
asked in reference to the characters of the subordinate
agents he had employed ; and, after some equivocation, ad-
mitted that in several instances they were disreputable.
Ile was also questioned as to his own character. lie had
been dismissed from the collectorship of a parish in Leices-
ter, but he attributed the circumstance to causes discon-
nected with his reputation for probity. Oue main cause,
however, was an apparent deficiency of 2071. old. Between
October and April, the period when the agitation against
the sitting members had gone on, he had not spent more
than 162/. This included Holyonke's payment and ex-
penses. iiolyoake had been paid by him. !Isere might be
SI. or an more owing to the landlord of the White Lion.
Holyoake was then milled and examined by Serjeant
Kinglake—This witness (who was the principal, or at least
the most active agent of the petitioners) spite to interviews
with Kirk and Ludlam, their declarations that they had
been bribed for their votes (as given in former evidence),
and, then, his evidence turned, and ho directly and in the
i most emphatic terms and time, contradicted the assertions
of the previous witnesses that he had balm:a the confes-
sions by promises of money and rewards. The emphasis
(proving perjury on his side or on the sides of Kirk end
Ludlam) with which he gave this part of his evidence made
a distinct sensation in the resbro. lie had seen young George
Ludlam, who had said that lie' had received money to pay
Walmeley'a and Gardner's votes with.
Mr: S rjeant Wiliam., at tie . point, observed that no
inflater would be safe if so extraordinary a mode of exami-
nation was allowed to go on. Why, the person stated to
have said that he had received money to bribe voters had
newt been examined !
. .

The examination, however, enntinued, but eliciting no
further points; and the cro,•-csamhwei,,,,, ',nen prme,deJ,
:iad aarrst impression untryourahle to the squibs, was
ptodurei by the counsel usaing him to write a sentence,
" to cash paid," &c.; this writing being contrasted with the
entries in a memorandum-hook which the witness hail prr-
viously sworn hail Arca kipt by himself in account of hit
disbursements to subordinate agent., and the twu

wrstiag, Wag shawls to be entirely dimisaiLts. Ht.lucid
to this test, se a. ; b. had meant
that the N. orlf.lll /1114.1/0014 he had put in was a
copy of the . ; further, that to
Lad eat meant tlat h, had bet tae liter.
he had, havrev. r, s• an ail the er.triks made by Wm
and er to their eiirreettie.e.
had u..•. been al rkw at Al. trade knit!. r)
since June ; ever since he bad been empluy ell looking
alter the petiti.m ; aad had made about Xs. • week. He
made /min I ei I? a we. k . his trade. He was severely
tiewessained in reference to his own character, but met
every tomtit...boa with 4 bread lie We* them
I) ituerianed whether or not he haul pronsieed .W. emelt
Sut-ur. t r. r. , awl Tayl..r (canvaring entity. for Walnis.
ley and (..rdner), if tb. y would give informatian. He
certainly had not primieed anything of the hied; but.
when presse t, ho quivoratrl. He would not swear that
another perea hol not •' ' • ^rrenco th .1 he lad

•
Abdo • ••••••• su •••
; and he eronicsoc.• ,at, OR UM
OtClOlOll of in-cting the.. voten'todether. be had lest his
watch with a e.rtma psety as • security for :Ms. which he
had borrowed ; And he at•nowlmlged thit on that 0ci....i0n
he had given earl, to ('Hr different men, two of them
lsvin,r voters, and all of them having been sought by bim
for " information."

ThIS wirni.. w Is Nl.l under.t.ping ci
tkt: eooualtt.r adjonrued to this day.

