Smyrna times., 1909-10-06
MORSE EXPECTS
AN ACQUITTAL
Convicted Banker Made$7,5
600 During the Summer.
BLAME ON ROOSEVELT
Declares Ex-President Made an Ex-
ample of Him For What All Bank
ers Are DoIng-Pald Oft over 30
Per Cent of His Debts.


ers Are DoIng-Pald Off over 30
Per Cent of His Debts.
New York, Oct. 4.-Charles w
Morse. under sentence to the peniten-
tiary for violation of the national
banking laws and under $125.O00 bail
pending an appeal has made $780,
600 in the past few months and has
paid off so per cent of his debts. The
balance he expects to clear away in
a short time, and then to accumulate
a few more millions of ''velvet."
Morse is apparently perfectly conf
dent that when his appeal is heard
the verdict in his case will be set
aside and that he will be freed of all
taint of guilt
For the first time since his convic-
tion he discussed his case with great
freedom.
Martin w. Littleton, my counsel,
tells me that my chances of acquittal
are SO out of 100," he said, "and from
that may be judged the feeling with
which l face the future proceedings"
Your friends" Mr.. Morse was told.
"say you have raised between $1,000
900 and $S,00000O since your release.
and that you have applied this to your
indebtedness"
81 wouldn't put it just that way"
he replied. "If there can be any gen.
eral interest in what have done, why
not say have cleared off so odd per
cent of my debts?'
From the records of the Morse case
it is known that seven judgments were
entered against him, and that he had
four open accounts when trouble
overlook him. OF these there remain
one open account" and the interest
to which this was due is willing to
await MOrse's leisure.
Says He's RooseveIt's Victim.
at is too early to tell how | have
made the mOney-and where-during
the present summer" said Mr.. Morse.
''In fact it is too early to go into any
detail at all. The score is not yet
wiped out When it is, then / can
talk. Naturally l am optimistic about
any appeal, and can only refer to Mr..
Littleton's statement.
81 have been made the viCtim-not
in any bid for sympathy, but that ex-
act justice be done-of a system under
which national banks of the entire
country operate. l did nothing wrong
and the change in public feeling since
was prosecuted has come from bet.
fer understanding of the transaction
out of which came my indictment"
"To what interest or interests do
you attribute your troubles?" he was
asked. Were personal or financial en-
mites involyed?"
mo" he said. crisply. "The time
was ripe for the government to make
an example of some one, and I was
chosen, feel sure, at the personal di
Tection Of Mr.. Roosevelt"
Says All Bankers Do It.
That Morse will not return to the
Tombs from midnight on Oct un
til Oct II. when his case comes uI
in the United States circuit court Oi
appeals, may be stated with authority
from friends who have been closely
in touch with him in the last few days
The three supreme court judges who
granted the application for bail it was
stated, are expected to consent to g
two-day extention of his S125,O00 bond
His friends, too, declared Mr. Morse
had seen the inside of prison for the
last time.
Then, continuing the discussion o
his case, he said:
'I am certain that I could guarantee
convict the officials OF almost an.
ional bank in the United State
the same grounds that I mysel
convicted. Because they are guilt,
pngdoing? Not at all, but becaus
4 them commit the same technica
z. enses' that were credited to me
II & things l did are generally praC
ticed, and in the eyes of nationa
bankers constitute no offense"