Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-10-17
PROMOTER MORSE
AND HIS METHODS
.-------------- ---- s
Heavy Borrowings Of One Whit
ing Were Always Placed to
Morse's Account.
WAS ONLY s12 4. WEEK CLERK
Distinguished ''I9nancier' Was in
Habit Of Using His Employees
AS Dummies

New York, Oct. ia tow-headed
youth of 49, until recently s12
week clerk in 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
r.. Curtis, former president Of the Ma
tlona Bank of North America, is
charged with having violated the ma
tional banking laws.
II the testimony of Edward p.
MoAGy, a government bank examiner,
II las been revealed that person
named Leslie Il. Whiting had been one
of the heaviest borrowers from the
National Bank OF North America. at
one time owing the bank as much as
Sai00U0 Hardly a week went by in
the year of 1907, the testimony showed,
tlat Whiting did not borrow 10000,
or mere, giving ice stocks. principally,
as security. 1t always appeared in the
records, as presented. however. that
tie enormous sums of money borrowed
by Whiting We're credited to the ac-
COUNTS of Charles w. Morse
At the conclusion of Examiner
MoNey's testimony Leslie Whiting was
| called to the stand, and those in the
courtroom. who had expected to see
| disn:fed, rewd-looking business man
step forth. We're astonshed to see a
| smcoth-cheeked boy of under 20 wears
| walk nervously to the witness stand
a smile swept over the ROOM and
| Judge Hough raped sharply for order
after Whiting had been made to de-
scribe how he came TO sign the notes
| which made him indebted to the bank
for such large amounts, he was asked:
Could you have paid this note
hold for sS2,0Oo?"
What, me?''8 answered the startled
| boy. Mono: | couldn't"
Gould YOU have paid a SIP. 900 note ~
| pressed the attorney for the prosecu-
| ton
No, sir" responded the boy. trihe
| Nero assured.
| For half an hour longer the youth
was kept on the stand while a bunch
! OF letters bearing the signature Leslie
L. Whiting" and directed to the Ma
tionnl Bank of North America, We're
read. These letters couched in bust
| ness-l.ke terms, gave orders to the bank
for transferring collateral, charges and
rtncwa! of notes. a sentence in one
| letter read:
Enclosed please find my check for
s2oC,cCO which apply to my account
me witness explained. in answer to
| the question. that he had been sent to
the Eank by his employers to sign the
| notes. He said he was mourning no oh
| legation, but felt sure his employers
| would protect the notes Whiting tes-
| tilted that he had never talked with
Mr.. Morse or Mr., Curtis concerning the
| signing of notes or the putting up of
! Collateral. The boy also said that he
| did rot think his employers knew that
| he was not of age tgss
Davidson Brown. another brokers
clerk, was also witness to tell of hav-
ing signed notes for loans for more
than 800, 600.
Brown had a bad memory, and his
testimony was of little value
The afternoon session was almost en-
ti.ely devoted to tracing the loans
made In the name of Whiting Bank
Examiner Moxey started with loans
made In June, last year and showed
how the loans were repeatedly renewed
Ii vas brought out that at one time thu
bank made profit of sl32. 600 on the
loans, but the profit was on paper only.
Nj, MoXey said. This investigation led
up tc the testimony of young Whiting.
After Whiting had testified the case
was adjourned for the day. The trial
will be resumed tomorrow, most un-
usual proceeding for not in % years,
it is said, has a federal tribunal here
held {, session on Saturday.
TIC jury was kept under guard to-
night.