The independent-reporter., 1910-01-06
MORSE ARRIVES At
ATLANTA
Considers Sentence Ex-
tremely Brutal
Hope of Pardon Not Yet Given
Up.

Charles William Morse, formerly
ice king" and millionaire banker, at
noon Monday, Jan. 3, began his Is
year sentence In the Atlanta Federal
prison for violation of the National
banking laws. He was registered as
convict 2S14 and occupies a steel cell
not in the least different from those
to which were assigned the several
other prisoners His natty tailored
garments gave way to a regulation
suit of stripes, nor did he escape the
Bertillion expert, the prison photo
grapher, the regulation bath or the
barber.
Morse arrived from New York at
10.45 a. m. in charge of two deputy
marshals and accompanied by his
friend and close business associate,
W. p. Reid of Boston. He made no
protest when the cameras of the
newspapermen were trained upon
him. He was placed in hack and
driven to the prison.
Morse was not permitted to eat in the
big dining room with his fellow con-
victs and his first meal was served
in his cell. The prisoner turned over
to the priosner clerk $21S in currency.
He was assigned to GLASS 1" which
entities him to the privilege of seeing
relatives or friends for 80 minutes in
each two weeks of his confinement.
Morse probably will be assigned to
the tailor shop or put to work on the
construction gang.
Upon leaving New York Mr.. Morse
gave out the following statement:
II am going to Atlanta to begin
penal servitude under the most bru-
tai sentence ever pronounced against
citizen in a civilized country.
II have hoped, with that hope which
comes from a consciousness of my in
nocence that ! will not have to close
out forever the light and liberty OF
| this world under such an inhuman
sentence. had felt that the fact that
| paid fine of $7000,000, and served
year in prison would satisfy the cry
for a victim and | have steadily be-
! lieved that the courts would be COM
PEELED to give me new trial. When
! learned that the private detectives
Of the prosecution were the keepers
of the jury; that the jury drank like
men upon a jaunt or holiday, rather
than citizens engaged In a serious
service and that as a result two oi
them were rendered unfit, naturally
hoped | would be allowed another
trial by another jury free of these
hostile influences.
ut seems, however, that the courts
intend to establish the practice which
make rum drinking part of jury
service and private detectives as the
custodians of jury permanent in
stitution. BY this sentence and judg
ment / may be brought to ruin; bu
the damage done to me is not half as
i. important as the injury to the admin
| istration of justice. | am now up II
years and must with the passing Of
time pass also; but the record of my
conviction and the way 1t was brought
about, will remain a lasting and dan
gerous example of government gone
mad in search of a victim.
Whether | shall serve my full SEN
tence, | am not able to say, much
depending upon how the government
in Washington shall look upon it.
have great faith that all right-think-
ing men and women who know of me
and my case, and who realize the in
humanity of my sentence, will make
known their feelings to the President
Whatever the future may hold In
store--iiberty or Imprisonment
shall endeavor to meet in the same
way ! have struggled against the
misfortunes CT the past two years.
(SigDed) G. w. Morse.
Mrs. Charles w. Morse, wife of the
fipancier. arrived In Atlanta at noon
Tuesday She was met at the station
bv bar huahand'a friapd w IT. Reid