Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-05-11 00:00:00

g
pocket, and let himself into the room. Mr, Barnett, That „y which was which (lookin at the specimens of voting
assistant overseer, after baying been up stairs, followed Mr. and nomination papers prodneed.)
Wilson into the waiting-room. Mr. John Wilson came The Inspector remarked that any one could print nomi-
afterwards, and went-into the room. Mr. Carter, who'was nation papers.
not a guardian or overseer last year, but
is a guardian this Mr. James : I printed the whole of the nomination
year, and also Mr. Henry Layland, joined them inthe papers air the overseers, lait none for others. Mr. Holden
others. I was suspicions of him on acceunt of the sly
room. That was betwixt six and seven o'clock, It was wished his nomination. papers to be different from the
bf:rgi naninligghtote-
db e
can aurdkl,es,i and 11d1 r
I. J
go saeypeh i
tWtiols o
trill came.em toT Thy
manner which fie came about ththeire,
left a little after seven, and gave me the candle back Inspector : Well, but you know peple are always sly at
still lighted. I did not see what they were elections.
doing. There never was anybody went in, in the same Mr. James then read from his journal, an entry of 100
way. The magistrates sit in the room for hearing sum- nomination papers fCs- the overseers, and 50 for Mr. Holden.
monses- at ten o'clock in the forenoon. Since the magistrates William Moore, journeyman printer,was next examined,
made use of it, which they have done for the last year or and said he was working with Mr. James at the time the
so, the room has been kept locked. I keep the keys hanging papers were printed: and .he remembered meeting
erection,
up in the kitchen. On. the Sunday evening I went to Mr. Layland, and conpatulating him on his
churchnt half-past six o'clock, and left Mr. Dickens in the and telling him that he otrght to have gone in last year, if
room up stairs at work. I shut the door after me when I all had been square. He etas in Mr. James's office, and
went out, and when I came back he was gone. He was Mr. JMees was not there. Mr. Holden washed some of the
preparing to go away when I left. He could go out without voting papers to be printed fur liim. He said, 4aTtiese
a key as the door shuts with a spring lock. . fellows have not got voting papers enough." Witness said
Alfred. B. Barnett, assistant overseer for the township, hodid not think it would be right to print them for him,
acting as superintendent, gave. his evidence as folloWs : as that was not the quarter from. which the original cadet
On Saturday, the 19th March, I came to these offices at had come. Mr. James soon after eame in, -and he alSo said
about half-past five o'clock in the evening. I saw Mr. he thought it; would hardly be right to palra them.
Joseph Wilson before me. He went into the passage just After sonic conversation, Mr.. Aolden said there would
before me, and I passed him in the passaae, and .fiuding not be any time to get them done elsewhere, and '111; James-
he did not follow me up stairs, I returned aihim, thinking agreed to print them ; but he thought it better to alter a
lie might consider me abrapt in leaving him. He was then line, so as they would not appear to come from the same
in - the waiting room, but he did- not say how he got in. office. A day or two elapsed between the printing of the
In answer to some observation of mines he said the voting one and the other, Ile swore distinatly that they Were
papers are here, pointing -to a shelf under the voting papers, as he had set part of'it up. After the
I
counter. . He: did not point to the cupboard printing of the voting papers for the overseers, another lot
I had some conversation with Mr. Joseph 'Wilson, and I was printed for Mr. Holden. • .
think Mr. Leyland was present, but lam not sure that he Thomas Rogers, 32, St. James's-road : I ani a linen draper.
was. The conversation was to the effect that he and others . I recollect being at Mr. Leyland's, on the 19th :Starch, and
were under the impression that ;malpractice had taken Mr James, the printer, was present, and lasked, him if it
place at the election of 1457. This, was in the morning of was true that he had printed certain extra voting papers,
Saturday. Mr. Joseph Wilson expressed his desire to and he said it was. I asked him where they exact copies,
inspectilie voting papers, and it was arranged that I should and he said tbe,spellingawas the same, bat he had made an
write to 11fr. • Cleaver for the key of the closet in which alteration by altering the type from italics fats.' roman.. I
they were ; but I was not to write till the Monday. I told him that I thought it strange conduct fAr him to do
Mr. Joseph Wilson said that, if Mr. Cleaver knew, he so, and he replied. that he:had:refused to do so at Mist, but
Would take the papers away, and they could not see them ; when the alteration was suggested, he •did do it,' , and said
that was tbe reason ' for directing me not to write till the he would do the same for Me or any :one else.
Monday. This was all that passed till the evening. lam Inspector to Mr.. James: Did you print two batches of
quite sure that I cannot tell what the observation was that votinf, papers ? I did not. Then, what your fm-eman has
