Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-06
MORSE IS YEARS
Whes Seniesee Was Pronounced as Remained Upnsgvei--
 Vile Went ByslsrIcsl.
CURTIS GOES FREE.

Morse, whose sensational rise in the world of finance dazzled America, was sentenced to-day to serve fifteen years in prison for misappropriation of the funds of the National Bank of North America, of which he was a director and controlling owner. AL fred H. Curtis, former president of the bank, who had been jointly in- dicted with Morse and with him found guilty by jury in the federal court yesterday, was granted the clemency recommended by the jury. In his case sentence was suspended. A 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.
 The scene in the court room when sentence was pronounced by Judge Hough was a most dramatic one.
 The wives of the two prisoners, who had been constant attendants a, court during the entire trial, were present early to-day, as if anxious to cheer their husbands by their pres- ence in their trying ordeal. When the real test came, however, 1t was the husbands and not the wives who proved the comforters.
 Morse sat like a stoic when he heard the words which condemned him to prison. There was scarcely the tremor of an eyelash and to those who watched there was no longer even the shadow of doubt that the little man" was indeed a man of iron nerve. Curtis, too, accepted the news which came to him-good news in his case-with the same lack of emotion that characterized his for mer chief. But the strain had been too great for the women. AS the truth of what Judge Hough's words meant flashed through their minds Mrs Morse, who through all the try ing days of the trial had preserved an unrufi1ed demeanor, collapsed in her seat, buried her face in hel hands and began to sob conyulsiyeiy Still weeping she was led away ro an ante-room where a moment later her husband held her in his arms and sought to console her. Nor wa. Mrs Curtis any more prepared fol the nervous strain than Mrs Morse Mrs Curtis, within the rail, gazeG | af Tttd don ur,y, ,erh hn hanr ' to speak. She had been i'll and sev eral times during the trial had beer forced to leave her place in the court room. To-day her face was drawr and white, telling of night of min gled hope and fear while her bus band remained away from her be- hind the bars of prison cell, Whyr the judgment of the court, the mos favorable for her husband that could be given, was pronounced, she faint ed and would have fallen had no kindly hands supported her
 Morse and Curtis passed a fairly restful night in the Tombs, where they occupied a cell together. aut early this morning after fruga breakfast of plain prison fare the, were taken to the federal building by Marshal Henkel and to the, courV room long before the crowds begar to gather. They appeared to be cheerful and chatted with their keep CTS and friends while the minutes ticked slowly away. More than ar hour before the hour set for the converting of court crowds began tt throng the corridors of the fedora building and flock to the court room hoping to witness the closing scenes in what had been sensational case Mrs Morse and Mrs Curtis were among the early arrivals. Mrs Morse came first accompanied by her tive step-sons. She greeted her husband affectionately and the two boys shook their fathers hand warmly Next came Mrs Curtis. She threw her arms around her husband and kissed him and then sank into seal beside Mrs Morse and the boys. From that time the crowd gathered quickly until at 10:30 o'clock there was nc vacant seat in the court room ana the corridors outside were filled The lawyers for the defense hpt scarcely taken their places within the railing before court was formal, opened. Former Judge Olcott. who had represented Curtis in the trial made a touching appeal for clemeLc, on behalf of his client.
 Morse was taken in tha ion, h, prison at one o'clock this afternoon At that time it was announced tha no application for his release on bal