The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-17
Financier Surprised When De- tectives Appear on Ship board to Take Him
 Into Custody.
BANKER ISSUES STATEMENT
Asks Public to Suspend Judgment Un- til He Has Opportunity of Fac ing His Accusers in
 Court.

New York, Feb. le-Charles w. Morse, flnancier and promoter of many large combinations, including sae so-caled flee trust" and mer- ger of nearly all of the coastwise steamship lines, returned to-day from his brief trip to Europe, was arrested in his stateroom when the steamer Etruria reached quarantine in the lower bay, held in custody until the ship was doeked and was then whirl- ed away in an automobile to the home of Justice Victor Bowling of the su- preme court, where he gave bond in the sum of s20.000 to answer to two indictments charging him with grand larceny and involving the sum of S100,000. MT. Morse was released and went immediately to his Fifth avenue home, where he issued statement to- night asserting his innocence and ask ing the public to suspend judgment until he has had the opportunity of facing his accusers in court. To-mor- row MT. Morse will appear before Jus tice Bowling in open court and plead not guilty to the indictments. He de- nied that his trip to Europe was a flight" He said that he went abroad to sell stock in a large interest and to get a fortnight's rest Both purposes were spoiled by the publication of re ports that he was fugitive from jus tlce, he declared
 MT. Morse had received word by wireless telegraph that two indict- ments had been found against him, but did not know he was to undergo arrest. The appearance of three de- tectives from District Attorney Je- rome's office at his stateroom door took him completely by surprise. The officers, armed with a warrant. had gone down the bay on revenue cut ter. They were accompanied by AL bert B. Boardman and Philip ]. Britt, attorneys, and by Benjamin W. Morse, son of the financier. Mrs Morse met her husband at the pier and it was in her automobile that the jour ney with one of the detectives was made to Justice Dowling's house in West Eighty street, just off Central park
 Justice Bowling held an informal court session in his library, Assistant District Attorney Kresel representing the prosecution. The bonds, which were signed by surety company. had been prepared yesterday. Mir. Morse was ordered to sign two obligations of s10.0o0 each, and along with the rep resentatives of the bonding company was put under oath to appear at any time his presence may be required MT. Britt explained that he had re- quested MT. Jerome to allow the at torneys to produce Mir. Morse in court tomorrow, as was done in the case: of other we'll known men under in dictments. but he had been told tha' the public interest demanded that tht ex-banker be placed under arrest a' soen as the ship reached New Yorl waters.
 During the last two days of the re turn trip Mir. Morse said he was del uged with wireless messages. but wa unable to answer any of them H, ! was much amused by one from l; newspaper which read:
 Tt is reported you left the Etruri; at Queenstown Is this true2"
 MT Morse also laughed heartil' when one of the newspaper men tolC
 him # was reported that on the wa! over he capitalized an iceberg, sol | bonds to the captain, took notes il l payment. discounted them with tn, purser. bought the Etruria and startet
 on a cruise around the world