The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-06-14 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8

Mr. Shuttleworth, town-clerk of Liverpool, was ex-
amined as to the arrangements made at the election.—
Mr. Redmond, the witness examined yesterday, was
re-called, and the following questions put to him by Mr.
Paget :—Did you hear Jonas Gleave give any orders ?
Witness : Yes.—What did he say with respect to treat-
ing ?—Mr. James objected to the question, on the ground
that there had been no proof of agency on the part of
Gleave. He contended that the sitting members were
not responsible for his acts ; and that evidence with
regard to treating by him was not admissible against
them.—After lengthened arguments by counsel on both
sides, the room was cleared. When strangers were
re-admitted, the Chairman said the committee had come
to the conclusion that the facts established as to Gleave
individually had proved his agency, so as to make any
alleged acts by him prima facie evidence against the
sitting members.—Mr. Redmond's examination continued :
I heard Gleave giving orders for brandy and other liquors
at the Bee, on the day of the election, for the people
with him. The liquor was consumed by them. They
had tickets in their hands. There was dinner, or lunch,
as the case might be, provided for the same people several
times that day. The house was thronged during the day.
l went to the house in the morning, arel dined there
between twelve and oneo'clock. I dined in th. coffee-room,
at the back of the bar. I returned to the house about three
o'clock, when the same thing was going on. I was there
again at six in the evening, after the close of the poll,
when the drinking was still going on. Gleave was not
there all the time. I left the house at the latest at half-
past eight or nine. I saw Gleave after three o'clock. I
last saw him in the Rear Horse, talking to some men,
but not about drink. There were five or six of us who
had dinner and wine. It was not paid for by us. We
wanted to pay for it, but the landlord would not take any
payment. I know Miss Lawton, the daughter of the
landlord, who acts as barmaid. Gleave gave her the
), but I did not see any payment made to her. She
a slate, on which she made memoranda.—Cross-
examined by Mr. Rodwell : I did not go to the Bee as a
spy, but to get news which I published in London and
Dublin. I published it in London in the Sunday Times.
I never spoke to Gleave. Mr. Lawton asked me to have
dinner at the Bee, and I intended to pay for my dinner.—
Samuel Hesketh re-called : On the morning of the polling
day I went to the Derby Arms. I had something to eat,
and some coffee, that morning. Gleave was there.
Gleave had told me that I might go and get a cup of
coffee there, and so I went. The others were eating. I
paid nothing.—J. Wilson : I am a freeman of Liverpool,
and voted for the sitting members. I had something to
eat at Gleave's house. I helped myself,' and did not pay
anything.—Millington Walthew re-called During the
election I went to Pyecroft's house, where a committee
sat. Whilst I was employed at that committee I saw
refreshment tickets given to various parties. Altogether

there were not more than two or three that 1 saw. Mr.
Watson was in the room at the time ' • I had one or two
myself.—The Chairman asked Mr. Bodkin if he could
conveniently mention all the names of those persons
with regard to whom he proposed to offer proof of
agency. It would be better to conclude the case
against Gleave before going into that against Watson.—
Mr. Bodkin said he would endeavour to do so to-morrow.
—Margaret Hunt : My aunt keps the Swan, and I assist
her. I know Gleave, and saw him there often during the
election. No person went into any particular room at
the election, as the rooms were all public. The club-
room is up-stairs. A clerk sat up-stairs in the club room
during the election. I know Jonas Cleave; I do not
think he was there. I think there were two clerks: One
night, when there was a club, the clerks went into a
smaller room. A glass of ale or *two was sent up in the
course of the day to the clerks. Ido not know that any-
one kept an account of what was sent to the clerks.
Sometimes I took it up myself. I was not paid for it.
My aunt never kept books.—By Mr. Freshfield : I do not
recollect Cleave being at the Swan in particular. He
came in and out during the election. The committee ad-
jurned at a quarter to four o'clock.

