New-York tribune., 1910-01-03
MORSE OFF TO CELL
CALLS SENTENCE THE
MOST BRUTAL.
Signed Statement Sharply
Critcises COurts-Due In
atlanta To-day.


Charles w. Morse started for Atlanta
yesterday morning, but before he went
he showed that the failure of his efforts
fight out of him. He criticised the courts
for their treatment of him and, more
over. spoke his mind plainly of what he
considered the hiring of spies to look
after rum drinking" jury.
In his demeanor Mr.. Morse was as
quiet and modest a always before, when
he gave out a signed statement which he
had prepared overnight to the reporters
at the Tombs yesterday morning, but
in the statement itself he was unsparing
in his opinion that he had received the
most brutal sentence ever pronounced
against citizen in a civilized country
The convicted banker seems to be
hopeful that there are others who may
feel as he does, and he expressed faith
that they would make known their senti
nents to the man highest up in Wash
ington.
This was what Morse had to say in the
typewriter statement, copies of which
he personally handed out through the
grille at the entrance gate of the Tombs
to the reporters yesterday morning:
PROTESTS INNOCENCE.
'T am going to Atlanta to begin penal
servitude under the most brutal sentence
ever pronounced against citizen in a
1st fry IA
that hope which comes from conscious
ness of my innocence that I would not
have to close out forever the light and
liberty of this world under such an in
human sentence.
Il had felt that the fact that | paid
a fine of s7,000000 and served year
in prison would satisfy the cry for
victim; and I have steadily believed
that the courts would be compelled to
give me a new trial when I learned that
the private detectives of the prosecu-
ton were the keepers of the jury and that
the Jury drank like men upon a jaunt or
a holiday rather than citizens engaged
in a serious service, and that as result
two of them were rendered unfit.
II naturally hoped that ! would be al
lowed another trial by another jury free
of these hostile influences. 1t seems,
however, that the courts intend to estab-
,ish the practices which make rum
drinking part of jury service and pri-
vate detectives as the custodian of the
Jury a permanent institution.
by this sentence and judgment l may
be brought to ruin; but the damage done
hn
injury to the administration of Justice
am now up in years and must with the
passing of time pass also; but the record
of my conviction and the way it was
brought about will remain a lasting and
dangerous example of a government
gone mad in search of a victim
Whether I shall serve my full sem
tence I am not able to say, much de-
pending upon how the government at
Washington shall look upon 1t. 1 have
great faith that all right thinking men
and women who know of me and my
case and who realize the inhumanity OF
my sentence will make known their feel
ings to the President.
Whatever the future may hold in
store liberty or imprisonment. ] shall
endeavor TO meet it in the same way
that ] have struggled against the mis-
fortunes or the last two years.
NO CROWD AT DEPARTURE.
Morse's going away was a very quiet
one. Sunday morning crowds in the
neighborhood of the Tombs are rare, in
deed, and because of the New Years
celebration there were fewer passersby
yesterday than usual Marshal Henkel
arrived before o'clock with two of his
lieutenants. Chief Deputy John A. Stieb-
ling and Henry Linicus. But, early as
he was. Mr. Morse was ready for him,
and Mrs. Morse and the bankers two
sons. BENJAMIN and Harry, well as
Campbell Darlington, close personal
friend, had been there a good while be-
fore the marshal, taking their farewells.
Shortly after 9 o'clock Mr.. Morse
shook hands with the keepers in the
Tornbs and said a few words of thanks
to each for their treatment and ex-
pressing his good wishes for them
Despite his prison confinement, the for
mer ice king" appeared TO be in good
health and he went about the work Of
getting off in his usual businesslike
fashion. He was unshackled when he
left the Tombs in a taxicab with the
Continued on third page