Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-11-06
MORSE ANDCURT|S
ARE CONVICTED.
Bankers Guilty of Misapplicatlon
OF Funds and FaIsifying
Books of the Bank.
THEY WERE REFUSED BAIL.
Scene In Courtroom Was Dramatic--
Wives We're Prcscni--Alinimum
Penalty is Five Years.

New York, NOV. 5.-charles w. Morse,
in tho world OF finance, and Alfred
Curtis, former president of the Ma
tional Bank Of North America. were
found guilty today in the criminal
branch OF the circuit court on charges
OF Inisapplicatlon OF funds and falsify-
ing the books OF the bank. trhere was
also the additional charge OF conspiracy
against the prisoners but the jury ac.
Quilted the men on this count,
Within five minutes Of the time the.
jury had rendered its verdict, Judge
llouGli had refused to entertain a mo-
lion for ball, and had committed the
two hDnkers to the ronsbs prison. Tho
judge said that he would hear any mo-.
tons the lawyers for the prisoners de-,
size TO nuke at 10.30 O'Clock tomorrow
morning.
\ The FEDERAL statutes provide mini
mum penalty of five years imprison-
nent folg&falsifying the books Of a
bank and ~ penalty of two years i,1l-
prisonnent for pplication Of funds.
No alternative but imprisonment Is
provided for conviction on the charge
Of fasifying the books of n bank. The
maximum a penalty on this charge is
10 years Imprisonment. The jury re-
commanded clemcncS for Mr.. Curtis
but made no recommendation in the
case of Mi. Morse. The scene in the
courtroom was dramatic. Mrs. Morse
and Mrs. Curtis had rcmaincd In the
a courtroom nearly all day. awaiting the
verdict Mrs. Curtis showed signs OF
giving way TO her emotion number
&of times and once when the jury re-
/ turned to the courtroom to receive
instructions on the manner in which the
nj no ..,n SiI
Mrs. Morse broke down and sobbed.
a large crowd had hurried into the,
cuftroom to hear the verdict. Mr..
Motse and Mr.. Curtis stood before fhe
july wllilp Foreman John Elder Was
reading the verdict, and their wives sat
hear them, leaning forward iii tense
attitude to catch every word
We hAye agreed upon II verdict In
the casa OF both defendants," said the
foreman III snbdued voice. "on the
charge of conspiracy we find them not
guilty"
4tle prisoners and their wives. but it
lasted only Il moment, for Alr. Elder
continued:
on the charge of the misappica-
{tlon OF the, funds sot the bank we ind
both defendants guilty. Onathc charge
OF making false entries In the books of
the bank We find bolh defendants
-5f'
the Jury wishes to make u strong
recommendation to the mercy of the
court
a sitting sob ofirelIef escaped Mrs.
Curtis as she heard the recommended
tion for mercy for her husband. Mr..
Curtis took4tlle verdict like a stole. but
Morse was unable to conceal his disap-
poiiitment, while his wife showed no
xs'sEns{of emotion. she kept her eyes GI
hri' husband. forgetting herself.
There was a momenIary hush in the
&Gonrtroon, This was broken by a buzz
scf excited conversation and IL few min
utes later tile lawyers for the defend
ants We're making the customary mo-
lions for d new trial, for bail and for
\ permission to take an appeal to the
circuit court of appeals.
Judge Hougl said that he would hear
the motions Tomorrow morning. whom
the prisoners are ai'raigned before him
10 be sentenced. He then dismissed ha
Jury. MI. Morse andEA Curtis We're
accompanied by their wives as Tar as
the Toinbs prison,
There has heen a wide interi II, thc
Joint trial II was brought out in the
testimony that Morse made large loans
from the bank through so-culled dunn
mics. and tllnt President Curtis had
ennhleei hun to do so.
The money thus obtained was used Ia
4 finance the Morse Ice pools md steam.
ship operations.