The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-06
Clemency of the Court Is Elk
tended to Curtis.
Sentence Pronounced in th'
Bank Wrecking Case.
IMMEDIATE APPEAL
Will Be Taken by the Condemn
ed Banker.
Both Men Spent the Night in
the TOmbs.

New York. Nov. 6.-Charles w.
Morse. whose sensational rise in the
world of finance dazzled America was
sentenced today to serve 5 years in
prison for misapplication of the funds
of the National Bank of North Amer
lea. of which he was a director and
controlling owner. Alfred H. Curtis.
former president of the bank who was
Jointly indicted with Morse. and with
him found guilty by jury in the
federal court, was granted the
clemency recommended by the jury.
In his case sentence was suspended.
stay of ten days in execution of
Morse's sentence was granted upon
application of counsel, and it is ex-
pected that an appeal from both the
conviction and the sentence will be
taken Immediately pending action on
an appeal. Morse was paroled in the
custody of United States Marshal
Henkel
The scene in the court room when
the sentence was pronounced by
Judge HOugh was a most dramatic
one. The wives of the TWO prisoners
who had been constant attendants at
court during the trial were present
early today as if anxious to cheer
their husbands by their presence in
the trying ordeal that confronted
them. When the real test came, how
ever, 1t was the husbands and not the
wives who proved the comforters.
Morse sat like a stole when he
heard the words which condemned
him to prison. There was scarcely
the tremor of an eyelid and to those
who watched there was no longer
even the shadow of a doubt that the
little man" was indeed a man of iron
Curtis
which came to him-good news in his
case-with the same lack of emotion
that characterized his former chief.
But the strain had been too great for
the women. AS the truth of what
Judge Hough's words meant flashed
through her mind Mrs Morse, who
through all the trying days of the
trial had preserved an unruff1ed de-
meanor collapsed in her seat. buried
her face in her hands and began to
sob convulsively. Still weeping she
was led away to an ante-room, where
moment later her husband held her
In his arms and sought to console
her. Nor was Mrs. Curtis any more
prepared for the nervous strain than
Mrs. Morse.
Mrs. Curtis Paints.
Mrs. Curtis sat within the rail, gaz-
Ing intently at Judge Hough as he
began to speak. She had been i'll and
several times during the trial had
been forced to leave her place in the
court room. Today her face was
drawn and white. telling of night of
mingled hope. and fear. while her
husband remained away from her be-
mind the bars of a prison cell When
the judgment of the court-the most
favorable for her husband that could
De giVen-was pronounced, she
tainted and would have fallen had not
kindly hands supported her.
Morse and Curtis pacead
restful night in the Tombs, where they
occupied cell together and earlv this
morning after a breakfast of plain
prison fare they were taken to the
1ederal court by Marshal Henkel and
entered the court room long before the
crowds began to gather. They appear
ed 10 be cheerful and chatted with
their keepers and friends while the
minutes licked slowly away.
More than an hour before the hour
set for the convening of the court
crowds began to throng the corridors
OF the federal building and flock to
the court room, hoping to witness the
closing scenes in the sensational case
Mrs Morse and Mrs Curtis were
among the early arrivals. Mrs Morse,
accompanied by her stepsons. She
greeted her husbSnd affectionately
and the two boys shook hands with
their father warmly. Next came Mrs
Curtis. She threw her arms around
her husband, kissed him and then sank
into seat beside Mrs Morse and tbe
boys. From that time the crowd gath
cred quickly, until at 10:3O O'clock
there was not a vacant seat in the
court room and the corridors outside
were filed.
Court Is Opened.
The lawyers for the defense had
scarcely taken their places within the
railing before court was formally onen-
ed. Ex-Judge Olcott. who had repre-
sented Curtis in the trial made a
touching appeal for clemency on he
half of his client.
In this appeal he was given the az.
tive aid of District Attorney Stimson
who informed the court that he baiiev+
ed Justice would be served by susnend-
Ing sentence in the case of Curtis AZ
ter 1ustifying the clemency for Curtis
the court pronounced the sentence unon
Morse. upOA
In the case of Morse there ,s 10,
much to be said" said Judge tJougb
"As in all bank fraud cases tbe cyiT,i
nahty is only part of larger genera
scheme. In this case this was to ust
the bank and the depositors' moneN
for speculative purposes. If srcb
scheme were permitted to be csr iaS
out the public would be at the rnercI
OF adVenturers. l therefore sentencI
you to 10 years in the federal prIson ~
Atlanta, Ca" q
AhSlS helU bSeu a murmur of an
proval and faint attempt at applause
when sentence upon Curtis was sns-
pended by the court, but il was s,1n-
pressed by the attendants. When the
fate OF Morse was pronounced the court
room was as still as a church. and tbs
first sound to break in on the auietness
was the sobs of the prisoners wife and
the hurried shuttle of feet as she was
led away to an anteroom Morse fol
lowed her in charge of Marshal Henke
In whose custody he had been parolIef
after the court had granted a stav n
ten days in execution of the sentence
A moment later the crowd began tC
Few Of them left the building imme