The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-05 00:00:00

THE LISBI7RN ELECTION COMMITTEE.

The select committee appointed by the House of
Commons to inquire into the allegation that Mr.
John Dogherty Barbour was unduly returned for
Lisbon at the last election met yesterday for the
first time. The committee consists of the following
members:—Mr. Evans (chairman), Mr. Booth, Mr.
W. E. Forster, Viscount Enfield, and Viscount
Curzon. The petition was read, alleging bribery,
intimidation, &c.
Sir F. Slade and Mr. Cooke appeared for the peti-
tioners ; Mr. Phinn, Q.C„ and Mr. Coleridge for
the sitting member.
Sir F. Shade, in opening the case for the peti-
tioners, reverted to several cases wherewith he said
ho should prove his case; he would not go into the
details as they would be laid before the committee
seriatim. He would mention the c-*Fie of Thomas
Jeffyrson, who was seen by the sitting member on
the 10th Feb. last, and was promised by him double
any amount the rival candidate might offer. Mr.
Young, a spirit merchant, said to Jeffyrson, " Bar-
bour does not care a button what he does if you
will vote for him." He then offered him (Jeffyrson)
£4O, by marking 40 on the palm of his hand—a
language which, although not audible, was very
expressive.

Mr. Cooke called Mr. James Richard Naber,
from the Crown-office, who produced the return
for the last election. The poll-books were also pro-
duced.

Mr. Phinn, Q.C., said his learned friend, must
first of all prove to the committee that this was a
bona Mc petition, or else he had no locus standi.
Mr. Charles Murray Allen was then sworn. He
proved witnessing the signing of the petition by
the petitioners. Mr. Mor© was also present when
the petition was signed.
Samuel Thomas Cumming was the first witness
called. He said—l occupy lands and carry on the
business of a farmer at Lisburn. About eleven days
before the election John Lovery, whom I knew to
belong to Mr. Barbour's party, came to my house,
and said he wanted to speak to me. He said he
would give me £lO if I would vote for Barbour.
He said he was going to Henry Major, but would
be back again. He came back and took my mother
and wife into an adjoining room, and as I afterwards
learnt, he gave them some money. Ido not know
what that was. John Lovery was with my wife and
mother for about 15 minutes. When he came out he
told me he wanted me to go with him. He then told.
me he had given some limey for me to go along
with him. He took me to Hilden, to the factory of
Messrs. William Barbour and Sons. We went in
a car. There was another man in the car with us,
a man-servant to Mr. Henry Major. When we
reached the factory he took me into an office where
there were a number of voters. Amongst them
were 'William Brady, Charles Maguire, Jas. Turtle,
Michael Wood, and Robert Miller. They were
singing, dancing, eating, and fiddling, which they
kept up all night. The eatables they had were
brought to us in carts. They were the carts belong
ing to Messrs. Barbour and Sons. Brown, Chapman,
and Gwinn, the clerks to Messrs. Barbour, came
in after supper. There were no beds there. I
slept on a form. A talk was raised as to my right to
vote by those present. I spoke to Mr. T. Barbour,
and I asked him to let me go home, as I had no
right to vote. He said " I was well enough where
I was." A man named Johnson said he was not
well and wanted to go home, but they would not let
him. A man named Grissy was carried away by
force by his wife. The place where we were was
guarded at night by men who had loaded guns and
who kept watch in the yard. Some of us tried to
get out of the window, but they would not let us,
and they nailed it up. That was about eight feet
above the ground. The window was nailed up by
the parties who served out the meat and drink. I
saw a man named Young, a voter, in the office. We
were kept in that office till the day before the poll-
ing. I told them that my vote was no good. They
said I should poll, "No matter what the devil was
the consequence." When we left there we were
taken to the Queen's Arms Hotel to the committee.
I was placed in a room at the back of the house.
That was on Friday, the 20th. I remained at the
Qieeu's Arms till the next morning. There were
between fifty and sixty voters there. There we
had singing and dancing and drinking. There
were no ladies there. We had whisky and porter.
I saw Mr. Smith, lawyer, there. I saw Mr. Robert
Barbour there, too, and I spoke to him, and said I
wanted to go home, as I had a sick mare I wanted
to attend to, He said he wanted me to vote for his
brother. I told him I had not changed my clothes
all the time I had been detained. He sent for some
clothes for me. He bought me a pair of trousers,
waistcoat, and several other articles of clothing,
which I put on. John Lovery was there, placing
the voters in two's to go to the poll, to " bully" as it
is called. There were soldiers there to keep the line
for people going to the poll. I said to John Lovery,
I was of no use. He replied that he would " knock
my eye out." At the hustings I was asked to swear
that I was a person entitled to vote. I said the oath
was too hard for me, so I would not take it. (Laugh-
ter.) When I got home my mother gave me £lO,
which John Lovery had given her.
Cross-examined by Mr. Phinn, Q.C.—I have
known John Lovery for many years. I was never
canvassed by the otherside. It was half-past eleven
o'clock in the day when I was forced up the street.
I did not cry out, because I thought no one would
come to my assistance. I did not go to any magistrate
to complain of my being detained at Hilden for
11 days. The first person I told was Mr. M'Lean,
an attorney's clerk. I got him to write a letter for
me for compensation for the loss of my mare, which
had died during my detainment, but I got no
answer.

