The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-06
Organizer Heavily Involved in Bank Failures of Recent Panic Cannot be
 Found.
SUIT BEGUN AGAINST HIM
Creditors Attach Property in Claim Begun by Receiver for the Sus- pended Bank of North
 America.

New York, Feb. 5.-Charles w Morse, organizer of the American Ice com pany and of the Consolidated Steam ship company, could not be seen to- night regarding the courts actions in- stituted against him to-day. He was not at his town house here, it was said, and it could not be learned that he was either in Boston or at his home at Bath, Me.
 His creditors to-day attached his property in this city. including his res idence at No 72S Fifth avenue, in q suit begun by Charles A. Hanna, na- ticnal bank examiner, as receiver of the National bank of North America, which Morse controlled.
 In the moving papers on which the attachment was granted it was stated that Morse had probably left for Europe or departed elsewhere from New York within the last few days" A judgment by default for S155,753 in an- other suit was also entered against him to-day
 Morse. whose wide embracing oper- ations in the business world had made him one of the most prominent finan cial men, it is said, has been seriously involved recently following the money stress and banking trouble.
 So far as known Morse had no pressing engagements which would keep him in the city just now. His duty as witness before the grand jury in New York county, is believed to have been ended. and friends of the former banker suggested tonight that 1t was quite possible that he had seiz- ed the opportunity to slip away from business cares and at the same time escape from the rigors of the winter, while resting in milder climate.
 The New York county grand jury has been Investigating the local bank ing situation and some of the trans actions which are alleged to have helped to make possible the recent series of financial calamities Morse has appeared before the jury to give that body such information on the sit uaton as he possessed.
 While the district jury has been at work the federal authorities through federal grand jury have taken a hand in the general examination by delvilg into the recent conduct of cer- tain of the national banks The re- suits of the deliberations of either grand jury have been made public.
 Morse was called to testify before a referee in December and January in regara to a loal of S20O,OO0 which he secured from the Knickerbocker Trust company in october 1906, through the medium of the cashier of the National bank, of North America The referees S report on this loan was filed with Jus tice Clark. in the Supreme court, in Richmond, two weeks ago. and there has been no ruling on it to date
 Morse has not been seen in the finan- cial district this week. but a close friend is authority for the statement that he saw him on Monday and that MT Morse told him at the time that he intended to g. to Europe. No steamer sailed for Europe on Monday and Morse is not on the list of any steam CT sailing to-day or tomorrow. Troubles have been piling thick and fast on Morse ever since last October He was involved in the unsuccessful corner in United Copper stock ongin- eered by F Augustus Heinze. which marked the beginning of the panic. As | the stock and bonds of the Consolida- I ted Steamship company also declined with sensational rapirity when the com { CT failed, it is question just what part s the Morse transactions played in the < affair
 \ The failures of Otto Heinze and Com hpanv and of Gross X Kleeberg were ' soon announced, then followed in quick iSsuccession the resignation of Morse 4from all the banking institutions with (which he was connected. the failure of Fthe Knickerbocker Trust company, the Releasing of the Hamilton bank and half Ia score of. small Brooklyn and Harlem the forced withdrawal of 1Edwar6 R Thomas and orlando F ,fThemaa from the local banking fieid, tthe suicide of Charles T Barney and sfhe spread of panic all over the United 4fctatee and the commercial world