The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-30
CHARLES W, MORSE
 IS PUT ON STAND Ice King TeStifieS to Dealings
 By His Company
BIG LOANS TO A CLERK
Morse Tells How Natural Ice Was Dealt In and Then Artificial Ice Sold-Said an Evening Paper
 Called Company a Trust.

Called Company rust.
 New York, October 29.-Charles w. Morse, who with Alfred H. Curtis, for mer president of the National Bank of North America is on trial in the criminal branch of the United States circuit court on charge of conspiracy and violation of the national banking laws. took the stand in his own defense today.
 All during the tedious days of the trial MT. Morse has sat inside the railing ner- vously awaiting the moment when it would become necessary for him to take the witness chair and undergo the ordeal of cross-examination that he knew was in store for him. When his name was called late today he sprang from his chair as though greatly startled, looked in- quiringly at his counsel, and when the latter nodded his head affirmatively the financier hurried to the witness stand be- side Judge Houghs bench and moved about restlessly in his seat while the lawyers were framing questions to ask him.
 In a voice so low as to be inaudible to the jury, MT Morse gave his birthplace as Bath Me. said he had graduated from Bowdoin college, and that on coming to New York he engaged in the shipping and later the ice business After these pre- liminary interrogations the lawyers for the government volleyed questions at MT. Morse so rapidly that the financier's voice failed him when he endeavored to answer them.
 Morse Is Chilled.
 MT. Morse was kept on the stand until an adjournment had been taken. He re- lated how he came to have an interest in the National Bank of North America. saying that he secured an interest in the consolidation in 1902. The accused bank CT said that he had had no experience in the routine of banking.
 MT. Morse said he was not a salaried of- ficer of the bank and knew nothing of the legal exactions covering national bank ing.
 The financier then told of forming the acquaintance of MT. Curtis and MT. Wire. T had confidence in them and used my influence to have them made president and cashier of the bank" said MT. Morse. MT Morse testified that he knew noth- ing of the banks method of bookkeeping. and admitted that he saw the banks loan sheets only few times each year.
 My secretary. Kate A. Wilson, and my former secretary. Arthur Braun. attended to my personal and private business af- fairs" said the witness. Miss Wilson kept my bank account straight"
 Mir Morse's counsel then asked num- Der of questions regarding the connection of MT Morse with the American Ice com pany.
 Change In Ice Company.
 Mir Morse said that he had been con nected with that company since it's forma- ton fin 1898 or 1899" The company was then paying dividends, he testified. and dealt principally in natural ice. A diff ference in the demand came in 1902, he said, and artificial ice was all the mar lxet wanted. That effected a change 1T the business of the company
 As this line of questioning was contin ued it finally led up to the point of tht loan made to John F. Carroll by the National Bank of North America, amount ing to s135Ooo at one time.
 In explaining the Carroll loans. he said they were secured by 10000 shares of ice stock MT. Morse told of a plan tc buy half of the Carroll stock at s30 g share and give to the bank the profits of the deal Then he purchased 40O shares of ice stock, he said, at $40 z share for Mrs. Gelshenen.
 ssxx-7a+ haca mo nf tha Oro6t of BIO 2 share?" asked MT. Morse's lawyer
 q gave it to the bank" answered thu financier.
 The loans made to Leslie Whiting, thu 19-year-old clerk in a brokers office. wer' then taken up, and MT Morse said tha the first loan of $SO0O0 to the youti was made at his CMr. Morse's) reques and was an accommodation borrow" MT. Morse told of how the loan mad' to Whiting had been used to take ur 2O00 shares of Carrolls ice stock. Th' second loan to Whiting of $69000 was SC cured by 2000 shares of ice stock, be ing one-half of the Carroll stock, he MT. Morse, had purchased.
 Called a Trust.
 While Col. R. M. Thompson, forme director of the National Bank of Nortl America, was on the stand Attorney Gen eral Stomson asked him if lthe holding company for the ice company had no been characterized a trust.
 An evening newspaper has so charac terized," answered MT Thompson
 "Did not the attorney general of tn state so characterize it?' asked MT. Stim son.
 Not until the attorney general wa cau5ht short in the stock market and wa stung" was the response.
 Later in discussing the Morse loans Colonel Thompson was asked if he hal been aware of the fact that MT Mors had several times overdrawn his ac count.
 4ssThere is not a broker in Wall stree who does not overdraw his bank accoun daily" answered Colonel Thompson, am he added: "They have no way of know ing what they are going to want durin the day"
 After court had adjourned Colone Thompson sought out the newspaper mei and said that his testimony regardin the attorney general had been misunder stood, and that his answer to the ques tion "did not say the attorney genera of the state had so characterized 1t should have entered on the court record as follows: Not until some politician who were acquaintances of the attorne general were caught short in the marke and stung."
 Colonel Thompson said that he had n knowledge that the attorney general ha ever speculated in the stock market.
 
 Part of Primary Law Illegal
 Bismarck, N. D., October 29.-The su ,ra,,,e court today decided as unconsti