The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-04
FROM THE BAR TO TIE CELL
TWO Years IN PRISON ron MO-
MENI,S IMPULSIyENESS.
fraudulent Naturalization What MIR. Eiv
swears TO, aud How lie Came 10 DO It
A Warning 10 Jealous y oung Politicians.

mud How tHme W Do ~
A Warning 10 Jealous Young Politicians.
W. II. ii. Ely, IL promising young lawyer
OF Tarrytown, Is In the Ludlow street ''
under sentence Of two years imprisonment IN
the Albany Penitentiary for aiding and abettng
In fraudulent naturalization. The popularity OF
the culprit. his social standing, and the crushing
blow that his disgrace inhicts upon worthy
family, long resident In westchcster county, ex-
cite general sympathy.
EIy went to Westchester county from Con-
ncc icut little more than three wears ago He
secured place "a teacher In the public schools.
lie was thoroughly capable instructor, and
was, moreover, possessed OF an attractive pres
euce and magnetism of manner. which made
him n welcome visltol among the best circles OF
tho will -, and immensely popular with all
classes. He had made such progress In his legal
studies before settling In Tarrytown, that he
W admitted to the bar OF Westches er county
within the nrst year Of his residence.
Ills clicntace grew RAPIDLY, and he soon
found himself In position TO marry.
His wife Is an estmable young lady. his equal In
personal popui ,rty with tho old county fami-
les. ind possessed OF the ad iitional claim to
sympthy that comes OF several generations OF
honorable family history in the town. In MS
court cases Ely me-. with rs much success as
usually fails to the lot " young pleaders, rnd
his attention t. business won him the respect
heads. lie was generous and imtulsive TO
fault.
In county politics. An ardent Democrat he
work ed untlrngy for Mr.. Tlden In the late can
VAS he became mcno,r oi ,a ans
club of 1arrytown, which appointed him
special committee OF one to superintenu me
naturaliz atoms. He made several political
speeches during the campaign, and was most
jealous correspondent In sending to the National
Democratic Committee the names OF such resi-.
dents OF Westminster as were undecided and
likely to be reached by political documents.
Several hundred aliens were naturazed IN the
County Court Of westchester county, a large
number OF whom were credited to MIR. Ely.
Of eleven Irls6mcn, residents OF the county.
VINO han not taken out their second papers.
They were induced to 20 to White Plains. aud
wagon was provided forthwith. Mr.. Ely accom-
panied them. The prerequisite Of witness TO
swear to their residence had been neglected.
Sooner than miss the eleven votes. Mr.. Fly him
self became their political sponsor. and swore
that he knew personally. they had resided IN
the country the req iisite five years. Their pa
pers were executed; ana they became c,lzens
In the exceptionally severe scrutiny OF natural
ing the last canvass. these eleven cases did not
escape. man who had lived IN the county
only three wears h d sworn to the fact OF other
men having lived there i've; Expert detectives
sent out from the United States District Attor-
neys ONCE IN this city. readily ascerlalned that
The clever apple ants had not been that long In
the country, let alone the county. Furtler In
vestgitions convinced them that Mr. Ely was
concerned In At eas' fty-fnur n1turaZatiOns
that were tainted with fraud In one shape or an
other. Warrants were issued quietly for the
eleven ana for Mr. Ely; all twelve were arr stcd
the n rning before election. The ONCE ar
ranged to make the arrests before daylight. 80
as to have tue PRISONERS IN New YORK before
they could. 10y any chance, Communicate with
other persons OF prominence, whom, II was eX-
Ierted their decl nations would implic tie.
I,w,ers Of tnis city were at the United sat =
District Attorney offi 20 10 act counsel, even
before the prisoners arrived.
The eleven told enough 10 Furnish evidence
for two indictments against sir Elv, one for
perjury IN swearing lsely t. his personal
knowledge of their qualification for citizenship.
and one for aiding ami arethng In procuring the
fr iuduleni naturally ition U aliens
Strenuous efforts were made ty his friends.
among ihsm an uncle who Is n prominent rest
dent Of BROOKLYN. to have the indictments pig
eon-holed: Every consider ition, bis youth, nat
ural impusiyeness. the blilhtlne 81 promising
career, WAS urged upon Judge Benedict and
District Attorney Bliss. Hut they could not
excuse Ely. while pursuing with the exiremest
rgor OF the law some half a dozen Others ine
the entering OF nolle prosequi a. To the per
jury indictment. In consideration Of plea Of
guilty to the indictment for aiding and abetting.
THIS, however. was gre At concession, ~ smucn
ia the puni~hment for perjury i fine sud mpris-
onmeut. while for the otoer offence 1t is tine or
Imprisonment. His fiends hoped to bring sui
ncient re-sure TO bear t. reduce the penalty to
asimple line: Ely accordingly pleaded guilty.
Hut Judge Benedict. after mature considera.
ton thought the hghtest punishment he could
intict was inursonment IN the Albany peniten-
tiary for two years. Lly's friends are now NOV
ing 10 have the place OF his Imprisonment
changed to the Kings county penitentiary.
ELY SAYS mat MS present procurement
l. the result merely Il ncaution ana Over
enthusiasm. A. the Committee Of Naturaliz, 4
ton, he was anxious to make a. fun show rs
possible II work Accomplished and he did not
study tue statistics regulating naturalization as
closely as he should. As to the oath, he SAID he
did not understand word the clerk who add
ministered ~ said he talked 50 rapidly lie WIS
under the Impression that IN alien could not
take out MS nrst papers until he had resided
two years IN this country. All the men he swOre
In had regular first papers which had been
granted three years before, and, with his Inter-
pretation Of the law. lie felt justified IN swear
ing for them,
It's worthy If not that hasty reading Of the
stat ltc would pr badly leave just the inlTcs-
Sion that Mr. Elt saws be mad. More thdn one
II the prosecuting Officials sh red II.
Mr. ElS's friends 81 nj by MN Loyalty In his
extremity. The easy discipline Of the ~ admits
I'LL visitors and his eel Is seldom empty.
Dstrict-Auorney Bliss says the only person who
has approached him IN Elys case Tor any other
pur, osc than to Head the young m MS cause,
ana arouse sympathy for him, Is u Democrat Of
- LLa.la Ii