The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-01-13
THE COMPLAINT OF A BANKER
CONVICT.

- citizen In a civilized c0untry....
When ! learned that the private de-
st~ectives Of the prosecution were the
keepers OF the jury. that the jury
drank like men upon q jaunt or a
holiday, rather than citizens engag-
anA serious service and that, as
- result, two OF them were rendered
unat..I naturally hoped that I would
he allowed another trial by another
Jury free OF these hostile Influences.
...l am 10 up inSyears and must
Nth the passing Of time pass also;
but the record OF my conviction and
the way It was brought about will.
remain 9 lasting and dangerous ex-
ample OF q government gone mad in
search Of . victim"
The convicted banker pleads his
5case seloquently but not convincingly.
Is probablly a not easy for q, nan en-
8aEsd II promoting great corpora
tionss "a obtain the sympathy Of the
public ~ the time Of an a1liction.
sBnt We believe We are moi giving the
American people credit for too much
] 1aifnress when We say that. II Morse's.
ecnyiction Il such an outrage as he
claims. there would be many to join
nth him III his protest. Indeed we
hearscomplaint Of the %leniency Of
Americans with offenders. in high
places. rather than Of severity Of
Judgment.
Courts everywhere are jealous
guardians Of Jury rooms. They never
hssitate % act upon charges of mis-
conduct ~ juries. II two Of the
twelve mem who convicted Morse
we're intoxicated and the fact il cap
able Of being proved. no court Ia the
country would hesitate to order a
new trial. n doing so, the presid-
Ing Judge WOULD not take into ac-
count the fact that the ten men
against whose sobriety or fitness no.
allegation u made by Morse. were
s1nitsd 81 support o. the verdict Of
guilty. At Al events, the bankers
dsfsnse 4 technical. It viii hardly
convince the public that injustice has
ssbssndone..
r.. Morse . certain that he has.
bssn made ass..tyictim.'' He has said
thissfrom the drst. His meaning Is
not hard 70 understand. He be-
lisyss i unjust that he SHOULD 80 to.
PRISON for taking chances that other
banksrs An New York have taken. It
~ true that he failed. wherc the
Iaothsrs won. Il he had won. In all
probability he would never have been
brought before : court to answer
FOR HIS failure to remember his obli-
cations e his depositors while lie
promoting corporations from
which hs hoped to make immense
profits. But It Il Just sucn an ex-
perience @ that Of Moose that de-
tors other bankers from taking liber-
ties With funds that are entrusted to
Them. The honest and honorable
banker Will not be heard in defense
laof Mr.. Morse. He win say. on the
contrary. that he should have pictur-
himself % 9 possible convict before
hsgmade himself liable to prosecution.
III Sis no defense Of any one to say
thats0thers have committed the same
and this 10 particularly true
of the banking business. They are
virtually omcers II trust. II they
~ other bankers taking liberties
With the laws under which they are
S5Ssppsr1nitted 70 accept the public's mon
NV. Il ought to make them all the
lsssmIilo1rsEcareful Of their conduct instead
stsmpting them to violate the laws
q In.aTALWART" REPUBLICAN
gSs CONFERENCE.
56escprrdiingi 70 = Washington dis
gConkressmen Martin and
pEIiM1- oY SZt3E2 q #A9NEHA