New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-19
NATURALTZATION PAPERS NOT SIGNED.
PECULIAR CONDITION BROUGHT OFT ny
TRIAL IN WESTMINSTER COUNTY.


TRIAL IN WESTMINSTER COUNTY
An interesting point involving possible important.
results as TO the recent election In Westcheser
County came 10 light yesterday on the trial In the
County Court al White Plains OF Antonio Derinzo,
who is charged with voting without having legal
right to do David n. Hunt. counsel for the
accused man. In objecting to the Introduction In
evidence OF the book kept by the County clerk
known the book Of minor aliens. said that since
1886 appeared from the book Itself. no minor
alien had been legally naturalized in Westchester
County. He then exhibited TO County Judge Lent
the book. showing each one Of its $50 pages
form OF an order reciting that at term OF the
- Court held In the county OF Westchester
the applicant had appeared personally in court.
produced the evidence required by the acts of
Congress. and made the declarations and the oaths
required by aw
Their follows this language at the foot Of each
page: 1T is ordered by the said Court that the
said applicant he admitted to be citizen Of the
United States Of America" md then the word
ENTER" and place for the Judges signature NOT
one Of these orders Of the Court has been signed
by any judge. and signature whatever appears
at the foot OF any order.
The defendant. Derinzo. produced at the polls as
authority for voting a certificate signed by Levett
+. Crumb. County Clerk. reclting that on February
IS. 1897. he appeared in the Supreme Court, and
that II ordered by the Court that he be adj
mitted TO be citizen OF the United States, which
certificate also bears the seal OF the county OF
Westminster It thus appears that there are In
Westchester County $50 people having certificates
Of NATURALIZATION where no orders have been signed
by the Judge
In 1895 the Legislature passed act known as
Chapter 927 OF the Laws Of 1885, entitled An act
concerning naturaliz lion and regulating the pro
cedure I'm courts Of this State" This law declares
that the Supreme Court and county courts and no
other court courts I'm this State. shall have or
entertain jurisdiction Of the natura lizatlon Of an
allen, shall any clerk receive any such declara-
n
The contention OF he defendant Is that though
the statute required 1t. he was not brought into
open court ard befo-e judge. but that he In
good faith received his certificate and presented IL
to the inspectors. believing that he had right to
vote and that therefore he cannot he convicted for
having knowingly offered TO vote when not quail
fed.
County Judge Lent surprised at the point
raised and adjourned the trial until Monday.
This discovery is decidedly interesting TO all the
candidates In the recent election where some con-
tests close. and II may cause the throwing
out of a large number OF votes
At the opening Of this term OF the County Court
October 81. Judge Lent called the attention OF
the Grand Jury to the naturalization of aliens IN
Westminster County. asking them to make n full
investigation and report. He stated In his charge
that In one year two thousand naturalization
pa pers had been issued In Westminster County. and
for tho aliens, and that several other men had
been witnesses for large numbers OF aliens, vary
ing from twenty five 10 fifty The Judge asked the
fury to Investigate thoroughly all matters OF nat
uraliZatOn.
The Grand Jury is still engaged on this work.