when

SIR T. ttrithiair tint LAlttli DULY ELECTT.I).
Yesterday the proceedings of the Jtartmouth com-
mittee enamellers' with the examination of
Mr. John *ln.% Vermouth by Mr. Rodwell—S%-itness
said since he has been in town he has stopped at the Half
Moon in dhr borough, and at the Trafalgar. Ile kis •
brother—Richard Trist laremouth—who has been staying
part of the time with him in London. Saw him yesterday
mornieg in a cab close by here, when he said he was off, as
his business called him elsewhere. Witness does not know
where be is gone. Witness took an active part at the Dart-
mouth election on behalf of Sir Thomas Herbert—at least
he did so towards the end of it. Some of the pecuniary
transactions of the election passed through his hands to pay
runners or watchers. lie could not say how many of those
men were engaged. He pant tht mat different public-ho ABCS
in the town, but cannot say how much, whether it was 1501.
or 2001., or what. Ile drew the money out of the bank from
his own resources, but expected it would be repaid, perhaps
by Mr. Brooking. Ile drew 3.50/. from the National Pro-
vincial Bank by a three months' bill, and though he had not
paid the whole of it himself, the sum bad all been paid to
watchers. lie had not honoured the bill, and the bank had
not taken proceedings upon it. It might be at the bank now
for all he kuows. lie had been paid nothing himself for his
own service., and he di-charged no tavern bills.
In croseexaminatim by Mr. Cooke, the witness said that
all the ilkturbances which had taken place had originated by
Mr. Lindsay throwing the loaves out of the window among
the people ; until that time there haul been no rows whatever,
but Sir T. Herbert's party felt very much insulted by Mr.
Lindsay throwing small loaves among them, end after that
it became necessary to employ the watchers ; but fur those
watchers he believed three parts of the town would have
been carried off. Mr. Lindsay had fighting men so well as
Sir T. Herbert's party, And the mayor and corooratiun, and
the whole of the police, were upin Mr. Lindsay's side.
With this witness** examination the case for the petition
closed, and
Mr. Serjeant Kinglike proceeded to sum up the whole of
the evidence, commeotiug strongly at the outset on the
dangerous and unconstitutional course which had been
adopted among a small esnatituoney like that of Dartmouth
by inte.dueing into the town a mob of 500 or 600 men,
called quarrymen, to overawe the electors, and lead to
disturbances of the peace. The learned serjeant then went
through the particulars of each case of the alleged bribery,
intimidation, and promises, set forth by the different wit-
nesses.
Mr. Cooke then (in the unavoidable absence of Mr.
Macaulay, who was engaged in addresing the Taunton
committee) commenced his reply on behalf of the sitting
member.
At the :conclusion of the learned counsel's address, the
room was cleared ; and alter a brief interval the public were
again admitted; when
The Chairman said the committee had unanimously re-
solved that Sir Thomas Herbert was duly a lectei to serve
as a burgess in the present parliament fur the borough of
Dartmouth at the last election.
The committee then separated.
COCK ERMOUTH.

-------- - - ---
When the committee met yesterday morning, the
witness Whaltos was re-called and crow-examined by Mr.
Rowe.
Is answer to the committee, he said he voted foe General
Wyndham instead of Aglionby and Herman because he
thought Mr. Richardson hail behaved very badly to him in
not getting the assignment settled. The witness said he
thought General Wyndham had done a great deal of good
in the neighbourhood, sail he thought the general bad a
better right to his vote than either of the other two, sad he
never intended to vote for them. When he said he would
vote for the ether aide it was because he wanted to get the
bailiffs out of his house.
Jobs Nisbett stated that the bailiff in possession at Wild-
ton's was a strong blue."
John Kitson said, before the election he was in possession
of a bedstead belonging tot William Crewe, &voter. Witness
was seat for to Beason 'a office on the 17th of hay, after the
canvass began, and forma Crowe drunk. Benson asked wit-
ness to keep the bedstead for him, and produced a cheque-
book, and was about to writs a cheque for Crowe for 61.,
but witness advised him not to give it to hiss that night
because he was so drunk. Benson had since asked witness if
he would bay the bedstead, but he declined. The bedstead
was still is his possession, and belonged to Benson. The
week before last Beason had told him he had given 6i. les.
for it, and W. 10e. besides to Crowe ; bat he did not say
what the U. 10s. was for. Crowe v ited for Aglionby and
Hemmen. He bad failed in business, and was in great
difficulties about that time.
. . . .

W. Crowe was then called in, but be was in such a state
of intoxication:that he could not be examined; he could only
talk wildly about his having performed some extraordinary
pedestrian feats " about the village of London."
He was ordered by the chairman into the custody of a
aseseenger of the house, with a view to ascertain as to who
have drink en this occasion to frustrate the inquiry.
One or two other witnesses having been examined,
The committee adjourned to this morning.