The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-17
CHARLES W. MORSE
 IS OUT ON BOND
The Court sfAppeaIS Surprises
 Friends of Prisoner
FOUR M )NTHS OF FREEDOM
Court Will Order New Trial or Affirm Sentence Imposed On Former Ice King In Trial of Last
 November.

New York, June 16-Charles W. Morse, convicted banker, was released on bail today pending the taking up of his ap- peal in the United States circuit court of appeals next October For nearly four months Morse will be free to go and come as he pleases. At the end of that time the court of appeals will either or der a new trial or affirm the sentence of 15 years Imprisonment imposed on the former Ice king in November of last year.
 The bail bond for s125,0Oo was signed late this afternoon by 20 wealthy friends of Morse who volunteered for this ser vice several months ago, and Morse quit the custody of the United States marshal shortly before o'clock.
 T am very glad for this" he said to the little group of friends who gathered about him in the federal building to of- fer their congratulations, and now l have a busy four months before me. l am going straight to my home, and take care of myself and my wife. There is a little planning to be done and we ex- pect to go to the country for a short time, until l can think 1t all out. Then I shall get back here and climb into the harness to pull all the tangled threads together again.
 The order of the court admitting Morse to bail came as something of a surprise to his wife and friends, when it was handed down at noon today. They have been working for his release since the early part of the year, but there had been no indication that response to their pe- tltions would be given at once.
 Mrs Morse was with her husband in the Tombs when the news was received there and she spent one of the busiest afternoons of her life marshaling her friends and obtaining their signatures to the necessary papers in time to bring about his release before sunset. When the last signature was approved by the court, she smilingly conducted an i'm promptu reception in the federal building, receiving with her husband the congratu- lations of many friends.
 Morse's release came largely through the activity of 25 of his friends, who peti- toned the court in May, saying they be- lieved In his innocence, and were ready to become responsible upon a bail bond for an indefinite sum.
 The signers included Frank A. Munsey, Augustus Van Wyck, John D. Crmmins, Oakleigh Thorne and other prominent New York bankers and business men.
 The courts order today was as fol- lows:
 Tn view of the magnitude of the record and the number and intricacy of the questions presented in this appeal, the proper consideration of which will require extended examination, we order and di- rect that the defendant be released upon bail until the second Monday in October, upon filing a bail bond in the sum of $125,000, executed by responsible persons, who shall state that they have not re- ceived and will not receive indemnity. The bond to be conditioned that the de- fendant shall not leave the United States"
 Morse was convicted of having misap- propriated the funds of his former chief bank, the National Bank of North Amer lea, in financial operations which led to his being thrown into bankruptcy early in 1908 He was sentenced to 15 years in the federal prison at Atlanta. Since this conviction he has been in the Tombs. At tempts to have him admitted to bail have extended over period of seven months.