The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-11-06

mer president Of the National bank OF
North America, was yesterday found
guilty Of misappropriation of funds,
and was today sentenced TO Is years
imprisonment at Atlanta. Ca Curtis
sentence was suspended.
New York, Nov. 6.-Charles w.
Morse and Alfred H. Curtis were found
guilty yesterday in the Criminal
Branch of the United States Circuit
court on charges of misapplication Of
funds and knowingly permitting false
entries to be made in the books of
the National Bank of North America.
They were acquitted on the charge
Of conspiracy. The jury added
strong recommendation to mercy In
the case of Curtis. The jury did not
reach its decision until after twenty
! seven hours of elaboration.
Judge Hough refused to sentence
the defendants last night or to grant
bail They were taken to the Tombs
Prison and locked DIP there in one
! cell on the seventh floor with the other
Federal prisoners.
The end of the three weeks trial,
when it did come, was quite unexpect-
ed. The jury, which retired on We'd
nesday afternoon had been in twice
during the day. once TO ask the court
to explain once more the law relating
to conspiracy, and later to have the
evidence relating to the Knickerbock-
er Trust company loan read over.
The dinner hour was drawing near
the crowd had mainly dispersed, and
the lawyers were fretfully asking
whether any indication would be given
them Of the intentions of the court
about sitting in the evening in case a
verdict was reached. Then suddenly
word was spread by Judge Hough's
marshal that the jury was all ready
and would report the verdict immedi-
ately.
Mrs. Curtis had broken down COM
pleJslv in the morning, worn out with
anxiety. and was not present when the
Jury brought in the verdict Mrs.
Morse end friend were sitting one
corner OF the court with her son lrFy
Mr. Curtis sister, Mrs. Carroll and
friend were the only other women pres
ent. Before the jury filed in Mr..
Morse went and sat beside his wife
and tried TO talk as gayly as ever Mr.
! Curtis sat nervously at the table alone.
AS the afternoon had worn on and
there had been no sign of a verdict he
! had plucked up his spirits and had
| moved about more cheerfully than
since the trial had begun.
a long wait ensued before the II
men hled into their box. Mr. Morse
moved over to Mr.. Curtis and then
| the Judge took his seat. The. clerk
called on the foreman, John +. Elder
and asked:
Are YOU agreed on your verdict"
We are"
How do YOU find these defendants
guilty or not guilty?"
I'VE find that on the charges Of con.
spiracy both Sharles W. Morse and Al
fred II Curtis are not guilty. On the
charge OF misappllcation of funds We
find both the defendants guilty. On
the charge Of false entries we find
them also both guilty
The foremans voice shook as he
went on;
I'VE also wish 20 add that We rec
ommend strongly to the mercy OF the
court the defendant Curtis"
Neither defendant moved as he
heard his fate announced. Mrs.
Morse bore the sentence without
percepuble culver but her friend
reached out hand and laid Il on her
arm Harry Morse was not IN the
court room. Just before the Jury came
( In Mr.. Morse, guessing what would be
his fate. had told him to 60 and walt
! In the corridor
While this had been going on, two
OF the deputy marshals had quietly
moved up and taken their seats by the
prisoners. They had passed out Of
/ the custody OF their counsel INTO that
! Of the United States Circuit court