Evening journal., 1902-07-08
GUILTY! SAYS
JOHN LEMON
Termination Of the Case in
United States Court
SENTENCE WAS SUSPENDED
MAY be Sensation Soon 1t Is Al
Ieged That Politicians Back Of
Lemon Are Known

Much to the surprise of almost every
one in The United States Court this
morning, John Lemon, who was placed
on trial yesterday. charged with maxi
ing false oatfs to obtain naturaliza-
tion papers for PietrO ToTellO,
changed his plea of not guilty to onel
of guilty. The seven other chargesl
against him were nolle pressed.
The action was no surprise to Dis
trict Attorney Byrne, who has beenl
conducting the Governments case.
When court opened this mOrningl
Secret Service Agent Peeke was ready
to 20 on the stand to be crOss-exam-
ined by J. Frank Ball. one of the at-l
tOrneys for Lemon. 1t was noticed
that Mr.. Ball and Mr.. Richards werel
holding a conference. When they hadl
finished Mr. Byrne said: your honor,
the Government is ready to proceed"
Mr.. Richards, arising and addressing
the court said: Your honor, the de-
fendant. John Lemon, desires to change
his plea of not guilty to one Of guilty"
The court accepted the plea. On the
application of Mr.. Byrne sentence asl
suspended.
Bid Lemon Peach ?
It was reported this morning on good
authority that the Government was
influenced to accept the plea of guilty
and to drop the other seven charges.
because Lemon had confessed to the
District Attorney the names Of thel
persons who were back of the
fraudulent naturalization scheme. I'll
has never been announced who the
four persons were who were indicted
along with Lemon. They are not yet
in nd of
be divulged until the Secret Service
men get their hands on Them
In his testimony yesterday Agent
Peeke said Lemon told him he was en-
gagged to do the work by Jew, an
Italian and an American lawyer, oil
Philadelphia. He did not give their
names. These are believed to be threel
of the men indicted.
It is rumored that a certain political
party is back of them, and should not
the plans of the Government miscarry.
there will be a much bigger sensationl
than that caused by the arrest Of
Lemon.
More Work for Jury
Mr.. Byrne announced to the court
this morning that there was work for
the Grand Jury It will return on July
IS. and it is thought that the work is
in connection with the naturalization
cases.
When Mr.. Byrne was asked about
4 the rumOr that Lemon was backed in
his naturalization scheme, he said q
could not tell you if I knew. That is
a matter that is in the hands of the
Secret Service. 1t has always been my
idea that this was a composite crime
Crime Nipped in Sud
81 think it was nipped in the bud,
however. 1t may have been planned for
Lemon. The discovery by the State
court was timely. This termination of
the Lemon case, I think. will have a
good effect on those who planned to-
use Delaware as a centre for fraudulent
naturalization,
1t is not known when Lemon will be
sentenced. The jury will be discharged
this afternoon for several days.
Jury in Civil Case
This afternoon a civil jury will be
drawn in the case of Frank Neland
Machine Company, of Pittsburg, VS..
the johnson Forge Company. 1t will
then be discharged until Tuesday. 1t
was reported that the defendant had
confessed judgment for S5,3S3.35 in the
case of the National Surety Company
VS.. Henry Collins.
AT yesterday afternoons session Miss
Theresa Hughes, assistant to the post
master at Avondale, said she had
known Torrello for nine years. Annie
p. Merrill and Antonio Torrello testi-
fed that Peitro lived in AvOndale for
" a number of years.
PeitrO TOwello, the man for whom
the papers were obtained, testified that
he has lived in Ayondale since 1892
when he first came to this country He
identified his signature to a naturaliza-
ton paper issued by the court. Lemon
came with him as q witness when he
procured the paper Lemon did not
ask him about his residence. He told
s. lemon he had lost his first papers, and
Lemon said that amounted to nothing,
and they would get duplicate papers.
.emon told him to say he lived in
Scott street. Lemon said If he wanted
% be naturalized it was easy to be
lone.
On cross-examination the witness
aid that about six years before he had
pplied for his papers but he was not
citizen of Delaware. He had also
old Lemon of taking out his first pa
pers and losing them. They then went
70 the Court House and secured a copy.
hen they went to the United States
'ourt. He had frequently met Lemon
n Scott street in this city
Henry C. Mahaffy Jr., swore that he
ad seen Lemon sign naturalization pc
ticns and that he appeared to under
M tand the requirements. The witness
;31z old Of a conversation in which Lemon
ad been warned OF vouching for a
pan whom he had not known the re-
uired length of time He told Lemon
fnere were heavy penalties for making