Robt. Cumming, brother to the last witness, gave
corroborative evidence.

Cross-examined by Mr. Phinn, Q.C.—I did not
go to a magistrate about the detention of mybrother.
Mrs. Anne Cumming, wife of Thomas Cumming,
deposed to Lovery paying her mother-in-law £lO.
Mr. John Pennington, solicitor, was then called,
sworn, and examined by Sir F. Slade—He said he
resided at Lisburn. He had in his possession a
decree against John Macintyre, who was at that
time an elector of Lisburn. Witness knew he was
busying himself in the election for Mr. Barbour,
He told witness he was engaged on the part
of Mr. Barbour. The money Macintyre owed
him was about £29. As he would not pay, he
(witness) had him arrested. Mr. Brown came to
witness, and said he would settle with him for
Macintyre. Mr, Brown is, he believed, the chief
clerk of Messrs. Barbour. Upon Brown settling
with him Macintyre was released.
By Mr. Phinn, Q.C.—This transaction was quite
open. The money was paid in his (witness's) office.

James Bannister was then called, sworn, and
examined by Sir F. Slade—He said he voted for
Mr. Verner. Mr. John Dogherty Barbour called
upon witness and asked him for his vote. He did
not give a direct or satisfactory answer. He said
Mr. Major would "be as big with him as any one
else." He did not make any promise. A. day or two
after, Robert Barbour called upon him and asked
him for his vote. He still refused. He told Bar-
bour he had had an offer of £5O. Barbour then
said he would give him £6O, or any sum witness
liked to name.
The committee then adjourned.

CRYSTAL PALACE,—To-morrow (Saturday) being
the Queen's birthday a special display of all the great foun-
tains will be given at 2 o'clock. The concert at 3 will take
place in the centre transept, Mademoiselle Carlotta Patti,
Madame Lemmens Sherrington, Signor Severeni, Miss God-
dard, and Signor Colosanti being the principal artistes. The
New Zealand chiefs will be present at the display of the
fountains. One Shilling Day, Thursday, June 4—Admis •
lion on payment, 2,246; ditto by season tickets, 855; total
visitors, 3,101.
111.--A very serious critu e
MURDER AT OLDIIA
was committed at Oldham on Tuesday morning by a off
ton
spinner, named George Wright. It is stated that he quar-
relled on the preoeding evening with a person named Bate 4,
and feeling unahle to cope with him in a fair fight, ho met
Bates on the following morning and felled him with a heavy
stick. Bates was struck on the head, and died d uri•
b no• the
afternoon from his injuries. Wright has absconded.
CANADIAN MAIL.—The Royal mail ste
Norwegian, Crept.. M'Master, sailed yesterday fromanlsT:ivheitP--
Liver-
pool for Quebec with the Canadian mails. Besides the mails
she took out a large and valuable cargo,
50 and 60 cabin.ml a large number of steerage and had between
passengers.