The evening times., 1900-02-07

NEW YORK, Feb 7.-Indictments
against forty-nine men for aiding in Sc
curing illegal naturalization for foreigners
in the Federal courts, of Brooklyn, have
been found by the Federal grand jury. Of
Brooklyn, for January and startling pre-
sentiment was handed up to Judge Thom-
as with the indictments The names Of
forty y-seven OF the indicted men we're not
made public.
Adolph Hoffman, was arrested yester-
day and in the presentment he is held
to be the chief agent for the naturalization
mill said to exist. Richard p. MOrle and
Percy G. p. Gilkes. who are clerks OF the
court and also United States commission
ers are charged in the presentment with
incompetency or recklessness.
It is further stated in the presentment
that naturalization methods described can
not be charged to incompetence or care
Iessness only. but was a simple matter Of
making money, in which were concerned
the clerks office, the witnesses FOR the
applicants (where they had become pro-
fessiOnal witnesses) and the man HO1-
mann. who was always in the clerks Office.
and who acted as a drummer TO secure
business in matters OF these naturaliza-
tions"
/ In the presentment attention is called 10
/ the great number of naturalization papers
/ issued from Brooklyn in 1899, and that
/ many OF the applicants lived on the east
! side OF Manhattan. Many applicants, as
/ is shown. we're examined by the grand
/ jury who found that they could not read
| speak. or write English, and IN some in
I 81
| write their ages or the dates Of their ar
4 rival In the United States. that many did
| not know the names OF their witnesses;
| that Clerk Gilke had sold to many apph-
1 Cants a book containing the Constitution
OF the United States and the questions "a
/ be asked al 10 cents copy; that the
! clerks were by law permitted TO charge
| $3.50 10 each applicant and that the clerks
| refused 10 answer questions asked by
| grand jurors.
It is further said that Adolph Hoffman,
| who belongs to many societies in Nauhat-
tan. and lives at "a Manhattan Avenue
| Brooklyn was daily in the corridors Ol
! the Federal Building. and used desk in
| the clerks Office to write postal cards and
| letters to persons to come and be natural
| lied. that Hoffman, always acted as in
| terpreter for applicants. that Le wrote C
| officers OF associations TO send applicants
! TO him: that he represented himself as tht
| official Interpreter Of the court, that about
ten men we're Witnesses again and again
for 500 applicants; that partnerships e0'
| listed among these ten men for the diNis-
ion OF money they received from dppli-
| cants.
This grand jury recommends that th'
court appoint as officials Of the court only
! such men as will COnsCientiOusly and i'm
partially supervise matters Of naturaiiza
ton, and adds that IL the court has no
power TO eradicate these practices th'
matter should be brought TO the attention
Of the President and Congress Of the
United States for their action.
| All Clerk Morle would say yesterda,
was. My friends and all who know M
know that there is no truth in the charg
es"
| Jacob Marcus was arrestcd al his hom'
| in Grand Street last night He is indicte,
for perjury and is one Of The men indic'e'
| yesterday.