The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-18 00:00:00

SE.RIO

GE

CIRENCESTER, TuEsDA' Y.
The Cirencester bench of magistrates were, T Lntil
a late hour yesterday evening, engaged in th(
,
in-
vestigation of a charge preferred against Mr. r /enry
Pole, of Stratton-house, near Cirencester; Ger man
Colburn, his groom ; Walter Mullis, his gardener ;
and Mary Colburn, the groom's -wife, for abdur :ting
a voter named John Kibblewhite, on the tight
Ciren(:ester
preceding the polling day, at the last
election. great interest
The Town-hall was crowded, and
was excited by the proceedings. The magistrates
the Rev. Thomas Maurice, the Rev. Edward An-
present were the Rev. Henry Cripps (chairman),
drew Daubeny, Messrs. T. W. Chester Master, J.
Poole Haines, and E. D. Hartland. Among the
entlemen also sitting on the bench was the Earl
of S offolk.
The charge was laid under the 17th and 18th
Victoria, cap. 2, sec. 5.
Mr. J. J. Powell, barrister-at-law, of the Oxford
Circuit, instructed by Mr. IY. L. Cooke, of Ciren-
cester, appeared to prosecute; and Mr. H. W.
Cripps, of the same circuit, instructed by Messrs.
Mullings, Daubeny, and Chubb, of Cirencester,
appeared for the defence.
Mr. Powell, having opened his case, proceeded
to call the following witnesses :
John Kibblewhite deposed—l am a voter for
Cirencester. On the Thursday before the election
I saw Mr. Pole and Walter Mullis pass Mann's
beer-house, at Stratton. I had heard that Mullis
had been inquiring for me, and I went towards
him. Mullis told me that Mr. Pole wanted me to
open a drain that was stopped up. I went there
on the following morning, at half-past 4 o'clock. I
went there so early because, as it was nomination
day at Cirencester, I wanted to leave for an hour
in order to hear the proceedings. I left Mr. Pole's
about half-past 10 o'clock, and came into Cirencester.
Previously to that I had two half pints of beer
the butler's pantry. I returned from Ciren-
m-ter a few minutes past 12 o'clock. I had
nothie.g to drink while I was away. I resumed my
work.
.In the afternoon the butler ask me to go
' into the 6,lddle room. I went there, and had one
glass of ,:heL.-.r. While I was in the saddle room
Mrs. Colburn; the groom's wife, came in, and asked
me to have a pipe of tobacco, and I did so. After
I had had the cope she asked me if I would like a
cup of tea, and I said I should. I wet came
her. The gardenere llp.
flirdltlnyl tea. The t
stairs, but I don't thinis he 132
bzit the second cup I
otfh teae t
drerssanictovg;:ii'Ji!tle mo:e sugar into, for
I not like it.
cupt r drank the secon:l cup, which
was yen-n coloured. Ido not recaect any-
af4.-
t at until the next morning, when I
th ing
fj,„_.x myself in bed somewhere. I did not know
ifhere I was. I felt very heavy in the head--not
as if I had been drinking, for if I had been drink-
ing I should have been sure to have remembered
something about it. I have no recollection how I
came there. I went downstairs and found I was at
Ashton Keynes. I was sick ; but I could not get
anything up. I stayed in'the house no longer than
to put my shoes and gaiters on. I asked the land-
lord to put me on the road for Cfronoooto,,
did so. I felt very ill on the road, and the nearer
I got to Cirencester the worse I was. At Water-
moor, near the town, I was picked up by a four-
wheel and brought up to the hustings. I was
unable to poll, or to do anything. I was not sen-
sible enough. I was taken to the Bear, and had
a " joey" of brandy and some tea given me, and I
was put to bed. I did poll ultimately. I felt the
effects of it for a week after, and was under Dr.
Smith all the time ; this was in consequence of
what had been done to me. A carriage going from
Mr. Pole's to Ashton Keynes would pass my own
door. lam a married man.
Cross-examined—Mending drains is part of my
occupation, if lam asked to do it for anybody: I
have done work for Mr. Pole on several previous
occasions—a good deal of work. On my return
from the nomination at Cirencester I went into Mr.
Mann's publichouse and sat down. I told them
there that I had had enough to drink already that
morning. So I had. Two glasses were quite
enough in the morning, but I could stand several
pints in the afternoon. I did not say I had had
some of Ponsonby's beer. When I got back to Mr.
Pole's I did not go to sleep by the pigstye, where
I was working. I neither sat down nor lay down.
I kept on with my work.
Reexamined-Between the time I left n 3- work
and the time when I returned from the nomination
I had none of Ponsonby's nor anybody else's beer,
and I went into no one else's house.
Henry Cozier—l am in the service of Mr. Pole.
I recollect seeing Kibblewhite at work on the
nomination day. I also recollect seeing him in the
saddle-room about five o'clock in the afternoon.
Mr. Cripps here interposed. end said the witness
was not bound to criminate himself.
Mr. Powell said the was no charge against the

