East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-11-06

New York, Nov. &C. W. Morse
until a few months ago, ice kin ganc
Tsominent in the financial world
was this morning sentenced to II
years. The sentence in the case o
Alfred Curtis, former president vol
the bank of North America, was sus
! pended. The men had misappro.
priated the funds of the bank, and
fals.fied the records.
Morse and Curtis arose in the
Tombs prison at o'clock this morn
ing, ate a hearty breakfast and ap.
| peared i'm court at S. Mrs. Morse
greeted her husband calmly, neither
showing emotion. The greeting OF
Curtis and his wife was different, as
she is complete nervous wreck.
Within five minutes of the time
tie jury had rendered its verdict last
evening, Judge Hough had refused
to entertain a motion for bail and
committed the two bankers to the
Tombs prison. The judge said that
he would hear any motions the law
years for the prisoners desired to
make at 1890 this morning.
Minimum Penalty of Five Years.
The federal statutes provide a min
imum penalty of five years imprison-
ment for falsifying the books of
a ha Of ,.e
Imprisonment for misapplications of
funds. No alternative but imprison-
ment is provided for conviction on
the charge of falsifying the books Of
bank. The maximum penalty on
this charge is 10 years Imprisonment
The jury recommended clemency for
Mr.. Curtis but made no recommen-
daton in the case of Mr. Morse.
The scene in the court room was
dramatic. Mrs. Morse and Mrs. Cur
It's had remained in the courtroom
nearly all day awaiting the verdict.
Mrs. Curtis showed signs of giving
away to her emotions a number of
times and once, when the jury re-
turned to the courtroom to receive
on the manner in which
the conspiracy charge should be con-
Mrs. Morse broke down and
sobbed.
\ large crowd had hurried into the
courtroom to hear the verdict. Mr..
Morse and Mr.. Curtis stood before
the jury while Foreman John Elder
was reading the verdict, and their
wives sat near them. leaning forward
in tense attitude to catch every word. !
Jury Agreed on Verdict.
1--WE have agreed upon verdict in |
he case of both defendants" said I
he foreman in a subdued voice. "On
he charge of conspiracy we find them !
lot guilty"
\ look of relief came to the faces
If the prisoners and their wives, but
t lasted only a moment. for Mr.. Ed
n continued
"On the charge of the msapplica-
ion of the funds of the bank we find
10Th defendants guilty. on the
harge of making false entries in the
'ooks of the bank we find both de-
endants guilty. In the case of AL
red II. Curtis the jury wishes to
make a strong recommendation to
he mercy of the court"
\ sitting sob of relief escaped Mrs.
'urtis as she heard the recommended
ion for mercy for her husband. Mr..
'urtis took the verdict like stole.
ut Morse was unable to conceal his
isappo.ntment, while his wife show
d no signs of e::i3tion. She kept her
yes on her husband, forgetting her
Elf
MOmcntary Hush.
There was a momentary hush i'm the
ourtroom. This was broken by
u2z of excited conversation and I
w minutes later the lawyers for the ,
efendants were making the custo-
lary motions for a new trial. for bail
nd for permission to take an appeal j
) the circuit court of appeals I
Judge Hough said that he would ia
ear the motions this morning when {
le prisoners were arraigued before {
i'm to be sentenced. He then dis u
issed the jury. Mr.. Morse and Mr. il
urtis were accompanied as far as ,
ie Tomhs prison by their wives. a
There has been wide interest i'm the l
int trial II was brought out in the "
stimony that Morse had made large a
ans from the bank through so-called p
1mmies and that President Curtis
nd enabled him to do so. The mon /