Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-11-07
FIFTEEN YEARS FOR MORSE
New York Banker Given Stiff Sen
tence for His Crime.
CURTIS SENTENCE SUSPENDED
wives of Men Break Down I'm Court
Room, but Principals Take the
Decree with stoicism- -
Night In Prison.


NEW YORK, Nov. 6.-Charles w. Morse,
whose sensational rise In the world of
finance dazzled America, was sentenced to-
day to serve fifteen years in prison for
misapplcation OF the funds of the National
Bank of North America, of which he was
a director and controlling owner. Alfred
Fl. Curtis. former president of the bank,
who had been Jointly indicted with Morse
and with him found guilty by fury 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 1t is expected that an appeal from both
the conviction and the sentence will be
taken Immediately.
The scene in the court room when SEN
tence was pronounced by Judge Hough
was most dramatic one. The wives of
the two prisoners, who had been constant
attendants at court during the entire trial,
were present early today as II anxious to
cheer their husbands by their presence in
the trying ordeal which confronted them
When the real test came, however, it was
the husbands and not the wives who proved
the comforters. Morse sat like a stole
when he heard the words which con-
demhed 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 nerve.
Curtis Not Moved.
Curtis. too, accepted the news which
came to him-good news in his case-with
the same lack of emotion that character
lied his former chief.
But the strain had been too great for
the women. AS the truth of what Judge
Houghs words meant flashed through her
mind Mrs Morse, who through all the
trying days of the trial had preserved an
unruffled demeanor, collapsed in her seat,
buried her face in her hands and began
| to sob convulsively. Still weeping, she
was led away to an anteroom. where a
| 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 sat within the rail. gazing in
tently at Judge Hough as he began to
speak. She had been Ill 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 a
night of mingled hope and fear wnile her
husband remained away from her behind
the bars OF a prison cell. When the
Judgment OF the court-the most favorable
for her husband that could be given-was
pronounced she tainted and would have
fallen had not kindly hands supported
her.
Night in Prison.
Charles w. Morse, one time ice king, {"
steamship king, and the controlling force
in long string of banks in this city, whose
personal fortune, a little more than a year
ago was estimated at more than S22 200, 900,
and Alfred H. Curtis, former president
OF the National bank Of North America,
srent last night in a cell in the Tombs
prison. They were convicted yesterday
In the United States court for violations
OF the national banking laws in con-
nection with their conduct of the
National bank OF North America OF
which Morse also was officer. Today
when they arose simultaneously with hun
dreds of others in the grim city prison
they faced the possibility OF many years
behind iron grated doors. Sentence had
been deferred until today when the jury
returned its verdict last night, but 1t was
only few hours away when they tumbled
out of the rude bnuks in the narrow eel
this morning at a call of command from the
guard who had patrolled their corridor or
, Federal Tier"
Two Men on Federal Tier.
Both Morse and Curtis passed a fairly
( restful night according to the prison guards
They occupied cell 726 which contains tive
: hunks, one above the other. The cell is 81,
) feet wide and eight feet long Morse oc
cupied the lower berth. 1t was early
evening when the two men settled down To-
their first night behind bars, and the,
! soon tired of the attempt to while away
time sitting in the narrow quarters. Boil
sought their berths early, but 1t was afte
, midnight when the heavy breathing from
. the cell told the guard who paced the cor
I. ridor that both were sleeping. From tina
. time until morning no other sound cam
from the cell.
with the first call this morning both mel
awoke and a few minutes later were pacini
up and down the corridor outside their cell
= When the regular prison breakfast o
coffee and rolls was served Morse an
Curtis accepted their share like every othe
prisoner in the Tombs. They asked n
: special privilege Much of Che time up I
i the hour get for them to appear in tn
y United States court for sentence was spen
d in reading the newspaper account Of tn
o closing scenes in their trial yesterday.
u Morse was taken to the Tombs prise
! at / O'Clock this afternoon. At that tim
i Il was announced that no application 70
his release on bail would be made today
q q WESTERN MATTERS AT CAPlTAl