Speech #500010051

Now.Williami Pratt was another man the contesteesaid was there. but he seems from his general examination to remember very little about it also. He was asked this question. which he answers quite promptly: Who was acting as clerk of the court of common pleas at the time of which you speak? That was the time when contestee claims he was naturalized. and of which witness is speaking. He replied: It was either Bill Nelson. or Sharp Wisner. I dont know which it was. This. in connection with Flemings testimony. discloses the lact that Bill Nelson was a deputy under his father. and that while he was deputy this naturalization took place. His fathers term of office harPexpired in 1862. and Pratt locates Nelson in the office at the time of this alleged naturalization. another circumstance going to show. to my mind at least. that the time of what was called the naturalization was in point of fact the time he filed his declaration of intention in 1858. Now I invite attention to this significant fact in the contestees testimony. to be found on page 229. The contestee had testified that he took out his first papers at the clerks office. and that Mr.