The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-07
THE SUPREME COURT
The Investigation into the
Fraudulent Naturaliza-
ton Certificates.
The Proceedings TO-day-Continua-
tiOn of the Testimony for
the PrOthOnOtary.
The, Argument of Counsel.

s'0PsEME COURT AT NIsI PRIUs - Justice
Sb barsw ood.-This morning, at 10 clock, Messrs.
w orrall and Boileau, the two witnesses who
were wanting yesise1Gs; wss Tesumed m
Mr. EDWARD Worrall sworn-Examined by
lar. smithIQ. Mr. Worrail what At Is your ousi-
O. Were you ever employed In the supreme
Court ofHce9 A. Yes, from September, 1852,
O, Did you ever know papers in blank to be
signed with Colonel Snowden's name by any
officiai papers filled up to be signed by others
in the ofice with Colonel Snowden's name.
They were official papers that had 10 be sent TO
o. Did You ever know naturalization papers
10 be signed by any one else than Colonel
snowden? A. Yes; have signed them myself
about week ago ne sent for me TO aid him,
and requested me to sign the certificates for
him; signed his u pame upon three or four, and
then told him what was doing, and he said he
Thought would better sign my name for him,
and went according to his direction.
O. After that you never signed such papers
wsH MT nis Brewster.Now, sir. you did not absent
yourself yesterday Intentionally 10 avoid testt-
Tying here, did you? A. No. sir; was out yes
q. bid you ever know the seal ofthe Court to
be used upon blsnss9 4 9ss: fSss sl1 sn rhe g, wit
several clerks who yes terday testified that the
seal had been so used in order to facilitate the
O. NOW, sir, something was said yesterday
abe ut your having something to do with the
filling up of naturalization papers within the
past few days; now will you be so good as to say
how that was? A. did I'LL up, perhaps. thirty
for persons from my ward, and sent them up to
"3Si o. Do 10 You know whether colonel snowden
had knowledge of this practice by the clerks of
afilxipg the seal TO blank papers? A. cannot
say whether he had or not.
(The fraudulent papers were handed the wit
ness) O. Have you seen the signatures upon
those rapers. A. Yes, sir. .,
a. No. sir; l am sorry to have detained the
Court and counsel yesterday, and had L been
aware that was wanted would not have
John Poileau sworn-Q. What is your en-
ployment? A. am an assessor
Court office? A. Yes, sir, from the 1lth to the
SOth OF september, when resigned my position
pspers to be signed in blank with Colonel
O. Did You ever know the seal to be put upon
b ank certificates? A. No, sir; l had nothing
4 do with the seals. my particular duty being
O, what was your business before you went
into the Supreme Court office? A was con-
O., Did you ever have anything to do with
land warrants? A. Yes, sir.
@. Were you ever charged WIN thelr forgery?
@. What were you convicted off A. OF re.
ceiVing and transmitting forged land warrants
In payment of pension certificates
Here the witness declined further to answer
Cross-examined by Mr.. CuyIer-Q. How came
you to be employed in the Prothonotsry's
O. Did you have any personal acquaintance
with Colonel Snowden? A. No, sir.
@. Now, Mr.. Boleau, were you innocent or
guilty OF the charge upon which you we're tried?
Mr. brewster-I Objec TO this, SIR; he has de-
clined to answer these questions.
Mr. CuyIel-He has already answered your
MT' Brewster-But does your Honor con-
s'der his answer would be evidence after his
country has pronounced him guilty?
Judge Sharswood-I am not a jary.
Mr.. Brewster-No, sir; put you are Judge
Tn1u GnarSwnnd-If Object. Br6W-
ster. sustain the objection;
Mr.. Cuyier-But since THIS witness has tnus
decline TO answer, ask in all honesty OF Dur-
pose, and In all fairness TO the witness, that
Mr. Brewster does not lnterpose any objection
Mr' BrewsterNHewas not in ignorance of his
right: we cannot say any man ls. And when
YOU proposed yesterday to call him you knew
what this witness was, and could have In
Messrs Biadle and Cuyler-we deny it. sir.
emphatically: neither we nor Colonel Snowden
Mr BrewsterEWell might have assumed it,
Mr. Cuyler-You had no right so to assume In
passed upon the question. we submit.
Mr. Brewster-The law OF the land has passed
Mr. Cuyler here proposed to show that Colo
mel Snowden had no knowledge of Mr.. Boileau's
conviction. before this, which the court con-
Mr.. Charles B. Ross. Chief Clerk of the Pro-
thonotary's office, stated that he had known
Mr. Boileau a great many years, and had recon-
mended him to Colonel snowden, but had never
known him even TO pe accused OF any crime
II he had had any intimation OF this, he would
not have recommended nlu.
Colonel Snowden then filed the following sup
Elemental return;-
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in and for the
Eastern District.-Rula to snow cause why an at
Iachment should not issue against James Ross Snow
L deR. ProthoAotsry.-IJ james Ross ShoWden, further
entitled mRier, do say, upon my solemn oath. that
John w. Bo,lGsu, who has been examined as wit
my Office as clerk Or about the ssyenth day OF
September 1885, upon the recon- mendaton OF Charles
R Oftice,
knowIedge of Mr. BoiieAu, but believed MIN be a
respectable and properly quslihed person for the
soiemnly aver that I did not then know, anG
knew until IL was sisted TO cay that the said
Grimm al offence. The said John W. Boi eau left
ONCE at his OWE request oe or soout the SlLh day Of
September 1868. Sworn and auoscrbea by me In open
Court, this 9TH day Of octa5sT % A @ ID isSS
JAMES ROSS SNoWDEHN. M EN-
October y 1868. GEORGE 5HARSWOOD.
Mr.. Lewis VAIN Smith then proceeded to
sum up the facts by way OF argument He said:
Eary for me at the present time TO dwell, even
1Or a moment, on the great importance OF the
Investigation on which your Honor has been
for several days past patiently engaged. The
purity OF the ballot Is so generally esteemed,
and the rights OF American citizenship held 30
highly by those who enjoy its privileges, that
any system of conduct which tends To polluLe
the one or degrade the other becomes At once a
matter of personal interest TO every right
minded citizen, be his party feelings what they
may. ,.,
the Investigation loom up. when the courts of
low are being nsed as a cloak for fraud, when
the seal of this court. the sign manual or THIS
tribunal, is counterfeited or imprndently lent,
and the signature of the Prothonptary either
wronRfully appended or deliberately forged
Yonr Honor recognized the moneptous nature