New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-26
NATURALIZATIoN FRAUDS.

INVESTIGATING PAPERS OF 1S6S-sUPERVIsoR
DAvENPoRT's 5000 wARRANTs-sEvERAL HUN
DRED ARRESTS NADIA CIRCULAR. ISSUED BY
THE DIsTRICT-ATIORNEY.
Chief Supervisor Of Elections John ]. Davenport
several months ago submitted to Judge ChOate
bill for 900 for warrants of arrest issued by the
Supervisor against holders Of fraudulent naturalza
ton papers obtained in 1868 under the old corrupt
methods of the Ring" As the legal fee in each
case was 81, there were therefore 5000 warrants
issued moreover they were all issued on the COM
plant of one person. Judge ChOate refused to audit
the BILL and gave as his at the time that the
fact that so many warrants were signed at one time
at the instance of one person was sufficient cause
for him to delay action upon the bill until he had
made inquiries as to whether it was proper one. A
little investigation showed that none of the persons
against whom the warrants were made had even
been arrested, stll less examined. Then Judge
Choate refused to audit the accounts except in cases
where the arrest was made and the examination had
been held.
Mr. Davenport at once put the warrants into the
hands of United States deputy-marshals, and the
search for the holders of the fraudulent certificates
began. Owing to the length of time that had
elapsed since the offences were committed to ma
the persons sought was slow work. Several hundred
were easytraced by directories OF election registers
These were promptly arrested, and the work OF ex-
aiming them was carried on theoretically by Mr..
Davenport for several weeks. In almost every in
stance it was shown that the possessors of the
fraudulent certificates had obtained them honestly
as far as they were themselves commemorative
offence really being on the part of those who had
deceived them into accepting rights of citizenship
to which they had no claim To these persons, who
were found to be really innocent, it was explained
that they could now obtain legitimate certificates by
application at the proper courts, and they were dis
charged. Against few of these prisoners the
charge of corrupt intent in obtaining the papers
was thought to be sufficiently well sustained to hold
them for the United States Grand Jury.
But after few hundred of these illegal voters
had been arrested the arrests began to be very slow
and difficult, and few deputy marshals considered
the fees they received sufficient remuneration for
the labor required in hunting up those against
whom they held warrants. Both Mr.. Davenport
and District-AttOrney WOodford have been anxious
that all these cases should be cleared away before
the next election for other reasons well that
the holders if innocent may not ignorantly expose
themselves to criminal prosecution in the future by
I illegal registration. The following order has ao-
cordingly been issued by the District-Attorney,
both as warning to such persons and to help the
Government officers in carrying out their plans:
TO the Holders Of Certificates Of Naturalization puport
inO 10 hare been issued from supreme and Superior
Courts IN he city Of Neic- York In 1868:
am officially informed by the Chief Supervisor OF
Elections for this district that complaints have been
lodged with him. as Commissioner, charging many per-
sons residing In this district with being possessed OF
fraudulent certificates Of citizenship commonly known
as naturalization papers purportng TO have been Issued
by the Supreme and Superior Courts in the City of New
York in the year 1868 Such complaints further charge
the holders OF such certificates with having fnuduenty
registered thereon the last Congressional election in
1870
These are offences against the laws Of the United
States As some Of persons holding such certificates
may be lawfully entitled 10 be Daturazed and as many
OF them we're possibly ignorant and msled and In order
that no Injustice may be done to any person now willing
TO obey the law hereby give notice that each person
against whom such complaint has been made can avoid
arrest and prosecution by appearing before Commits
soner Davenport at his Office in the United States Court
Building room l. fourth floor, before the 2lst day
of sepember next 1S7S and surrenderng such eerth-
cate II upon examination 1t shall to be fraudulent
For the convenience OF such of the accused as are labor
inc men, the United States Commissioners office will, on
and after Monday the Goth inst, and until Saturday,
September 81 prox be kept until halfpastS o'clock
in the evening STEWART L. WOoDFoRD,
United States Attorney.