The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-30 00:00:00

bable expense would be between 2,5001. and 2,700/.
Witness did not anticipate a contested election, but he
was making preparations for it. He did not tell this
gentleman about the compact with the Conservatives,
that there should not be a contested election' as the
gentleman was a stranger to him, and, had he not
been introduced by a gentleman so respectable
as Mr. Durant, the deputy clerk of the peace,
he would not have opened his lips to him
on the subject. There was nothing said about an
uncontested election. This gentleman turned out to
be Mr. Brace. Mr. Brace told witness that he had
already called at the printer's and ordered a placard
to be issued calling upon the voters to withhold their
*raises in the meantime. Witness told him that he
thought he had acted very wrongly. Mr. Brace left
hiM with the understanding that they were to meet
next morning at the Watford station. Witness said
he might here mention that Mr. Brace was like a
dumb man. He was afraid of witness. and witness
was afraid of him. Witness went to Watford on the
following morning, according to appointment, and had
a consultation with Mr. Brace in the presence of Mr.
Debenham. Mr. Debenham took no part in the con-
versation. He found Mr. Bowen also at the station,
and observed him deliver a letter to Mr. Brace. They
all went into a room at the Clarendon Arms, where
Mr. Blagg afterwards joined them. Mr. Brace said
he now wished his friend should not come forward,
but that others had a different feeling. Witness saw
another gentleman there, and asked Mr. Brace if
that was his candidate. Mr. Brace smiled, and
witness presumed he was correct in his suppo-
sition. That gentleman turned out to be Mr. Bell.
Witness did not speak to him. Mr. Brace said that
as Witness was going to. London he had better call
upon Mr. Coppock. Witness concluded from that
that Mr. Brace had been in communication with Mr.
Coppock. He accordingly went straight to Mr.
Coppock's with Mr. Blagg and Mr. Debenham, and
told him what had transpired on the previous day.
Mr. Coppock told him to look back in about an hour
and a half. He did so, and on his return he was in-
formed by the clerks that Mr. Coppock was engaged
with Mr. Colt. Mr. Colt went out at one door, and
witness went in at another. Mr. Coppock told him
that be had not a candidate in view at that moment,
and desired him to call again next day. That was
the 21st he was speaking of now. Next day he went
to Mr. Coppock's and he had an interview with Mr.
Colt. There was nothing said in the presence of
Mr. Colt about money. The question of a candidate
was still undecided. On the 23d he had another
Interview at Mr. Coppock's with Mr. Colt, and,
after a deal of pausing, it was agreed that
a candidate should be forthcoming. This was
the first time he heard Mr. Bell's name mentioned.
There was nothing said about money, but it was
perfectly understood between Mr. Coppock and him-
self that, unless 2,5001. or 2,7001. were provided, witness
would have nothing to do with the proceedings. Two
or three days elapsed before he went up to town again,
and in the meantime he told the constituency that he
was prepared with a candidate, but no name was cur-
rent in the borough before the 28th. On the 28th he
went up again to Mr. Coppock. Witness thinks he
wrote to him to say that he was coming, and that he
should like to see the candidate and have the address
printed. (Witness here stated that as at the election
before leaving the hustings petition was threatened,
he took care to destroy all the papers that were likely
to be prejudicial to Mr. Bell, but he believed that
nothing was lost by that, and he had a good recol-
lection of all that had passed.) When he went again
to Mr. Coppock's Mr. Bell was introduced to him as
the candidate. Mr. Bell then produced a copy of his
address, and asked him how he thought it would suit
his party. Witness said he thought it very good, and
undertook to have it printed. Witness afterwards
went back to Mr. Coppock, and told him that the
expenses were beginning to be incurred, and that it
was time that he had some payment on account.
This was on the 28th. He told Mr. Coppock that
the best way would be to advance 5001. in the mean-
time, contingent upon circumstances as to what would
be required afterwards. Mr. Coppock agreed to this
proposition, and told him to call again in about an
hour. Mr. Coppock asked him how he would like
the money, and he said in sovereigns. Witness went
back, and still the money was not ready. He called
back a third time, and was told to go himself to
Surrey-street, to the firm of Brace and Co., and say
that Mr. Coppock sent him. He went to Surrey-
street accordingly, and saw Mr. Colt, who seemed
angry with him for coming. Witness told him that
he was obliged to be plain with him—that he must
have the money. He did not think that the word
" money" was mentioned, but he was sure he suc-
ceeded in perfectly conveying his meaning. Mr. Colt
said, he had better go back again to Mr. Coppock.
Witness said there was no use in going back to Mr.
