AN ELECTION PETITION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 112, 3 July 1911, Page 3

AN ELECTION PETITION.

DISGRACEFUL PROCEEDINGS. . & T Oityipghnni.. elation petifcioi). Was in many respects a most remarkabic one. Though nothing could more prosaic than the charge, of corrupt treating which was made, against Captain Morrison (Unthe case developed many unexpected features. Captain Mot risen had tor many years given large sums to charity, which, tint! the fact that bis ■ majority had increased from 152 in 1910, to 1170 in 19.11, gave rise to the petition and its 820 specific charges. When tiio Case came' to be board before Mr. dustiiie Chaunell and dr. Justice Bncknill, most of these laded away, leaving behind onlv the taint of perjury. It appears that the lawyers for the prosecution' employ'd an ex-ciotcHiv-e; to obtain the statements on which the 'charges were basnd. llis modus operand] was to pay ‘ lOlll Is to os for such statements, and at these terms business was never slack. One man made a statement, received his live shillings, and then brought along fifteen • others, including a tramp, to do likewise. For all ot tbes'e he received as commission 2s od per head. In the witness-box they made a disgraceful spectacle. . Before they were asked a question, or even sworn, many of thorn declared their statements to be false. When asked whether ho was, proud of these lies, one man replied in tho affirmative, and another stated that he would lie again that day, for; Ills. ■. One, fact Mono was proved, that Gaptain.-Mor-rison had made large gifts to charity, to the pick, • to the unemployed,-and to widows. Much was luade- of the fact that _Morrison’s election- agent was also Ids charity agent, using the same: notepaper, and sometimes -the party ..office.- iQnhthe other hand, it was shown that whbii the 1 -approached many payments wore Stopped, and right through non-voters had benefited as- well'-as those in possession. of the franchise. The Judges, m dismissing the petition, found that Captain Morrison’s governing intention in dispensing the donations was honest charity, and that his agent was gadded solely by the intentions of Ids principal. The costs of the petition on both sides were enormous, £20,000 being a conservative estimate of the a m punt expended.