I made to Mr. Wilson, but it might be to this effect—that stated is not true ? It is not tree, sir. You did not iiiint
this is the closet in which the voting papers are. When I any for Mr. Holden ? I did not, ins, any, one - else,. I
came into the' 000 in, Mr. Wilson was walking round the admit making the statement, but 'at th
counter, as if to look at the papers, and lie did look at them, tinguish the difference between voting paper
as if to discover a difference of type between the legitimate tion papers. i -
voting papers and others that were supposed to have been intro- Mr. Aspinall made a lengthened statement ' with
duced, I assisted him in examining them. I did not ask him reference to the position in ; which his clients were
how he got possession of them, and the reason was, because I placed in, the matter, and thought ',too much' had
did not like to put the question, he being an honorary overseer, been made of the whole thing. To him it appeared
he might have thought it inquisitive. Whilst he and I ' nothing • more or less than a, political .squabble. With
were examining the papers, Mr. John Wilson, .Mr. Carter, reference to Mr. Holden, lie remarked that he was quite
and Mr.' Henry' Leyland came in, and assisted in the sure that he stood as high as any man in Liverpool; and
examination; to the extent of two or three bundles. They would not do anything that be would be likely to be pulled
were. the papers of • 1857. They did. not discover any- over the coals for. It gave him pleasure in lis abSence :to
thing to
,confirm their suspicions—that I am aware of. f
The papers were- tied
.up, and I helped to put them
into the closet again. 'We all left the room together.
-I think Mr.' Leyland locked the door. They all left the
building before I did. I (lid not tell any other overseer
what had happened. , There were two overseers, that were sas a uutte,olllok
not, present. When Mr. Cleaver arrived on the Monday I , ae,,,-, ---
Was in the office; Mr. Johns, Mr. Siddely, and Mr.
Pickup were with him. I came down stairs, and they
asked me if I had a key, and I said no, and they then
asked for the key off Mrs. Hunter, and she said she had not
the key. I then went to Mr. Layland's house to get the
key, and I found lie was away from home. I went to Mi.
Joseph Wilson and told him if he would not give the key I
thought. they would break the door open. Mr. Wilson
said the key was at his house, and he would not
take the trouble of fetching it. I came back and told Mr.
Cleaver and the other gentleman what Mr. Wilson said,
and there was a locksmith present who opened the door, and
I went into the room with them, and the door of the
closet was a little ajar. Mr. Cleaver, the clerk, took down
my evidence before the committee of the guardians. There
never has been any reward offered to know who opened
the door, that lam aware of. The examination occupied
an hour and a-half, perhaps. There was no comparison
made. On the morning of the 19th, I was led to believe
that they would take forcible possession of these papers, and
I suggested the milder course of writing to Mr. Cleaver.
Mr. William 'Roberts, ironmonger, 44, Mill-street, on
being examined, stated that—On the 10th of March Mr,
Henry Leyland and .Mr. John Wilson came to my shop to
borrow some keys. I ' accompanied theta to these offices,
and they opened the door of the waiting-room. It was
between one and two in the afternoons We then tried the
keys to open the closet door, and not succeeding, it was
agreed that I should send- a man to pick the lock. I
brought a, man, and. saw him pick the .locks.in presence
of Mr. John Wilson and Mr. Henry Layland. The
it was booked. (Leughtbia I uon-taFaidiellh stasawhem
any hooks. Both Mr. Wilson and Mr. Leyland had a
running account with me. My man made a key to fit the
lock, and Mr. Henry Layland locked the door. afterwards.
Some of the papers were brought out of the closet when I
was there. I don't think any of the papers were examined
then. Ido all the work for these offices.
To Mr. Aspinall : I was sent for again by the other side
to do a little job for them on the Monday. (A laugh,)
I was not at home this time, but my man came•and picked
the lock of the waiting room door for Mr. Cleaver. This- I
charge -to the overseers. .
Mr Alpass : As Chairman of the guardians I think I
have elicited who were concerned in the picking of the
lock. Ido not think we have anything further to prove in
this matter.
The minutes,of the special committee appointed to enquire
into this matter were handed to Mr. Mainwaring. He
Observed that more witnesses were 'eterained, by that com-
mittee than had now been called. He -said, as the
guardians' had no further evidence to brim, he would
call upon Mr. John Wilson; and Mr.. Henry Layland
to give, any explanation they thought proper.
Mr.- John Wilson said :-I am a tallow chandler, and I
live at 33, St. James's Place; I am, besides, a guardian,
and an-overseer of the poor. I was not overseer last year.
I have heard Mr. Roberts' evidence, and it is correct. Our
object was to look at the voting papers for the first election
of guardians, as we had reason to believe that
.there had
