The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-05-25
TAFT WON'T PARDON
MORSE OR Walsh


Continued from First Page.
or 1ockholders. but he is not less guilty on
this account. He abused their trust ana
confidence and imperilled the money OF
those who trusted him in enterprises OF
mos; speculative cha ra cter and he thus lost
their money. II the speculation had been
successful as he hoped they would not have
lost. II may he. and he would have allowed
them the usual interest or dividend. Inc
real and great profit would have been his.
Manv influential and prominent persons
have petitioned for his pardon. They do
not fully appreciate. II seems TO me. the
high importance to society that such Grim
inal breaches OF trust as this be severely
punished.
Such breaches sometimes escape punish
menf because the misuse Of the funds re-
suits in a profit. In such cases the dis
honest or reckless bank officer takes the
profit and the bank ia made whole and no
one is the wiser. Then the officer comes
TO res,rd himself a. a shrewd manipulation
within legitimate business lines. The truth
Ia that in the mad rish for wealth in the last
few decades the lines between prOht from
legitimate business and improper gain from
undue use Of trust control over other
peoples property and money has some
times been dlmmed and the interest OF
society requires that whenever oppor-
tunity ofYers those charged with the enforce
ment Of the Law should emphasize the dis
tinction between honest business and dis
honest breaches OF trust.
Walsh is 73 years OF age. He has been
one year and four months in prison. By
September next he will be able to apply
for release under the parole law. His
health Ia not good. but do not think from
the evidence that his condition il alarming
OF requires his release before the time when
his case may be brought before the parole
authorities.
There are circumstances which have
been emphasized by those who have repre-
sented Walsh in tho application for pardon
that appeal TO ones sympathy IL the case
il Judged with reference to Walsh alone.
But II must he Judged with reference to the
right OF society TO have tho law vindicated
and crime punished. no matter how infiu-
ential the convicted person or how many
friends his present pitiahle condition may
lead TO speak in his behalf The oppor-
tunity TO commit such crimes is only az
fordad to men who have enjoved high
position in society and have secured the
trust and friendship Of many.
Every case Of this kind. therefore. must
present eome such considerations as those
referred to and IL the Executive on an ap.
peal for clemency should yield TO them |,
would defeat the object Of the Law and
present a demoralizng difficulty between
| the punishment metcd ont to the ordinary
| criminal whose circumstances have nat.
urally led him into crime and one whose
| position in society should have made FOL
| him the strongest restraint against viola
| tion of the law.
| Here is what the President had to say
in refusing the application for clemency
| in the Morse case.
| Charles " Morse was convicted Of mis-.
| application of funds Of the National Rank
| Of North America and of making false en-.
! tries in the books of the bank and in its
| reports to the Comptrolle of the Currency
| On appeal TO the Circuit Court Of Appeals
his conviction on the false entry charge
was affirmed. He was sentenced to i'm
prisonment for fifteen years in the Atlanta
pententiary and began the service of hi.
nned in the Tombs for ten months be fore
he was taken to Atlanta.
Although his conviction technical wal
ON false entries there Ia no doubt as to wha,
the evidence showed generally. to wit. that
Morse was engaged in large private trans
actions in which the maint tenance OF the
price OF certain stock In the market ives OF
| capital importance TO him. and he procured
control Of this particular bank and Other
| banks for the purpose OF doing the specific
thing mentioned which was essential to the
! success OF his speculations The result OF
his operations was severe losses to the
bank. which forced II into liquidation.
In other words he committed the same
offence against the banking laws which
| Walsh committed in the case agains, him
although specific details differ somewhat IL
| their technical and in their legal effect
| Morse exhibited the same fraudulent ant
criminal disregard of the trust imposec
upon him in the exercise Of the con,ro
over the bank a. Walsh did Indeed tn,
methods taken by Morse tend to show tha,
more keenly than Walsh c4d he realize tn,
evil Of what he was doing. The Attorney
| General says:
There Ia no question in my mind bu
| that in causing the loans in queation TO b,
| made he was actuated primarily by tn,
| advancement Of his own ends. to wit, III,
promotion Of the various enterprises IL
| which he was engaged. and that he wa,
| entirely unscrupulous as to the met hod,
he adopted. He seems at times to h,
| absolutely hearless with regard TO tn,
| consequences to others, and he showec
great shrewdness in obtaining large sums
of money from the bank without adeouat,
security and without making himself per
| sOnally liable therefor"
One OF the chief arguments made il
Morse's behalf is that since the commission
| OF his offences he has out of his own eAtat.
made good the losses inflicted upon Tho
bank, In the first place the evidence
does not sustain the claim that all the
Losses TO tho bank have been made good by
him. but even II his estate had met the
obligations growing out OF his fraudulen,
transactions 1t could not change the neces.
sity for his lawful punishment for the
crime he committed,
Waleh receiNed a aentenca Iofl "a re n "a