Mr. Adee to Mr. Powell.

No. 640.]

Sir: Referring to your No. 1520, of August 31 last, I inclose for your information and guidance copy of a letter from the Acting Attorney-General reporting concerning the fraudulent naturalization of Antoine Kalil Hage.

I am, etc.,

Alvey A. Adee,
Acting Secretary.
[Inclosure.]

Mr. Purely to Mr. Hay.

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.
[Page 404]
[Subinclosure.]

Mr. Parker to the Attorney-General.

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.