The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-22
A NATICK SENATOR'S FOLLY
THE FLIG MT OF TN REV. n ID. WINS
Lows PREDECESSOR.
Ratned bv a Passion for Gaming Fortune.
Public Moneys. and Reputation Lost, and
wife and Children Reduced TO Begssrv.
nom the Boston ndnscrfpL Nay 90.


Wife and Children Reduced TO Beeasrv.
nom ne Boston Traascrfpt May 90.
The Hon." Newton Morse Of Natlck Is
missing. When last heard from he was sup
posed to be en- route for the rich neds aud thriy-
pie Of his town are mounting over the desen-
eracy Of one Of their favorite sons, whom they
bad honored with two terms 10 the House Of
the predecessor OF the Hon" aud Rev." r.
ID. wiuslow Ia the Senate, and proves to have
been his contemporary In crime, and successor
as fugitive from justice. AR. Morse's weak
point was n passion for faming. IL engrossed
and nearly ruined him IN his youth; but as he
20 work. shortly after the beeinnine OF the war
Of the rebellion he enlisted IN Massachusetts
previously studied law IN the once OF Mr.. nov
Judee) Bacon. At the close OF the war he
worked for some time at the trade OF shoemak-
ing, pursuing meanwhile his legal studies, which
being completed about three or four years ago,
be was admitted to the bar; He then began to
whom he was general iavorite, sent him to the
Legislature two successive terms, and tue third
Loiing In the State Senate. Here he remained
one term. HIS practice as LAWYER was not very
period, of Police Justice, and AZ the time Of his
departure from Natck was Trial Justice OF Ju-
venile offenders. lie was also Chairman Of tho
Board OF School Committee, and held various
One afternoon Morse found himself in Provi-
dence, II. l., with 800 In bis pocket and nothing
to engage his attention. He visited gambling
saloon, and after watching tho progress Of the
play for short time, yeloed TO the excitement
OF the game and plunged into Its vicissitudes.
He left the saloon $l23 richer than he had en-
tered 1t. and animated by the passion which had
crease his store to $1,000, and returned to the
ambling he'll In the evening, leaving Il AT mid
day OF his departure he gambled excessively
and reckiessly, stalking every dollar he could
lay hts hands on, and losing Il as iest as he put
II up. His real estate and personal property be-
came another's, and the proceeds were sunk In
the vortex OF the gaming table. He borrowed
right and left, and scruped at nothing TO OBJ
tain cash, which was no sooner obtained than II
Within a month, as q school committeeman,
Morse drew out OF the town treasury ts2l to pay
the bill OF J. L. Ross of ~ Chardon street, Boston,
for school furniture. which oil, ne returned 70
The Chairman, Col. Mutt, suspectinR that all
might not be right, at once wrote to the hrm
telegram replied that It had not been paid.
Thereupon the Selectmen sent letter to Mr..
Morse demanding restitution within forty. e. int
the money TO cover the delinquency. He col
lected sl15. It Is said, and returned to Natick,
where his friends were going to make up the de-
| nciency; but before they could do so the sum
collected In New York was lost In gambling. .
and from that time on the story Of Morse's gam,
ing propensities steadily leaked out. IL 10 said
| that In addition to 5000 which he has borrowed
| In small loans from friends In Boston, Need
| ham, birmingham, Sherborn, and Hoiliston, he
| has squsndered the money belonging 90 bis two
children, left to them by his aunt, who, IL seems,
was aware OF his vicious fascination, and left
| the money purposeiy In the coildren's name.
Mr.. Morse mortesged hts house, small one In
| to the local savings bank some time ago
| for $500. In this house his grief-strcken wife
and two children, boy and girl, are now reeid-
| ing. The children are about IA and Is years old,
| respectively. As attorney for the Newton Ma
| tlonaI Bank, Mr.. Morse collected several notes.
| the proceeds of which are said TO have gone
| wholly into the jaws OF the tiger.
Morse is said to have left town on Sunday
..sA arA ENaR nal n3r I'M md
| thence TO California 1t 10 even said that the
| man became so annoying to his victims In the
| town that they "chipped In to buy mis- ticket
TO the Pacific coast TO get nd OF min. Morse Is
| 70 years old, was prominent member OF the
orthodox church in Natick, and Grand Vice.
| Cbanoellor Of the order OF knights Of Pythias
| in this State, a position he recently resigned.