The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-05 00:00:00

PRESTON.

This election committee met for the first time
yesterday morning, Mr. Phillips in the chair. The
other members of the committee were Mr. Byng,
Colonel Wynne, Mr. Davey, and Mr. Abel Smith.
Counsel for the petition, Mr. Knowles, Q.C., and
Mr. Johnson ; and for the sitting member, Mr.
Phinn, Q.C., Mr. Sergeant Pigott, and Mr. Barry.
The petition alleged bribery, treating, and undue
influence, and prayed that the election might be
declared void.

The formal proof of the return of the writ hav-
ing been put in,
Mr. Knowles opened the case of the petitioners,
observing that the class of people chiefly bribed
were the old franchise men of Preston, and the
bribery consisted in the improper employment of
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treating.
John Leach, a tailor, of Preston, was first called,
and deposed that he was engaged at the last elec-
tion as secretary to the Trinity Ward Committee of
which a Mr. Ambler was the chairman and Mr. S.
Smith the secretary. He had seen Ambler and a
person named Riding (an alleged agent) at the
Three Tuns publichouse, which wasth one of Mr.
tGhree Grenfell's
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was there with a bag of money. Witness called
out the names of the voters employed as canvassers
and as they were called out they came into the
room and were paid £l. In two cases he saw the
money paid himself. He himself v
rece.l d £2 10s.
for his services, which he did not consider sufficient.
In cross-examination he stated that it had been
customary to employ a large number of canvassers,
at Preston, and he believed it was a very common
thing for them to get drunk at elections.
(Laughter.) He denied that,he bad said he would
pay Ambler outunless he settled his claim. He said
he could do so, and he probably might have said it
with a mysterious nod of the head. (Laughter.)
He mentioned it to a few old friends. It was
false to say that he had been guilty of tampering
with a pawn-ticket, but he acknowledged that he
had been spoken of as a clever electioneering agent,
and had spoiled the voting papers of a candidate at
the election for guardians, in consequence of which
another person was elected. (Laughter.)
Thomas Taylor, an old franchise man, and a shoe-
maker
of Preston, stated that Lawrenson (an
alleged agent of Mr. Grenfell) took him on the
day of the election to Lund's beerhouse. He had
been to Riding's house in the morning to see if he
could get any money for the election: When at
the Odd Fellows' Arms, Farnworth gave Lawren-
son eight half-crowns, which the latter gave him,
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but got so drunk afterwards that he did not go for
the 10s., and never had it since.
James
pesresentwhen the
transaction operative, factory Barton,, aa ti ve
referreddeposed
he
the last witness took place, and saw Lawrenson
giN e the money to Taylor. He went to the Odd
Fellows' Arms because there was something to eat
e
and drink stirring. (Laughter.)
David Shaw, a- machine maker, stated that he
was an old franchise man, and voted at the last
election for Grenfell—a plumper. He received
£1 15s. for voting. That was because he was put
down as a canvasser. He had come there to tell
the truth, and not lies. He did not know who gave
him the money. (After some recollection.) The
money was paid him by Mr. Constantine.
Mr. Phinn—Have you had a drop of drink to-
day ?
Witness—Well, I have tasted ; but what odds is
that to you ? I've had a cup of coffee and some-
thing good in it, but not good enough, for I wanted
a sup of whisky, bilt they would not let me have it.
(Laughter.) I'll pay for some for you, if you like.
I'm lively now, but not so lively as when I've had
a drop iv ore. You should see me then. (Laughter.)
I've had a gill of porter and two penn'orth of
whisky, nowt else, I swear ; and I tell you I'm a
Lancashire lad, and have got my clogs on.
(Laughter.)
Thomas Smith, a loomer, stated that he was an
old franchise man for Preston. He remembered the
last election and going to Mr. Grenfell's committee-
room. Some days before the election he saw
Hollings, Ludell, and Bradley (alleged agents of
Mr. Grenfell) there. He went there more than
once. On the second time he went there one of
them gave him 25., and said, " You must get some
subsistence." He got the money for canvassing.
He went to the committee-room again, and got is. ;
then he Rent to his work till night, and at night
he canvassed. The men canvassed one another,
there's no way else but that. Some of the can-
moon canvassed him, and he canvassed others.