Coppock, as he had gone to dinner. Mr. Colt then
told him to call back in an hour. He did so, and
still there was a similar difficulty about the money.
Mr. Colt and himself then took a cab, and drove to
a house in a street in Tottenham-court-road. Mr.
Colt went out of the cab, but witness did not. There
was still an error somewhere, and the money did
not come then. Mr. Colt then told him to go to the
Victoria Hotel, Euston-square, and be would send a
packet to him there by a gentleman who • would as-
sume the name of Jenkins. A. gentleman did come
to him there with a packet. He distinctly remembered
him asking if Mr. Edwards was there. Witness did
not know who he was. He merely delivered the
packet to witness, said nothing, and went away. He
did not say where the packet came from. Witness
was just in time for the mail-train to St. Alban's. lie
took the packet with him, and caused it to be locked
up in a house in Checker-street, since known by the
name of " Sovereign-alley." There are two printers
in St. Alban's, and he employed them both to print
Mr. Bell's address. The first person who saw the
address was Mr. Woolham, of Silkmill, who said
be highly approved of it, and would oertainly vote
for his friend. He then directed the address to be
sent round the town in the usual war. He after-
wards deposited the packet with Mr. Healy,of the
George Inn, without counting it or knowing any-
thing of its contents except by weight. On the fol-
lowing morning he commenced making preparations
for the contest, for immediatedly on his return to the
borough he became satisfied that a contest was in-
evitable. He anticipated a contest after separating
with Mr. Simpson, who said that be would certainly
put forward a candidate. On the 30th of November
he received a letter from Mr. Randall, of 23, Birchin-
lane (which be read), to the effect that Mr. Bell in-
tended to leave town with some friends on Monday
morning at 10 o'clock, and requesting witness to
order a relay of horses for the carriage at B arnet.
The letter also contained a protest on the part of Mr.
Bell against treating, bribing, and corrupting voters,
in anyform whatever, and a distinct assurance that
Mr. Bell would not be answerable for paying any bills
or accounts, except such as were strictly legal. Wit-
ness was also requested to order a dinner for Mr. Bell
and his friends. Witness accordingly msde the ne-
cessary preparations for Mr. Bell's coming.
came on Monday according to promise, accompanied Mr. Bell
by Mr. Wyld, M.P. for Bodmin, Mr. Thorby, Mr.
Catheron, Mr. Stephens, a gentleman whose name he
did not remember, but who was a professor of chemis-
try, Icing d Inn, d did
several the balcony of the ing ea and so
was announced that any electors who
and a few others. Mr. Bell addressed the electors
several others. It
nd about 50 or 60 did so. After that
might do so, a
friends commenced their canvass,
Mr. Bell and hised
ahrds
hreeceriveeedeivfeodurapasicmkeiltasr
wished to come into the hotel and promise. their votes
up to the day of election. Up
which they continued
he received a fifth. The
and on the nomination-day Y_
believed contained 500 sovereigns
first packet he
week a third packet, the week
five or six daysfollowing
ket and on the day of nomina-
to the nomination-day
d th -
counte e contents of any of
lion a fifth. He never
h • h
by t well; the was satis-
the packets, but judgingd 500/.
packet,a
fter thient
He had two sons who
fled that each contained
Witness and
and no or other of these
assisted him at the ele
from
packets to him
London. On each
brought the
to Messrs. Brace o
fourth
stating that be wanted
the Liberal party. Out of
stood that he represented
_ that
324 were favourable t
483 electors be believed
d the Conservative arty
his interest. He reckon:nd,
occasion be sent a letter to
e money.
in consequence - aof
about 50 or 60 had been entered into
the compact whiche that party, he considered
with the heads
_of.a
the Liberal party. There
they were merged
h'ich numbered 151 votes, and it
was a third party, w I
rt , aided by the Conserve-
was a portion of this
paCayrden into the field. He
tives, that brought Mr.h
le of the Conservative party,
had relied upon the w
o for Mr. Bell. This under-
as he had said, voting
standing was based upon
the compact to which he
standing was based up It It was through witness's
had previously referred. the ton the Tory candidate
instrumentality that Mr. P ,
was agreed, in consideration of
was returned, and it
that circumstance, that at another election they would
oin. the previous
Pay the witness in the same c
Conservatives gave glumppers for Mr.
election only 16 Conser
eir votes for Mr.
l't th •
Repton, and all the others
Hay sp
ing calculated upon a
Raphael, the Radical.
contribution of 60 from the Tory art at the late
election, he was very much disappointed at their not
coming over to him, because, if the compact had been
carried out, there would have been no opposition.
Throughout the whole of the proceedings witness was