[Inclosure.]
Mr. Purely to
Mr. Hay.
Department of Justice,
Washington, September 22,
1904.
Sir: Replying further to your letter of the
13th instant, inclosing a copy of a dispatch from the legation at
Port au Prince, Haiti, together with a fraudulent certificate of
naturalization taken from one Antoine Kalil Hage, I have the honor
to inclose herewith for your information a copy of a letter, under
date of the 19th instant, from the United States attorney for the
district of Connecticut, reporting the result of his investigation
concerning the issuance of the certificate above referred to,
purporting to have been issued by the United States circuit court
for that district.
It appears that the certificate taken from Hage is a forged
instrument, and that the seal on this certificate is not and never
was the seal of the United States circuit court for the district of
Connecticut. It is probable that the forged certificate was made in
New York City, where the holder claimed it was purchased by him.
I suggest that the legation at Port au Prince be requested, when any
of these certificates are presented, to ascertain the name and
address of the person who sells these certificates in New York, in
order that the proper steps may be taken with a view of prosecuting
the persons guilty of violations of the naturalization laws.
The certificate transmitted with your letter is herewith
returned.
Respectfully,
M. D. Purdy,
Acting
Attorney-General.
[Subinclosure.]
Mr. Parker to
the Attorney-General.
Hartford, Conn., September 19, 1904.
Sir: Your letter of September 15, marked
with the initials “M. D. P.” and file No. 40605, inclosing copy of a
dispatch to the Secretary of State from the legation at Port au
Prince, Haiti, together with the fraudulent certificate of
naturaliziation taken from one Antoine Kalil Hage, is at hand, and,
pursuant to your instructions, I have made such investigation as
seems necessary in this instance.
The certificate is a forged instrument, the signature purporting to
be the signature of Mr. Marvin, clerk of the circuit court, is a
Gorged one, and the seal is not and never was the seal of the
circuit court of the United States for the district of Connecticut.
The blank certificate is, in my judgment, filled out in one
handwriting, and the same person who signed Mr. Marvin’s name as
clerk wrote the body of the instrument.
On the 6th day of April, 1904, the only business transacted in the
circuit court of the United States for this district was the
admission of an attorney to practice, and no person was naturalized
on that day, nor has any person of the name of Antoine Kalil Hage
ever been naturalized in that court. The man Abdul Hoss, who
purports to have made the affidavit, is undoubtedly a myth, and no
such person has ever lived in Hartford, so far as I can ascertain,
and the name of no such person has ever appeared upon our city
directory. The affidavit states that he resides at No. 243 Pearl
street, Hartford. There is no building on Pearl street known as No.
243. The place where such a building would be, if any existed, is an
alleyway between two buildings. The affidavit of the witness
purports to show that the applicant resided at No. 28 Main street in
Hartford. There is not now, and there never has been a building
known as No. 28 Main street. The place where such a building would
stand with that number is a part of a small public park, and has
always been so.
I send you herewith a blank certificate of naturalization, obtained
from Clerk Marvin, on which I have caused to be imprinted the seal
of the circuit court. The blank on which this forged certificate was
made out is one of the lot printed for Clerk Marvin by Clark &
Smith, printers of this city. Mr. Clark, the senior partner, after a
careful examination, says that it is undoubtedly one of the lot
which he printed for Mr. Marvin. How such a blank came into the
possession of the persons who forged this certificate can not be
ascertained. Mr. Clark, the printer, states that he printed only one
lot and that the entire lot was delivered to Mr. Marvin, the clerk,
and that if any of the blanks were abstracted while in his
possession he is absolutely unable to account for the loss, and to
the best of his knowledge and belief he delivered every perfect copy
to Mr. Marvin. Mr. Marvin keeps these blanks in a closed case in his
office, and he informs me that the only way in which any person
could obtain a copy would be by a casual carrying off from his desk
or table when the blanks were taken out for use. The handwriting in
the certificate is not that of any person ever employed in Mr.
Marvin’s office, and it would seem probable that the forged
certificate was made in New York, where the man Hage purchased
it.
I return herewith the forged certificate and will call Judge Piatt’s
attention to the matter at the session of the district court
to-morrow. It does not seem to me that anything can be done toward
ascertaining the person who forged this certificate by further
investigation here in Connecticut.
I respectfully report the result of my inquiries and await further
instructions, if you deem it advisable to make any further
investigations in this matter.
Very respectfully,
Francis H. Parker,
United States Attorney.