SELECT COMMITTEE ON FICTITIOUS VOTES, IRELAND. 111 ^ then, was it?— I cannot tell for what purpose; I understood that it was for looking after his poor tenants. 2299. Were the houses that you went to all Mr. Carnagie's tenants?- As he was ?^ Ha Mr ^ mCntS, he of those voters, I presume 2300. Has Mr. Carnagie tenants m all parts of the city ?— No 2301. Then how could it be presumed that, because he had a knowledge of Mr. Carnagie s tenants, that he therefore had a knowledge of persons in different parts of the town also?— I do not think it was in consequence of collecting Mr. Carnagie s rents from his tenants that he acquired his knowledge 2302. Did you ever hear that this man kept a house of ill- fame ?— Never 2303. Should you think, if he had kept such a house, or was in anyway connected with such a house, that he would be a man of character ?— Indeed I would not; I would think him a man of very bad character. 2304. But you, of your own knowledge, never heard anything pro or con respecting his character ?— Never. 2305. How came you to fall in with a man to accompany you, of whom you knew nothing ?— Mr. Carnagie takes great interest in electioneering politics, and he sent him to me as a person to show me the places, and to point out where they lived. 2306. Did he give you any insight into his idea of the value ?— No. 2307. You did not ask him ?— I do not know that I ever asked him; if he did give an opinion I never minded it; I took my own judgment. 2308. In fact, the entire of the valuations made by you are to be considered as formed solely upon your own judgment, without reference to any other per- son ?— Yes. 2309. Supposing other persons were to give evidence as to the value, differing from yours, would you not give them sufficient credit for being competent judges; there might be others as competent to form a value of those premises as yourself?— There might. 2310. And without impugning your intentions, they might give a very dif- ferent value to these houses from what you have given ?— They might. 2311. And you would still think them worthy of credit as well as yourself?— It would depend on who they are-. 2312. Presuming them to be men of character?— It would depend upon who the men are; I might hear of a man, respecting whom I could say, he is no judge, and I might think my own judgment better. 2313. Would you pretend to say, that your judgment was so much better that you could set it up in opposition to his, and be thereby enabled to refute his judgment?— We might differ in opinion without impugning his opinion. 2314. Do not you consider that there are many men in the city of Cork who have as competent a knowledge of the value of houses as you have yourself ?— Indeed, I do ; many men. 2315. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.'] Did you make any use of this person whatever, except inquiring where A. B. or C. D. lived, whom you wanted to find out ?— No use whatever. 2316. Did you in the slightest degree lean upon his judgment or testimony in influencing your valuation of these premises ?— Not in the least. 2317. You had known nothing of him antecedently ?— Nothing. _ _ 0318 If you had had any suspicion that he was a person of the description that has been pointed out in the previous question, you would not have chosen such a companion, or such a guide ?— I would be very sorry. 2 31 q. Do you think it likely that Mr. Carnagie would send you such a guide as that ?— I do not think he would, and I recollect now that in the course of my walk I went into this man's house to write down a memorandum of two or three houses in the neighbourhood, and I saw no sign of anything like a house ofiH- faine. 2320. Or any impropriety at all?— Not the least; I saw his wife and little children there. . T - T , ,1, 2321. Mr. Beamish.'] Where was that house situated?— I cannot teli. 2322. Was it near Peacock- lane ?— Somewhere there. 2323. Might he not have lived in Peacock- lane, and yet be connected with a house of ill- fame in a different part of the town ?— He might 2324. Then because you might see his wife and children^ would not be at all conclusive against his being connected with a house ot ill- fame ?— No. 0.46. 0 4