HC Deb 19 February 1901 vol 89 cc446-7

The Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868.

The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Acts, 1854–1895.

To the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons.

We, Sir William Rann Kennedy, Knight, and Sir Arthur Moseley Channell, Knight, Judges of the High Court of Justice, and two of the Judges on the Rota for the time being for the trial of Election Petitions in England and Wales, do hereby certify in pursuance of the said Acts that upon the eleventh to the fourteenth days of February of this year we duly held a Court at the Sessions House,. Maidstone, for the trial of, and did try, the Election Petition for the Borough of Maidstone, between Fiennes Stanley Wykeham Cornwallis, Petitioner, and John Barker, Respondent.

And, in further pursuance of the said Acts, we report that at the conclusion of the said trial we determined that the said John Barker, being the Member whose Election and Return were complained of in the Petition, was not duly elected, and that the Election was void on the ground of bribery by his Agents; and we do hereby certify in writing such our determination to you.

And whereas the charges were made in the said Petition of corrupt and illegal practices having been committed at the said Election, we, in further pursuance of the said Acts, report as follows:—

  1. (1) That no corrupt or illegal practice was proved to have been committed by or with the 447 knowledge and consent of the said John Barker.
  2. (2) That the persons whose names are set out in the Schedule hereto were proved to have been guilty of the corrupt practice of bribery.
  3. (3) That although it was proved that corrupt practices were committed at the said Election it was not proved, nor have we reason to believe that corrupt or illegal practices extensively prevailed at the said Election.
  4. (4) That the said John Barker was guilty by his agents of the corrupt practice of bribery.
  5. (5) That we have given certificates of indemnity to all the persons whose names are set out in the Schedule hereto except Levi Barker, Alfred Henry Russell, and Henry Ward.

A copy of the evidence and of our judgment taken by the deputies of the shorthand writer of the House of Commons accompanies this our certificate.

Dated this 18th day of February, 1901.

WILLIAM RANN KENNEDY.

A. M. CHANNELL.

Schedule.
Persons Bribed.
John Costello. Arthur Henry Pinhorn.
Frederick Perrin. Alfred Atkins.
George Hoad. Edward Woollett.
Thomas Bray. Henry Jenner.
James Jury. Alfred Henry Russell.
William Rivers. Lionel Ireland.
Thomas Ring. William Muggridge.
William Stevens. Henry Luck.
Thomas Beadle. Thomas Henry Underhill.
Henry Ward.
Joseph George Rogers. Eli Harman.
Albert George Honey. Harry Harman.
Arthur Logan George Mace.
W. R. K.
A. M. C.
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