THURSDAY, Jusr. 9ru

The following list of persons who were alleged to be
agents in treating, and the communication which accom-
paniedit, was produced :—" The gentlemen whose agency
will probably be called in question by the evidence of to-
morrow will he the following :—Thomas Watson, Robert
Clegg, Richard Whittle Birchen, R. P. Manger, Oliver
Hatch, William Rowett, Joseph Green, Edward M`Kev-
erizan, Humphrey Smith, 'William Gibson, William
Fisher, of Redcross-street, William Buckley Jones, Evan
Jones, Thomas Inman, Wm. Joseph Horsfall, J. B.
Lloyd, George Sandford Russell, Henry Buckmaster,
Edward Smith, Thomas Bold, James Parker, Thomas
Williams, Edward Williams, and any publicans who may
be called in reference to treating in any of the houses
named in the list. You will understand that this is not a
list delivered under any resolution of the committee, and
that we are not in any way to be debarred from giving evi-
dence of treating by any person not named in this letter."
John M•leially, a freeman of Liverpool, said : I
promised my vote, before the election, to Cardwell and
Ewart. On the morning of election I was in company
with William Bland, a freeman, and went with him to the
Swan. Bland introduced me to Jonas Gleave there.
Bland asked Gleave whether he might have some drink,
and we had a glass of rum each. Mr. Gleave paid for it,
and said he would pay for it out of his own pocket.
Gleave asked for our voting papers, and we showed him
our voting papers on the red side, and he asked us to go
over to his own house and have breakfast. This was to
the Derby Arms. We saw Gleave, and went up stairs
and found plenty to eat and drink, there was beef, bread,
and ale and coffee there. There were seven or eight per-
sons in the room. I heard a noise in other rooms. I re-
mained an hour before I voted. I paid nothing. I did
not see any one else pay. Cross-examined by Mr, Smith.
—I voted for Cardwell and Ewart. We were canvassed
be each committee :—Murphy voted for Cardwell and
Ewart. Bland and Taylor voted for Mackenzie and
Turner. He went to the Great George Tavern
with Bland and another, and got drink there,
for which they did not pay. After leaving the Vine,
went to Lockett's, and got nearly tipsy there, with-
out paying for the liquor. Got no drink at
Lowe's ; it was a committee-room for Cardwell and
Ewart.—William Musker, publican, in Gildart-street,
keeps the Thatcher, in Lime-street ward; had a good
many voters in his house on the election day, who drank
there and were taken to the poll in cars ; reeeived his
orders for drink from Mr. Edward Smith ; received orders
from Mr. Jonas Gleave for a committee-room for can.
vassers ; he had not sent in his bill, nor had he been paid.
Expected Mr. Smith to pay him the bill, which amounted
to £2s.—William Smith, provision dealer and letter car-
rier, had been a letter carrier for about three months ;
took an interest at the election time in the return of
Messrs. Mackenzie and Turner ; was not a member of
committee, but attended at Musker's, in Finch-street ;
canvassed, and reported his prozress to Mr. Jonas Gleave
generally. Mr. Edward Smith, brewer, Mr. Musker,
himself, Mr. Parsonage, Mr. Thomas Atherton, and a
great many others, attended this branch district. Saw
Messrs. May, B. Lloyd, Scott, and Gleave there ; re-
ceived directions to go to Musker's from the general
committee, at the Swan. Mr. Riding was in the
chair—he was deputy-chairman ; he could not recol-
lect that it was from Smith he received instructions.
The Chairman said there was no proof that Smith acted
as an agent. A person might be a member of a com-
mittee without the sitting members being responsible for
his acts.—John Henry Francis Curchod, landlord of the
Queen's Hotel, Lime-street, said : On the day of the
Liverpool election the central committee occupied part of
my house. The room was used on a previous day, and
was ordered by Mr. Buckmaster. Mr. Buckmaster was
there, and his clerks. I believe T saw the chairman of
the committee, Mr. Molyneux. I have been paid for the
use of my rooms on the polling day. Mr. Thomas Bold
paid me, three or four months after the election. I
charged £5O for my house, and lost by my bargain. I
received £5O. I thought it was robbery to charge £5O,
but I found afterwards I lost by it. (Laughter.) The
£5O included refreshments and the use of the house.
—Millington Walthew was employed at Pyecroft's as a
messenger from the Friday before until the election was
over ; Pyecroft's is in Scotland-roal ward ; received
small tickets, with a mark on them, from Mr. Watson,
after T came on the Friday. I cave two or three of those
tickets away. I only received six. I received them
twice. Mr. Watson was there every day ; sometimes in
the evening, and sometimes not. He acted as deputy-
chairman, and gave orders about making out books and
lists. They were copies from the canvass books. I was
bound to obey Mr. Watson and Mr. Clegg at the
Wheat Sheaf.—What directions did Mr. Watson give you
when he gave you the tickets ? Mr. RODWELL objected to
the question.—The committee decided that there was
sufficient evidence of Watson's agency for the examination
to proceed.—Examination resumed : There was a small
oak tree printed on the cards. They were for refresh-
ments. If I wanted refreshments I got one of those
tickets, and gave it to Mr. Pyecroft: they gave me a
glass of ale. I gave away some to voters who asked for
refreshments. I gave away two or three. I saw some
of those tickets in Watson's hands. I did not see him
with above half-a-dozen altogether. Mr. Watson gave
me authority to put my initials on a small piece of paper
if I wanted refreshments myself. I was also to do so
for the other men and to voters. I gave those papers to
about twenty or thirty voters and non-voters. I gave
most of them on the day of nomination. I saw only half
a dozen of those cards during the election. Altogether I
did not give more than eight of those slips to voters—the
rest were to non-voters—on the day of nomination. The
change from cards to slips was made because Mr. Watson
did not wish to he troubled for tickets, and he authorised
me to give those slips.
FRIDAY, JUNE 10.

