Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-17
BOY DUMMY IN MORSE CASE
Youthful Clerk Signs Notes for Large
Sums.
GO TO PROMOTER
Money Realized on Loans which Were
Generally Based on Ice stock
Traced to Account of
Defendant.

NEW YORK, Oct. IA tow headed
youth Of nineteen, until recently a S2 clerk
in a brokers' office. was the star witness
today at the trial. In the criminal branch
Of the United States court, Of Charles w.
Morse. financial man and promoter. who.
with Alfred II. Curtis, former president
of the National Bank of North America,
Is charged with having violated the Ma
tional banking law. In the testimony Of
Edward Moxey, government bank exam
liner, It was revealed that a person by the
name of Leslie F. Whiting had been one Of
the heaviest borrowers from the National
Bank of North America, at one time owing
$4,000. There was hardly a week went
by in the year of 1907. the testimony
showed, that whiting did not borrow 800,
80 or more, giving ice stock principally,
as security. II also appeared In the rec
ords however, as enormous sums borrowed
by Whiting were credited to the account
of Charles w. Morse. At the conclusion OF
Examiner Moxey's testimony Leslie Whit
ing was called to the stand and those in
the court room who had expected to see
n dignifled, shrewd looking business man
step forward, were astonished to see a
smooth-cheek boy OF under twenty years
walk ~nervously to the witness stand. A
smile swept the room and Judge Hough
raped sharply for order.
Boy Dummy on Stand.
After Whiting had been made to describe
how he had come to sign the notes which
made him indebted to the bank for such
large sums he was asked:
Gould you have paid this note I hold
here for SCOOP"
What. me?" answered the startled boy.
Mono, / couldn't"
Gould you have paid a $1,000 note?'
pressed the attorney for the prosecution.
mo, sir,' responded the boy, a trifle
more assured.
For half an hour longer the youth was
kept on the stand while a bunch of letters
bearing the signature Leslie F. Whiting
and directed to the National Bank of North
America were read. These letters. couched
in business-like terms, gave orders to the
bank for transferring collateral. charges
and renewals of notes, A sentence in one
letter read:
Enclosed please find my check for $780,
900, which apply to my account"
The witness explained In answer to ques-
lions that he had been sent to the bank by
his employers to sign the notes. He said
he knew he was mourning an obligation,
but felt sure his employers would protect
the notes. Whiting testified that he had
never talked with Mr.. Morse or Mr.. Curtis
concerning the signing of notes or the put
ting up of collateral. The boy also said
that he did not think his employer knew
that he was not of age.
Clerks Memory Poor.
Dawson Brown, another brokers' clerk,
was also a witness to tell Of having signed
notes for loans for more than 800, 900,
Brown had a bad memory and his testi-
mony was of little value.
The afternoon session was almost entirely
devoted to tracing the loans made in the
name of Whiting. Bank Examiner Moxey
started with loans made in June of last
year and showed how the loans were re-
p~eatedly renewed. 1t was brought out that
at one time the bank made a profit OF
llS2,OO on the loans. but the profit, was on
paper only, Mr.. Moxey said. This" testi-
nony led up to the testimony of Young
Whiting. After Whiting had testified the
,ase was adjourned for the day. The triaI
will be resumed tomorrow, a most unusua-
proceeding. for not in twenty-five years
Il is said, has a federal tribunal here hello
a session on Saturday.
The jury was kept under guard tonight.