New-York tribune., 1904-10-07
G. W. MORGAN'S REPLY.
He Starts Force to Unenrthing More
Frauds.

To Tammany Halls efforts to interfere with
his campaign 10 purify the registration lists of
this city by eliminating naturalzed citizens
voting on papers frauduIently obtained, George
VI. Morgan, State Superintendent of Elections
made vigorous answer yesterday. He sent
sharp reply 10 the letter from the Tanmany law
committee insinuating that he was wantonly III
treating ignorant foreigners and deprivins them
of their right to vote; he defended in court the
Colonest case, in which the Tammany Hail law
yers are trying to tie up the work OF his natural
ization bureau. and he arranged to carry out
still larger plans for detecting fraudulent natu-
raIization papers and prosecuting their holders.
What was declared in many quarters TO be
another sample Of Tammany methods in fight
ing ths efforts to clean ont fraudulent voters,
was the circulation broadcast on the East Side
of a story that Herman Levy. said TO be an cleo
tion district captain for Tammany in the NIIth
Assembly District. had been arrested, hand
cuffed and generally mistreated by Superintend-
6nt Mcrgans men because his first name was
nisspelled in his papers. Levy. who lives at
No. SS Cannon-st.. is a man of some Importance
in the neighborhood He has sons, some OF
whom are said to hold city jobs. Levy's friends
were greatly aroused over the alleged cruelty
to him.
Superintendent Morgan and Joel NJ. Marx.
for the prosecution Of naturalization cases. both
laughed at the yarn. In the first place. as Mr.
Marx explained, his secret service agents ar
rested Levy after he had made. under examina-
tion, statements which conficted with his state
ments when he obtained naturalization papers
IN 1876. Then he said he came to this country
under eighteen years of age. Examined on
Wednesday by Mr.. Marx, he said he was TWEEN
ty-two when he landed. Thereupon he was ar
rested and taken before Commissioner Shields.
de made a confession. and voluntarily offered
his citizenship papers for cancellation. He was
held in 5000 bail which was furnished by his
district leader. City Clerk ScuIly.
In replying to the Tammany law committee
yesterday Superintendent Morgan said In part;
II Is matter Of common notoriety that cleo
uoIs In the State OF New-York have been tainted
with corruption through the of citizenship
federal courts and also through the use of forged
&c OF naturalizaton. Large as the number
Judge Gildersleeve, this number is but n small frac
and and 81 & oe &,arnInztton M frauds ALREADY dsc9;ered'
diu HuSn smaller percentage than Will be dlscoV-
cred by this office before the rst day Of registra-
Sion will be continued by this Office within proper
- 1s@i oouneS without any interference or dc aton
every consideration which Justice can extend will
be shown to the poor unfortnnates who have
Gates of naturalization which by law they not
respectfully I
opinion regarding my rights aud duties "a public
sSal ADVISER ot ms depaFlm9nt Who oosGrES; ct
forwards this communication to
The case of Antonio Coonesi. who refused
10 be sworn by Superintendent Morgan, came
up before Justice Gildersleeve on a writ OF
certiorari yesterday. ColoueSi was taken To the
Elections Bureau on Il subpoena. summouiug
him a witness To testify against John Doe.
His lawyers held that ii he TO be made TO
leStlty against himself, he could rightfully
fuse u be sworn Inc, lentaIly, Charles II. Knox.
acting Tor Tammany. declared that such sub
pUnas were issued onlyy TO terroTze and intm-
date voters. He couldn't see what right Mr.
Morgan had 10 seize COlouesi's papers" and ne
thought that the examination of other voters
IS 10 their papers should be discontinued until
this case was settled. Deputy Attornfg Cen
ersl Collins. who appear for SUPERINTENDENT
Morgan argued tnat the ,uPerintendent I'm no
case had overstepped his rights. He asked
ieale 10 submit a brief and the Justice con-
sented to receive briefs on Saturday.
y force OF hfteen young women was nut 10
Work IN the Federal building yesterday tabu-
lating and copying all the records Of uaturaIIza-
Tons In federal and State courts They are un-
der the direction OF c. V g Van Deusen 3,
special inspector Of the Department OF Justice
A force will be put TO work I'm the Custom
House tabulating the statistics there as ~ Tho
landing OF aliens and these when COMPARED
with the naturalization schedules will reveal
many hundred cases Of fraud. Assistant District
Attorney Marx believes. A scheme similar 70
this has exposed a regular school OF instruc-
ton In fraud for Immigrants i'm St Louis.
SiXty-one certificates of naturalization have
been cancelled I'm Kings County on apDlica tion
Of representatives, of the State Superintendent OF
Elections. In the last few weeks he has discoy-
cred many cases where naturalization paDers
had been obtained from the old CITY Court and
the Court OF Sessions both of which are out Of
existence, under false pretences. Most OF the
fraudulent papers are held by Italians
-s-