. W S E L E C T C O M M I T T E E O N F I C T I T I O U S V O T E S , I R E L A N D . 297 Mart is, 120 die Junii, 1838. MEMBERS PRESENT. Mr. Curry. Mr. Hogg. Mr. Serjeant Jackson. LORD GRANVILLE SOMERSET, IN THE CHAIR Mr. Lefroy. Mr. O'Connell. Lord Granville Somerset. Thomas Courtenay, Esq., called in; and further Examined. 13222. Mr Lefroy.'] HAS any practice prevailed, or in any instances have T. Courtenay, Esq duplicate certificates been obtained by you, or any other agent of the late sitting — Members for Longford, for the purpose of being used fraudulently, or have fraudu" " J « ne 1838. lent duplicate certificates been obtained ?— Certainly not. 13223. Mr. O'Connell.'] Did you commit a fraud ?— 1 see that I am accused of taking out duplicate certificates. 13224. Mr. Lefroy.'] Will you refer to the answers to questions 8199 and 8200 in the evidence given by Mr. Patrick Flood, in reference to which these questions are put ?— I see that he charged me with taking out duplicate certificates. 13225. He there alludes to a man of the name of Matthew M'Keon. He states that he was brought up in disguise a second time at the election to vote upon one of those fraudulent certificates; will you look through the evidence, and state to the Committee what really took place in that case ?— We never brought up a voter in disguise; M'Keon, as I recollect the circumstance, was registered as a 20/. free- holder, under the 10th of Geo. 4; afterwards, having parted with some of the holding, he registered again as a 10/. voter; he was put upon the tally to vote as a 201, voter by mistake ; and upon the mistake being discovered, he expressed him- self anxious to go up and vote in his proper capacity, as a 10/. voter ; but as to dis- guise, or any attempt at fraud, it was never contemplated by any of the parties. 13226. Chairman.] Did he come up in a different dress to the poll ?— He did not. 13227. Mr. Lefroy.] The two certificates that he had were not duplicate certi- ficates, but certificates taken out in different rights ?— Taken out in different rights. 13228. And at different times ?— Yes ; one was a renewal, and the other was a registry. 13229. Mr. O'Connell.] What was he registered at?— He was registered in both capacities, as a 20/. and a 101. 13230. Mr. Lefroy.] You stated that the reason of his registering as a \ ol. free- holder was, that he had lost part of the 20/. qualification?— He had lost part of the 20/. qualification. 13231. Will you look at the evidence in answer S219, where what is alleged to have been another case of duplicate certificates is stated. Will you explain to the Committee this case of Mills; is it really the case ?— They do not give the Chris- tian name of Mills ; but upon reference to the old registry I find two Charles Mills registered, under the 10th of Geo. 4. 13232. Two different persons ?— Different persons; and I served notice for them to re- register under the Reform Act; and when their names were called, I claimed two certificates, they being marked " friendly" on my book, and I got two certificates ; but upon its being mentioned in court that one of them was dead, as I recollect, the certificate of the second Mills was torn on the spot, when it was ascertained that he was really dead. 13233. Mr. Serjeant Jackson.] When was it that it was ascertained that he was dead ?— At the registry. 13234. Do you mean at the time the two certificates were issued ?— Y es. 13235. Did the two men appear?— No; they were registered upon the old certificates. 643. Q Q j3236. Mr