A Passport and a Perjury Charge: Naturalization Fraud in Walla Walla
Adam Schmidt was bound over to a federal grand jury after a Russian immigrant testified that Schmidt told him to swear falsely about five years' residence.
After hearing the testimony of two witnesses in the preliminary hearing of Adam Schmidt, arrested yesterday on a charge of subornation of perjury, Court Commissioner Strong this morning deemed the evidence sufficient to warrant him in binding the defendant over to appear before the United States grand jury at Seattle the first Tuesday in December.
Schmidt appeared in court with Attorney Garrecht as counsel and expressed a willingness to waive his examination, but Captain Bell as prosecutor wished to submit the testimony of two witnesses and the trial was ordered to proceed. Henry Hamburg, one of the Russians naturalized, who it is alleged was induced to swear falsely as to the length of his residence in the United States, was the first witness.
His testimony was to the effect that he had left Russia some time in December of 1898. His passport was exhibited, showing that it had been issued November 12, 1898. Hamburg, in company with Henry Gottwig, sailed from Bremen, Germany, the next month, arriving in the United States some time in January, 1899. According to these dates Hamburg legally could not swear his allegiance and receive his final papers until next January. When asked as to his relations with the defendant he said that Schmidt had told him it would be all right to swear that he had been a resident of the United States five years at the time he received his final papers. Gottwig, who accompanied Hamburg to this country, corroborated the testimony as to the time of sailing from Bremen.
Immediately following the testimony Commissioner Strong bound Schmidt over to appear before the United States grand jury under bonds of $2500. Temporary surety was furnished by George Barber and Asa Le Grow. It is understood that a surety bond will be filed within a day or two.
“Schmidt had told him it would be all right to swear that he had been a resident of the United States five years at the time he received his final papers.”
Naturalization fraud cases were common as immigrants sought citizenship and the vote, and federal prosecutors used perjury charges to police the process. The case against Adam Schmidt turned on dates in a Russian passport and a promise that false testimony would be 'all right.' It rhymes with modern disputes over citizenship requirements and documentary proof.
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