The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-01-19
TAFT COMMUTES
MORSE'S SENTENCE
GIVEN COMPLETE FREEDOM
BUT UNLIKE PARDON-ClVll
RIGHTS ARE NOT RESTORED.

Washington, Jan. lS.-President
Taft Thursday night commuted to
expire at once the fitteen-year sen
tence for violating the national bank
ing laws, under which Charles W.
Morse the New York financier and
king" served two years in the fed
eral penitentiary in Atlanta, Ga. The
communication of sentence, which gives
Morse his complete freedom-bu.
store his civil rights-was granted
upon recommendation of Attorney
General Wickersham and Surgeon
/ General Torney, L. S. A.
According to the surgeon general ;
report to the president on his cor
oition. Morse cannot live one momlI
longer in confinement and even at
liberty probably would not live SIX
months.
The white house statement sraL:
ing freedom to Morse follows:
The president Thursday after
noon commuted the sentence OF
Charles w. Morse to expire at once
This action was taken upon the rec
ommendation of the attorney general
based upon the report of Surgeon
General Torney.
"A careful review of the report
makes it clear to my mind that he
is suffering from combination OF
diseases due TO degenerate changes
which are incurable and progressive
The reports show that both the con
dition of the kidneys and the heart
are growing worse. | regard the
attack of cardiac dyspnoea, o. heai
block. from which he suffered on the
morning of the 18th instant, as an
omnous occurrence. In my opinion
the prisoners duration of life will
be in all probability less than one
month if kept in confinement and
, in the event OF his release on com
, mutation of sentence it is not prob
able that he will live as long as six
months
=, Mrs. Morse, who arrived here on
Thursday from New York, was in
formed late Thursday of the preSi'
dent'es clemency 10 her husband
She will leave Friday for Atlanta to
Join her husband.
The attorney general, Immediately
following the presidents action. tel
cgraphed to Warden Meyer of the
Atlanta prison, who technically was
in charge of Morse, even though
he had been removed to the Fort
Mcpherson hospital, to release the
prisoner. The army surgeons at Forf
Mcpherson were similarly Instructed.
Morse will be freed by telegrdplic
order. it being unnecessary for "A"
Atlanta authorities to await the i"l-
NAL warrant of commutation. which
will bo sent by mail.
Efforts made for a compile pardon
v,re marailing. and under The law
Morse could not be parolcJ until
he had served five years Recent ef-
forts in his behalf developed the fact
that his friends wished to take him
to Carlsbad for treatment, and Thurs.
dav II is deemed probably here thl'
ne will be taken abroad at once.
The conjunction Of Mo.ses sen
teuce came al the end Of months If
mrcmitting effort on the part of Mrs.
Morse and the bankers friends. At,
tempts since the doors of his cell In
Atlanta closed upon him. Mrs. Morse
and influential friends have besiegel
the department of justice and through
il the white house for some mitiga
ton of the sentence. Mrs. Morse in
rerson conducted a campaign among
senators and members Of the house
and obtained scores of signatures OF
rromnent men to petition circulated
in her nus bands behalf. They were
all fruitless. Recently reports from
Atlanta indicated that Morses health
was precarious and the president
caused several investigations to be
. made. as result of which the pris
oner was transferred form the prison
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