William Cargill
1813–1894 (age 81)
merchant
Biography
William Walter Cargill (1813 – 23 May 1894) was a British Conservative Party politician.
He was elected at a by-election in June 1863 as a Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed. His victory by a margin of 18 votes (328–310)
was immediately denounced by his Liberal opponent Alexander Mitchell.
Cargill's attempt at an acceptance speech was drowned out by the crowd, which hustled him as he left and broke some glass both in the Guildhall and in the inn where he was staying. Mitchell announced that he would rather be defeated than win by the means which had secured Cargill's victory, and promised that he would lodge a petition against the result.
When the petition was heard before a House of Commons committee, Mitchell's lawyer produced evidence of bribery in Cargill's interest.
However, when the hearing resumed on a later day, he protested that the committee had not allowed him to call the witnesses he needed. He then declined to offer any further evidence. The committee concluded that there was there of bribery was indirect, and that there was no proof that had been carried out on behalf of Cargill. They dismissed the petition, but noted that it was neither frivolous not vexatious.