Mouratis

The appellant, an alien of the Greek race, was ordered deported upon a finding (1) that he was connected with a house of prostitution, and (2) that he gave assistance to a prostitute. From a judgment of the court below, denying his petition for a writ of habeas corpus, he prosecutes this appeal.

In respect to the vital issues it is virtually conceded by the government that the order of deportation rests upon an ex parte affidavit of the alleged prostitute, and the probative value of this affidavit is the controlling question for consideration.

The alien came to the United States in 1963, and for the' last 15 years at least has resided in the town of Vallejo, California; he is 49 years of age, has never .been married, and has worked in different capacities — in a store, on boats, as a fisherman, and as a laborer. On February 7,1927, he was living, and for some time prior thereto had lived, at 111 Virginia street, which was a small rooming house, of nine or ten rooms, upon which he had a lease. This is the house referred to in the order of deportation as a house of prostitution. Ostensibly, at least, he ran it as a rooming house for men, and at the date mentioned had three or four…