Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-17
NJ ORSE IS
ARRESTED IN
S7ATEROOM
DETECTIVES MEET BANKER AS
LINER ANCHORS
New York Financier DIscIaims Any
Attempt to Escape and Denies
That He Sailed Under an
Assumed Name
~ Associated Press.

Ey Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Feb. 16.-Charles w.
Morse, financier and promoter of many
large combinations, including the So
called lice trust"-a and a merger of near
ly all of the eoastwise steamship lines,
returned today from his brief trip to
Europe, was arrested in his state room
when the steamer Etruria reached
quarantine in the lower bay, held in
custody until the ship was docked and
then was whirled away in an automo-
bile to the home of Justice Victor Dow
ling. of the supreme court, where he
gave bonds in the sum of $4,000 to an
swer to two indictments charging grand
larceny and involving the sum of
500 900
Mr.. Morse was released, and went inn
mediately to his Fifth avenue home
where he gave out statement assert
ing his innocence, and asking the pub
lie to suspend judgment until he has
had the opportunity of facing his ac-
cusers IN court.
Tomorrow Mr.. Morse will appear be-
fore Justice Bowling in open court and
plead not guilty to the indictments. He
denied that his trip to Europe was a
'fiight." He said he had gone abroad
10 sell stock in a large interest and to
secure a fortnight's rest. Both pur-
poses were spoiled by the publication
OF reports that he was a fugitive, he
declared.
Did Not Know of Arrest
Mr.. Morse had received word by
wireless telegraph that two indictments
had been foun,. against him, but ne did
not know he was to suffer physical
arrest.
The appearance of three detectives
from District Attorney Jerome's office
at his state room door took him com
pletely by surprise. The officers. armed
with warrant, had gone down the
hay on revenue cutter. They were
accompanied by Albert B. Boardman
and Philip ]. Britt, attorneys, and by
Benjamin f. Morse, son of the finan-
cler. Mrs. Morse met her husband at
the pier. and 1t was in her automobile
that the journey with one of the de-
tectives was made to Justice Dowling's
house.
Justice Dowling held an informal
court session in his library, Assistant
District Attorney Krasel representing
the prosecution. The bonds, which
WCiO oAGiCo Ny tc StiCl COtliPdllJa idQ
been prepared yesterday Mr. Morse
was required to sign two obligations of
$4,000 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.
Mr. Britt stated that he had re-
quested Mr.. Jerome to allow the attor-
neys to produce Mr. Morse In court to-
morrow, as he said had been done in
the cases of other well known men
under indictment. but had been told
the public interest demanded that the
banker be placed under arrest as soon
as the ship reached New York waters.
The charge against Mr.. Morse grows
out of q note given to him by former
Chief Justice Morgan J. o Brien of the
appellate division of the supreme court.
Judge O'Brien is said to have depos-
tied three notes for 100000 each with
Mr.. Morse in payment for a block of
1000 shares of stock in the National
Bank of North America. The notes
were to be held three years and not
according to Judge O'Brien.
and at the end of the three-year period
he was to have the privilege of con-
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