lad.
Witness.-1 heard Kibblewhite, while in the
..,nacre-room, say he should like a cup of tea, and
!vas. Colburn said, " Come on then, old man." They
went upstairs together. I saw Kibblewhite come
down stairs afterwards with Mullis, the gardener.
It may have been between six and seven o'clock.
I cannot speak positively. When he came down
he was about the same as when he went up. I was
able to make out what he said.
The witness was here asked by Mr. Powell if he
had not made a statement to Mr. Cooke, which
that gentleman took down, and which was very
different from what he now said.
Witness said he remembered being questioned by
Mr. Cooke in a public room, and his answers were
taken down. Something was read over to him
afterwards.
The Chairman—Was that the same as you had
stated ?
Witness—Yes.
Mr. Powell then handed a paper to the witness,
and asked him if that was the same that Mr. Cooke
read over to him.
Witness—Yes. I still say that Kibblewhite was
drunk when he went upstairs, and drunk when he
came down. Between eight and nine o'clock at
night I was told by Colburn to put Draper, one of
my master's horses, into my master's carriage. T
was told to run on and open the gates. I did s 9.
and the carriage went out. Colburn drove the
liege, and Kibblo -v
cfuTourn mad and mums, the
ad gone out
,gn_
werein the o.e
carriage left with her bonnet and
o iinewl . The supper-bell rang just afterwards.
It always rings at nine o'clock.
William Carpenter—l keep the Stratton turn-
pike-gate. Mr. Pole's carriage passes through fre-
quently. I know the carriage, and Colburn, the
groom. I remember the nomination day at Ciren-
cester. The carriage passed through that night
about nine o'clock. Four people were in the car-
riage. I saw Colburn and his wife, but the other
two I did not know. One of them, who was sitting
along with the driver, was in a leaning position,
and had either a shawl or a cloth on him. I stayed
up until a quarter past 12, as I knew that the car-
riage would have to come back to Mr. Pole's. I
then went to bed. About 1 o'clock, to the best of
my knowledge, I was aroused, and I got up and let
the carriage through.
Mrs. Charlotte Kibblewhite—l am the wife of
John Kibblewhite. I recollect the nomination day
at Cirencester. I never shall forget it. On that
night my husband was out all night. I know Mr.
Pole's carriage. I saw it pass my house that even-
ing, and I saw him sitting in the carriage with his
head lying on one side.
Mr. Cripps—Who was the "him ?"
Witness, with emphasis—My husband, sir ; I
have no other "him." (Laughter.)
Examination resumed—He had a " jim-crow" on
and a shawl over him. They did not stop at my
door. He was a voter. I did not care about the
voter, I wanted my husband. He came in to the
nomination, and returned between 12 and 1 o'clock.
He was perfectly sober. I know when he is drunk
fast enough.
Cross-examined—My husband was not drunk, lie
was sober. I could take my oath it was him in the

carriage.
Re-examined—On the next morning I went to
Mr. Pole's to know what they had done with my
husband.
James Wilkins, the keeper of the Siddingtcn
turnpike-gate, on the Ashton Keynes side of Ciren-
cester was next called, but Mr. Powell stating that
he would only prove that the carriage passed and
re-passed through his gate, which could not be
disputed, he was not examined.
David Cove—l keep the King's Head Inn, at
Ashton Keynes. I remember Kibblewhite being
brought to my house on the night of the nomination
day, a little after 10 o'clock, by Mr. Colburn and
another man, and Mr. Colburn's wife. The other
man was called "the gardener." Colburn at first
said he had picked a drunken man up, and wanted
me to find him a bed. I told him I could not find
him a bed without turning out the girl. He then
said Mr. Pole had sent the man to my house, and I
was to keep him concealed until four o'clock the
next day, which was polling-day, so that he could
not vote. If I would do so, Colburn said he would
always respect me as long as he lived, and he would
give me anything. I asked him whothe man was
and he said his name was Kibblewhite or Dibble
and that they came from Cirencester. I at last took
the man in because I did not think the man was fit
to go any further. He appeared like a drunken
man, stupid drunk. The gardener brought him
from the carriage into the kitchen in his arms, and
took him up to bed. Mrs. Colburn did not give
me anything. She gave my wife a bottle. I saw
the bottle after they were gone. It Was rather