The Detroit times., 1909-03-26
JOHNSON BELIEVED
NATURALIZATION
REGULAR
DOCTOR CLEARS SELF OF susPI.
cIoN OF FRAUD IN SECURING
CITIZENS PAPERS SCHOOL
BOARD TRIES TO DUST HIM.

so Mr.. George says I am a per-
jurer. That il a pretty harsh name
and l should hesitate long time
about applying il to another man. !
wonder IL Mr.. George has never un.
Willingly sworn to statement that
was not absolutely correct in some OF
| its details"
Thus spoke DR.. Gilbert +. Johnson.
whom the board OF education is trying
to Gust from his position as Il school
Inspector from the Tenth ward ON the
ground that he is not citizen of the
United States, when seen Friday morn
ing. DR.. Johnson admits that he has
been deprived OF his citizenship pa
pers by the federal court, the record
OF which proceedings were read by
President George in Thursday night 5
meeting OF the board. Though the
order was entered Dec. !, 1908, DR..
Johnson has continued to serve on
| the board. believing that he had the
right To hold his seat.
my first impulse was to resign I'M
mediately after this action was taken
by the government" said DR.. Johnson,
but received legal advice that was
entitled TO hold the position and |
have done SO. What my course VIII
be, now that the board has taken the
matter up. have not yet decided
will you resign" was asked.
| IL have not decided. | have the
matter under consideration. OF course,
IL Is easy to see that Mr.. Georges OBJ
| ject In springing this thing Is TO III
jure the anti Martindale candidates for
school inspectors in the coming cleo
ton. No doubt the gang would IKE
TO have someone appointed to fill out
my term who will be favorable to the
gangs interests In the board, now
that its influence is waning. think,
however, they have waited too long 10
derive much benefit from their little
coup.
1T Is true that when became
citizen in 1898 | had not resided con-
tinuously in this state for five years.
as required by law, out when ! swore
/ to that fact | believed that l mad.
AS a matter of fact, the record shows
| that | had been here continuously but
| four years and a half. and " my nrst
papers had been looked up In the re-
corders court at the time | was sworn
| in all this would have been avoided.
| | had no specific object in being sworn
In at that particular time. except an
honest desire TO become full citizen
OF the United States. where ! mad
chosen to make my home. | could
have waited another six months just
as we'll as not, or another year or twp
for that matter, but ] supposed l had
L
Iup the date OF my coming-and war
admitted without question. NO doub'
there are many others now enjoying
the full privileges of citizens who
committed the same error and did not
know II. At the time | was sworn In
1t was in a line OF % or 80 applicants
and we were rushed right through.
| DR.. Johnson says he first came to
| the city in 1882. from Foxboro. Ont,
and remained six or seven months
returning in October. 1888. The five
years residence necessary to entitle
him to become a full citizen was not
up until October, 1883. He was ad-
mitted to citizenship, the record
shows, March 25. 1898. Proceedings
were started In the United States
court last November 10 cancel his GER
ticate OF citizenship end the order OF
cancellation was entered by Judge
Swan. Dec. /. last, with the consent
OF the doctor.
That's series No. l." said President
George, triumphantly after the board
adjourned. Thursday night. intimatins
plainly that he believed he had ex-
ploded bomb in the camp OF the op-
position and that he had another up
his sleeve. In fact. all OF the machine
adherents at the meeting appeared to
be immensely pleased with their
nights work.
The word had been passed among
the gang that something OF unusual
Importance was brewing and the ma
chine crowd was out in force. Even
Miehm and Hely found time TO get
down to the meeting, though the for-
mer had TO cut out a big saloon meet
ing arranged in his interest.
AS soon as he had called the board
TO order, President George relinquish-
| ed the chair to Inspector Hutton and
took the floor to spring his great SEN
sation. When he had finished read
| ing the record of DR.. Johnson natur-
alization. he moved that the record be
printed In thep roceedings and the
matter be referred TO the corporation
counsel with instructions to take the
necessary steps TO GUST DIR. Johnson
| from his seat on the board.
Inspector Burton protested against
such radical action and urged that DR..
johnson be given a chance TO explain.
Az an amendment he moved that the
charges be referred 10 a committee,
but the amendment was lost and the
original motion carried, Burton, Gold
berg and Schultz being the only mem
bers to vote no" Those who voted
with George were: Mumford, Kuhn,
Snitgen, Hutton. Miehm, Hely, Hender.
son. Kumrofsky and Cary.
Georges aniinus was plainly In evi-
dence when he said. as he handed the
papers to the secretary:
"Tnis Is a correct record OF one of
the reformers (great emphasis on this
woId) Of this board. man who is too
good and too clean TO associate with
other members OF this body; yet this
same man Is now "A periurer by HIS
own admission. He stands convicted
/ an his nwn evidence And I'm farp