The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-25
Bogus Citizens Reasons.

mand for a list OF laborers, made by the
State authorities, caused a contractor to
throw up a job entirely. Most of his
men were aliens. with bogus papers"
The reasons why the papers were
bought, as proved by the investigations
of Mr.. Marx and his assistants. were
the following, the first two being by far
the most important:
J. To obtain ready admission to the
United States. without being held up at
the immigration station and perhaps de-
ported.
, To get one of the many jobs which
by law can only be held by a citizen
,. TO be able to record an illegal vote
for the benefit Of some corrupt polti-
clan
4. To escape compulsory military SER
vice IN Europe by falsely pretending 10
be an American citizen.
:. To invoke American protection when
dwelling in lawless Latin-American
countries and in the Turkish dominlons.
Millions OF dollars have undoubtedly
been made by the various gangs which
had the business in hand. both IN this
country and on the other side. II is es-
timsted that over 100000 was made by
two or three gangs operating in New
York alone. But the harvest is now
over
After few weeks investigation by
Secret Service men IT was found that the
forged certificates were counterfeited by
a gang Of Italians who had ?, plant at
Hoboken, n. J. These men printed the
certificates by the wholesale. and sold
them to Italian immigrants at various
prices, ranging up TO S15.
Criminals Flee.
They fed when they heard that the
Secret Service men were on their trail
but they were tracked. first 10 Pennsyl-
vania and then to Italy. Lulled into a
feeling OF security, the two chief con-
spirators returned 10 New York city
last May and started up buaIness again.
They We're promptly arrested and sent
to Jail. with all their confederates, and
their plant was seized.
This disposed Of the issue OF forged
certificates. but Mr.. marx and his fell
Iow-investigators had to deal with the
more difficult matter OF fraudulent
papers which bore the genuine seal and
signature Of an American court.
II was found that a deputy clerk in
the office Of the United States district
court was Surreptitously taking the
papers which the clerk had signed in
the morning in blank, and was selling
them for s. apiece 10 a gang Of men
who would All in the name OF any per
engaged in his fraud were tried and3
convicted, but IL soon developed that
they were only part Of "A great system
of fraud extending over many courts IN
various parts of the country
"Leao.hg Citizens Yavolveu,
In Chicago aliens were made citizens !
as quickly as peas are shelled." Even |
the observance OF the forms Of law. /
carefully provided for elsewhere by a |
cloud Of false witnesses. was regarded /
as mere pedantry by the ward heelerS" |
OF the Windy City. From Wilmington. |
Del, TO Philadelphia. north 10 Albany /
and Troy. and east to Providence and |
Boston, this gigantic system Of fraud /
extended The Federal investigation /
has proved that many leading citizens" ,
were involved in IT, The Judge OF a /
court. the clerks Of many courts. bank |
ers. prominent politicians, the president !
Of big industrial company. the treas !
urer of another, a prominent lawyer OF
White Plains, y. Y.-these are some OF
the men who have beer found guilty
Of participation in the naturalization
frauds.
The discovery and prosecution OF the
guilty parties has been going on since
the beginning OF the year, but IL has not
been done with any flourish or trumpets.
and consequently the magnitude OF the
January ] over six hundred arrests have
been made IN Greater New York clone. |
and more than four hundred convictions
obtained. Before the end OF the year
here will probably be at least a thou
sand more. The same thing is going on
n many other cities.
Terrified Criminals.
Bogus citizens who have not yet been
'un down are terrified when they hear OF
heir fellow criminals being sent to the
The Offices OF the investi-
yators are besieged every day by aliens
.ager to surrender fraudulent papers
md thereby secure immunity from pros
cution. 1t is expected further that the
,ulk Of the criminals who retain possess ,
Ton Of their papers will be afraid 10 cast
heir ballots in November. for they will 8
now that the election officials will be
n the lookout for them.
cit Il impossible TO tell how far these :
rauds have extended" said Joel NJ
lark. When l tell you that / .S42 clti- s
enship papers purported TO be issued in Y
ihereas il would have been impossible
or the entire Office stan OF that court to II
ave signed a hundred i'm the time, you
an form some faint idea OF the extent
us citizens strikes me as an estimate n
hitch certainly does not overstep the q
lark
but the Federal authorities have got o
ne matter well IN hand now. and [ think 1:
ne bulk OF the frauds have been stop q
ed As men go back TO Italy and tell =
ow their false papers got them sent
D jail, and then deported the traffic In a
ltizensNp certificates at the wharVes OF c
ienoa and Naples naturally dwindles /
y course. II Will take a LONG time to :,
thoroughly uproOt the evil: hut Il IS be- q
~ done by degrees. and ] can assure | +
on that all the various classes OF Grim C.
lals concerned In the business are thor n
nghly scared
Gangs Broken Up. s
The Federal Investigators have al q
'ady broken up several Of the principal |
sngs chat peddled United states citi- s.
Anship. and have got into touch with v
retty nearly all OF the manifold devel- o
pments OF the fraud. New legislation G.
as been devised to cover IoophOles i'm a
le law discovered by recent cases. and q
is anticipated that in the future II IL
I'll be much harder to run n citizenship G.
ill than II mas been in the mast II
Ont interesting fact disclosed bv the "a
lVestikation Is the value nIaced nv q
llens on American citizenshiD however y
legailN acquired. The payments FOR 81
nanaTg Ia, n