been some foul play. We heard from Mr. Moore, a journey-
man printer, that voting papers were printed from the same
type, and at an improper time, as those that were printed
for the overseers: I heard that Mr. James, master-printer,
had admitted, in a public company, that he had
printed a batch of voting papers at an improper time, and
that he would de so again if ho were paid for it: The per-
sons with whom I acted wished to seethe papers to know if
any of these reports had any corroboration in the appearance
of the papers. I acted as a guardian. I did net bring the
'subject before a general meeting before .I attempted this
course, because I had reason to believe there was something,
'improper done on that occasion, and that made me anxious,
that .was the reason for my acting so hastily. I thought, if-
the subject was discussed, the papers would have been
removed before it could be aseertainedwhether the rumours
were correct. I thought there was not time.to lay the sub-
ject before the board, and that, if it had been mentioned,
the papers would have been.taken away by Mr. Cleaver at
once. I thought that, although Mr. Cleaver had the key of
the closet, it was especially the property of the overseers,
and that they had a right to look into the cupboard. After
a very slight examination, we cause in the evening-,
and remained about half-an-hour. We then put
the papers back into the cupboard, without
any harm to them, and locked' the door np. We 41, a_
made no discovery then as we had not time. I will swear The - Scutari and John Masterman have, arrived from
the door was locked when we left it. Not having had time China with 1,307,600 pounds of tea and 1,539 bales of silk.
on the Saturday evening, wo intended to return on the ' The freight circular of Messrs. Sharer,
.just. issued, states
Monday afternoon and have the papers fairly examined at that in less than a fortnight an advance has. taken place of
the board-room, -but they. were taken away. I was. not 50 to 75 per cent. in Mediterranean
had beencoal freights; of 5()
examined before the special committee. per cent. in Black Sea freights;homeward and of 50, sa 60
Mr. Henry Layland, 22, Mill-street, guardian and per cent. to and
from same of the Lalstic ports. Other
overseer last year, said, he read the evidence of Mr. freights are enhanced, hat net to the saute extent.
ad resided in. the
Roberts, and it is trio. In 1857,1 was a candidate with Mits. Doi or. JxmtisOLii.—lt is with deep regret we
Messrs. John -Wilson, Thomas 'Williams, J. D. Carter, and announce the death of this amiable gad accomplishedilady.
William. Baynes, and we were all thrown out., Two or . Since the demise of
Isar husband she b
three months afterwards, I met Mr. Moore who said, there country, and her loss will be
painfully felt by a large circle
i
had been foul play, or .I and the others would have got in. of those who were not only her friands, but wlsa
On the 17th March, Mr. James admitted at my- house that, the intimate associates of Douglas Jerrold, and cherished
he didprint other voting papers besides those• printed for the most sincere attachment for his family.
overseers, and that he felt reluctant to do so, at first as he Denali or SIR A\RTDDR AsuN,
dills not think it right. Mr, Joseph Wilson and I consulted announce the death of Sir. Aatkur Ingram Aston, which
what we should do ; we had a high legal opinion ; I woulde_ occurred at his. residence, . Aston He'll, near Runcorn,
K.C.B.—We. regret to
not like to say whose, but as an overseer IbocaoinNicerabd Cheshire, a day or two sines-. The deceased was a son of
I had a ' right to get into I the p
° aguot the leaf the late Colota Henry Hervey Aston by the fourth daughter
force to inspect the voting papers. and co-heir cif the last Viscount Irvine, and was great
discover anything like a fraud, but I did not loot at more opinion before I broke open the cupboard. I did gnot grandson of the Hon. nail Rev. Dr. Henry Hervey, who
assumed tbsanatne of Aston, and who was fifth son of the
than half-a-dozen of them. first Earl of Bristol. He was born in London in 1798, and
received the d
' degree of' M.A. from the University of Oxford
Mr, James, printer, 7, Chester-street, Park, said, I recol-
lect having a conversation with Mr. Layland, respecting in ia,_.
Iti In April, 1810 he became attached to the embassy
voting pawl-B. Mt: Thomas Rogers abruptly told me that Secretary of legation at Rio de
I had printed voting papers. I said I had printed some- j , 1
at Vienna and was made
thing of the kind, but could not call to mind anima in April, 1826. .noanted Secretary of
what it was, whether voting or nomination papers. I n.aresely, in January, 1833, he wasE (IP- Fxtraordinary and
likewise said there was a roman and an italic line substituted Nearly sever. years afterwards,
i the Embassy at Paris., and .vas
Madridnvoyom
fr February, 1840,
one for the other. The overseers were oharged with the I Minister Plenipotentiary at
one set of papers, and Mr, Malden tiiith the other. I e tc November, 1843. He reeeivea
can acturning to England, the Order of the Bath on

e time 1 did not dis-

nomma-

say so.

The inquiry then closed

TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE NORTHBEN TIMES,