Millington Walthew's examination was resumed : Was
engaged on the polling-day in an up-stairs room of the
Wheat Sheaf, Scotland-road. Occasionally went down
for refreshments. The house was full on the nomination-
day. He saw nothing drank and nothing paid. When
he used the tickets he got a glass of ale, or a glass of
wine or whiskey, as he wrote it. He gave away thirty
or forty of those tickets. The voters were conveyed to
the poll in cars, of which Mr. Rousson had the manage-
ment. Mr. Clegg was the head-clerk. Saw Mr. Watson
with the voters on the polling-day, and sometimes Mr.
Clarke. After the close of the poll went down stairs, and
found the vaults crowded. Mr. Watson and Mr. Clegg
paid him. He should say both of those gentlemen had
to do with the management of the finances. He knew of
an application being made to the central committee for
money. A resolution was passed by the committee for
Mr. Watson to make an application to the central
committee for funds to defray the necessary expenses of
the canvass. Did not hear in the committee-room that
that application was made and responded to. Mr. Clarke
was a member of the committee, and was present at the
meeting relative to the money. Joseph Atkins, Mr. Bur-
rows, and Mr. Healing were on the committee, and can-
vassed and returned the names. He made an application
for money, and Watson said he bad none at the time.
The other canvassers had money, and so had he. They
did not pay for printing in the ward, and the books were
supplied from the central ward.
George Knowles, sailmaker. a freeman who voted for
Mackenzie and Turner, knew Mr. Watson. Had been
invited by him to go to Pyecroft's public-house, in Scot- \
land ward, three weeks before the election. Saw Messrs.
Watson, Clarke, and Clegg there. He went there a
number of evenings before the election, and with other
voters had glasses of liquor to drink, for which none of
them paid. Saw a great number there on the polling day I
—from 100 to 200. They were eating bread and beef,
and drinking ale; and he saw no person pay. He can-
vassed freemen who were sailmakers, carpenters, and
ropers. He was stationed at Pyecroft's by Watson. He
drank whisky and ale, and did not pay for it. Received
money from Messrs. Clegg, Watson, and Clarke. Re-
ceived 15s. for his five days' services. Saw no one else
paid. The evening of the election they were called in
one by one ; there might be a dozen there. He received
ss. more than the 15s. There was a room at the top end
of the yard on the election day, where they had plenty to
eat and drink. Plenty of them were full of drink, but
he did not know they were freemen. He was not bribed.
He worked five days pretty hard for £l. When he got
the ale at Pyecroft's he was canvassing. He made appli-
cation to Peacock on the 19th of June, as an old freeman.
Joseph Pyecroft, landlord of the Wheatsheaf, had seen
Mr. Buckmaster that morning. His house was engaged
as a committee-room, a fortnight before the election, by
Mr. Clegg and Mr. Watson. He let the whole house to
be used as they thought fit ; there was no stipulation as
to payment ; he demanded nothing for it ; he made a
present of the use of the house; he made his profit out of
the refreshments ; that was the understanding. He had
not been paid ; he applied to Mr. Clegg for £59 19s. 5d.,
the amount of his bill. Had got memoranda to show
what was served to the working committee ; believed
there were 100 persons who took part in transacting the
business of the election ; they did not all sit together.
The £59 was for meat and drink ; there were 47 dinners.
His charge for the polling day, when voters only were
admitted, was £3O 19s. 2d. There might be as many as
200 voters pass into the yard where the notice was posted ' •
every person who had refreshments produced a ticket.
No refreshments were supplied unless a ticket was ten-
dered. In a week or a fortnight after the election, re-
ceived £3O from Mr. Clegg. Hail applied to Mr. Clegg
for the balance—the last time about three months ago,
when he said, " You must wait." Had called upon Mr.
Buckmaster about his could not say when. He
told me he could not tell me either when or where he was
to get his bill ; he spoke to Mr. Watson on the subject.
After the polling the committee dined at his house ; up.
wards of 50 dined. There were upwards of 80 persons on
the committee—respectable tradesmen. Whatever he
supplied, was by order of the committee. The committee
themselves were not above drinking brandy and whisky.
He received a few tickets from Mr. N\ althew.
John Bridge, keeper of the Organ Tavern, in Vauxhall
ward, a freeholder and a voter, had upwards of 30 voters
in his house after the close of the poll; they had something
to drink, for which Mr. Thomas Williams gave the order;
the amount of his bill was £ll 2s. Id.: he gave his bill to
a young man who came from the office of the Constitu-
tional Association, in Harrington-street ; he saw Mr.
Buckmaster about this bill on the first Saturday after the
election ; he saw Thomas Williams at the Constitutional
• office also mr. Williams and Mr, Buqlcmaster told me.