The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-07-29
WAS SUPPOSED NATIVE BORN
Affidavit Is Filed in the United States
Court Which Reveals Life Story of
Man Who Has Been Much in the
Lime Light in Kenosha Recently.

An affidavit on behalf of the United
States government has been filed in
the United States district court in
Milwaukee for the cancellation Of the
certificate Of citizenship issued to
Hugo Lustig, a resident of the city Of
Kenosha. The facts in connection with
the case are now being looked into by
District Attorney Guy D. Golf. An
examination of the city directory fails
to reveal the name of Hugo Lustig,o
but an investigation of the evidence
supporting the affidavit shows that the
man in question is John H. Wells, -
formerly justice Of the peace of Ke-
nosha, but removed from his office by
Judge Randall in the municipal court
after he had been convicted of a felony.
Wells has never been known as LUIS
tig in Kenosha, but much Of the evil
dence on which the cancellation of the
certificate has been demanded was
found by government officials by a
search of records in Kenosha. No date
has-as yet been set for the hearing Of
the demand for the cancellation of the
certificate, but it is probable that
should Wells contest the action sought
by the government that many Kenosha
people will be called to testify in the
case. Cancellation of a naturalization
certificate is a very unusual action to
be taken by the government officials
and this is the first time that such an
affidavit has been filed in which a resi-
dentof KeHosha is named.
Under the claims Of the affidavit it
is shown that Wells has been known
under several names since he came to
this county from Bohemia many years
ago and in looking up the history of
his life in Chicago and Kenosha the
federal officials have brought up many
facts in connection with Wells which
have not been known in Kenosha.
Here he has been 8. leader among the
foreigners for years and his place as
a leader made it possible for him to
secure an election as a Justice Of the
peace. The government officials began
the investigation Of the Wells case
several years ago. Wells had testified
repeatedly in court here that he was
born in the United States. He had
named Paramount, Va, as the place of
his birth in several naturalization
cases. His distinctly foreign accent
at once attracted attention Of the fed
eral officials and they started an in
vestigation to learn the facts in regard
to his claim to citizenship. The first
facts along this line were brought out
from the records Of society in Keno
sha of which Wells was a member and
the records of this society showed that
he was born in Bohemia. Following
up information received here the fed
eral officials got a certificate Of the
birth of Wells, which showed that his
true name was "Hugo Lustigv and
that he was born in the village Of
Strevac in Bohemia in Austria. He
came to this country when he was
about fourteen years Of age and has
resided in several cities. The investi-
cation showed that Wells went under
the name of Hugo Welysky in Chica-
60 for a time and that under this
name he was married.
The investigation showed that citi-
zenship papers had been issued to the
man in Chicago in 1904 under the name
Of Hugo Lustig although he had not
used this name for many years prior
to the fling of the petition for final
naturalization. The proceedings were
started originally on the ground that
Lustig had been illegally naturalized.
When confronted with the facts Wells
admitted that his real name was Hugo
Lustig, but he declared that he had
been known so long as a native born
citizen that he was ashamed to admit
the deception.
just what effect the discoveries of
the federal agents may have on the
naturalization of Others is yet to be
decided. Wells has appeared as a wit
ness in a number of cases and in these
eases he has declared himself to be
native born. It is said that proseeu-
ton for perjury would not be possible
in the case as Wells had testified that
he was tcitizen and that this was
the material portion of the testimony.
Wells Is now in the real estate bust
ness in Kenosha and it is improbable
that the action Of the federal govern
ment will have any effect on his resi-
dence here.