OCR Text |
Show WALKS fflR TO EASE CONSCIENCE Former Norwegian Goes From California to New YorK to Confess That He Perjured Himself. NEW YORK, March 8. A tall, emaciated emaci-ated man walked Into the office of United Unit-ed States Comralssionar Shields yesterday yester-day and explained that he had come all the way from West Berkeley, Cal.. to clear his conscience before his death, which he knew must not be far off. It soon appeared that he swore falsely six years ago to obtain citizenship papers. He said his name was John Nelson, and he was a Norwegian by birth. Jn 1881 he went before the Commissioner Commis-sioner and, on the advice of a. friend, swore that he came to this country when less than 18 years old. which was untrue, so as to be able to obtain full papers at once. The papers were granted him, but he had not voted upon them in a long ttime. Doctors lately told him he had not long to live, and he resolved to confens to Commissioner Shields rather than die a perjured man. Commissioner Shields' clerks verified Nelson's statements by the records and the Commissioner accepted the return of the man's papers. ' ' Nelson then said that he was ready to be arrested on a charge of .perjury, but Commissioner Shields explained that the statate of limitations made him free. Nelson expressed to the Commissioner his profound relief that he had cleared his conscience. |