The Price of Citizenship: John Adam Schmidt Convicted
A federal judge sentences a man to prison for orchestrating a fraudulent naturalization scheme for Russian immigrants.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
John Adam Schmidt was sentenced to six years in the United States penitentiary at McNeil's Island for perjury related to his attempts at naturalizing Russian aliens in Walla Walla last June. During the proceedings, Schmidt asked for leniency for the sake of his family, claiming he had been 'imposed upon.' Judge Hanford, however, stated he believed Schmidt was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, noting that Schmidt had used the process to build his own political power base. His defense attorney, Francis A. Garrecht, had argued for a new trial, but the motion was denied.
“I ask you to take in consideration my family and be as lenient as you can in sentencing me.”
This case highlights the intense political stakes surrounding immigration and naturalization in the early 20th century, a time when 'building power' through immigrant voter blocks was a frequent target of federal investigation.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.