The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-19

Washington. January 1s.-President
tart tonight committed, to expire .m-
med!ately. the ffteen-year sentence for
violation OF the national banleins laws.
under which Charles W. Morse. the
served two years in tho Federal pen!-
Tertiary at Atlanta. Ga.
Tho communication OF sentence, which
gives Morse his complete freedorn-but
which. unlike a pardon. does not re-
store his civil rights-was granted
upon recommendatio of Attorney
General W!ckersham and Surgeon
General Torncy. U. S. A. According
TO the surgeon-Scnerars report TO the
President on his condition. Morse could
not live one month longer in confne-
. ment. and even at liberty probn bly,
would not live six months.
OnlciaI Statement.
The White House statement grant
ing freedom to Morse follows:
The President this afternoon COM
muted the sentence of Charles W.
Morse to expire at once. This action
was taken upon the recommendation
OF the Attorney General based upon
the following report Of Surgeon Cen
eral Torncy:
"a careful review OF these re1orts
makes II clear TO my mind that he Is
suffering from combination OF dis
cases due to degencrative changes
which ere incurablc and progressive
The reports show that both the cpndi-
ton OF the kidneys and the heart are
growing worse. ! regard the attack Of
cardiac dyspnoca or heart block, from
which he suffered on the morning of
the 18th instant as an ominous occur
renee. In my opinion the prisoners
duration of life Will be in all prob
ability less than one month II kept
In confinement, and in the event OF
his release under communication Of SEN
tence, 1t Is not probable that he will
live a s long as six months.'"
Mrs. Morse, who arrived here to-
day from New York. was informed late
this afternoon OF tho Presidents Glenn
ency 10 her husband.
Designated as a special messenger
by the Attorney Generals office. Arrs
Morse left Washington tonight for
Atlanta bearing her husbands commu-
tation papers.
II thank God" declared Mrs. Morse.
in speaking OF her husbands case be.
fore she departed for Atlanta
Il could not have lived longer under
the strain. My heart was breaking.
MIR. Morse's life is almost ended No
human being can know the suffering
nave endured since my husbands i'm
prsonmcnt. l tried every means to
bring about his release. President
Taft's act was one of simple justice.
II my husband did any wrong he has
more than paid the penalty. His life
has been forfeited. ! always have be-
lieyed and always Will believe that he
was an innocent man--the scapeSoat
of others | have no hope that my
husband will live more than two
months, even though we can get him
to Carlsbad where he Will hive the
bcncht OF the baths. have no criti-
cism to make against any one. know
all the officers acted according 90 a
sense of duty. But it is hard 10 think
that my husbands life has been taken
from him and that he is paying the
forfeit with his life. The Judge never
intended to sentence him to DEATH"
The Attorney General Immediately
following the Presidents action, tele-
graphed to Warden Meyer, OF the A.
lanta pcnitentary. who technically
was In charge of Morse even though ne
had been removed to the Fort McPhcr-
son Hospital to release the prisoner
The army surgeon at Fort Mcpherson
was similarly instructed. Morse will
be freed by the telegraphic orders. II
being unnecessary for the Atlanta au.
thorities to await the formal warrant
of Communication. which will be sent by
mail.
Efforts made for Il complete pardon
were unavailing. and under the law
Morse could not be parolcd until he
had served five years. Under the com.
mutation he will be allowed to leave
the army hospital at Fort Mcpherson,
near Atlanta, at once. Recent efforts
in his behalf developed the fact that
his friends wished to take him to
Carlsbad Germany. for treatment. ana
tonight 1t was deemed probable here
that he would be taken abroad at once.
Wife and Friends TireIcss.
The communication of Murses sentence
Continued on Ninth Pugcl