The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-03-06
JUSTICE ON ICE

Suppose a man charged with burglary had been tried by
jury and found guilty Suppose he had had expert lawyers and
plenty OF money Tor his defense, Suppose he had appealed his
case and the Judge had said; Il haven't time TO hear the appeal
But you are an able fellow, SO until | can decide whether judge
and jury erred in declaring YOU 20 be a burglar, III let you run
at large"
suppose a man was accused Of bigamy, and in spite Of the
defense Of the highest legal talent. had been convicted, and the
judge said; " You are a smart man, and rather than keep SO
smart a chap in jail, YOU may SO free until We can review your
case"
Suppose one Of these smart" fellows commits a new
burglary, and perhaps kills a householder in doing it. while the
other, exercising his peculiar talents. ruins one more woman's
life
Where would lie the blamep
Would that be justee2
Observe the case Of Chas. w. Morse.
a Jury found him guilty Of ~plundering bank depostors.
That isn't the legal name for il, but that's what il amounted TO-
Morse started life in Bath, Me, in the ice business. lie cut
ice in Bath and sold il in New York.
Then he consolidated the ice barges and fields Of New Eng
land and raised prices.
Then he formed the ice trust in New York and raised prices
some more.
The ice trust levied tribute upon the fevers Of the tenement
babies in New York II cut down the size OF the Scent pieces
Of ice that the poorest people bought.
And the pennies and nieksls flowed into a river of dollars.
millions Of dollars.
God still frose the ice in New England; the boats continued
to bring it to New York as cheaply, but Morse. through a grab
Of ice docks in New York harbor. killed oil competition aud
formed his srust charging for the ice what price he would.
AN N&> h3A JUL moRtft HS WAS NAEMk II H9H nc
sweterng millions OF people in Greater New York.
Then he bought stock in a bank. Bought enough 50 that he
was 1T in that bank. He could hire and discharge It's officers
and employees Then he borrowed money on that bank stock
and bought a controlling interest in another bank
And 50 on, until for the price Of hall a bank he controlled
IS Of them.
And then he used his power to take some Sl6692.2s5 Of the
money deposisors had put in these banks to finance his own
schemes and to play the stock market.
The banks broke. The United States government got after
Morse and he was tried. found guilty and sentenced to 10 years
in the federal pcnitentiary.
Now he has appealed his case. The higher court has not
had time to hear the appeal. so they have ordered that Morse
be allowed to 60 free each day, all day, aud just come back to
Jail to sleep.
The judges don't trust Morse entirely. for a United States
deputy marshal. whose salary is paid by you. gentle reader. stays
with him all day. A big automobile comes to the Tombs prison
in the morning and takes Morse to his office and brings hin
back to Jail at night.
And the court said ii did this because it was unfair to keep
a man of Morse's talent idlef'
The court may have been moved to this respect Tor Morse's
talents when Morses lawyers told that he had paid off over a
million dollars Of debt since his arrest. They said that II he
could be allowed to attend TO business he would be all paid out
before his case is finally tried.
Paid outs Yes. but it is not the deposhors in the busted
banks he is paying. 1t is his score in the Wall st. gambling
game.
And this is justice.
Morse TO be loosed TO exercise his Talents" at the rate Of a
million dollars a month or so. And where does the money come
FROM Does he earn itS Docs be create wealth. Does he
work.
Or have these judges simply loosed him tina, he may corner
some other necessity OF life. or grab the deposits Of a few more
And this is justice.
TO a reporter the other day. an Ohio lawyer said: II have
prosecuted and hanged three men on circumstauuaI evidence.
and the first case defended got my man off with a second
degree verdict. He had killed his children. and there was no
doubt Of his guilt"
And they say he i a good lawyer"
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