Norwich bulletin., 1912-01-19
Banker and Ice King Regains Liberty After
 Two Years Confinement.
HAS A COMBINATION OF DISEASES
President Informed by SurgeonGeneral That Prisoner Could Not Live Month Longer in Confinement Citizens of Bath, Me, Celebrate With Parade and Red Fire-A Great Triumph for Mrs. Morse,

Washington, Jan. 1S.-President Taft today commuted to expire at once the fifteen year sentence for violation of the national banking laws under which Charles w. Morse, the New York banker and 'ice king" served two years in tho federal pen1tentiary at Atlanta, Ga. The communication of sen- terce, which gives Morse his com pIete freedom, but, unlike a pardon, does not restore his civil right-was granted upon recommendation of Att torney General Wickersnam and Sur geon General Torney, U. g. A Accord iug to the surgeon generals report to the president, Morse could not live one month longer in confinement and even at liberty probably would not live six months.
 White House Statement.
 The White house statement, grant, ing freedom to Morse, follows:
 "The president, this afternoon, con- 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 Gen eral TOrney:
 Prisoners Case IneLrable.
 "'A careful review of these reports makes it clear to my mind that he Is suffering from a combination of dis eases due to degenerAtlve changer which are incuraible and progressive The reports show that both the condi. tion of the kidneys and the heart are growing worse, l regard the attack of cardiac dyspnoea or heart block, from which ne suffered on the morning of tho 18th instant, as an onlnous occur renee. In my opinion the prisoners 8 duration Of life will be in all pr0ba- bility less than one month if kept in confinement and in the event of his release under communication of sen tence, 1t Is not probable that he will live as long as Six monthS.'
 Having been designated as & special messenger by the attorney generals of flee, Mrs. Morse left Washington to- night for Atlanta, bearing her hus bands communication papers.
 "MY Heart Was Breaking"
 T thank God" she said just before Ehe boarded the train. T could not have lived longer under the strain. My heart was breaking MT Morse's life is almost ended. No human being can know the suffering l have endured since my husbands Imprisonment. l tried every means to bring about his release. President Taft's act was one of simple justice. If my husband did any wrong he has more than paid the penalty. His life has been forfeited.
 Believes Husband Made a Seapesoat.
 T always have believed, and always will believe, that he was an innocent man-the scapegoat of others. l have no hope that my husband will live more than two months, even though we can get him to Carlsbad, where he will have the benefit of the baths. I have no criticism to make against anyone. know all the officers acted according to a sense of duty. But 1t is hard, hard to think that my husbands life has been taken from him and that he is paying the forfeit of his life. The judge never intended to sentence him to death"
 May Be Taken to Carlsbad.
 Efforts made for a complete pardon were unavsilng aud under the law Morse could not be paroled until he had served i've yeHrs Under the communication he will be allowed to leave the army hospital at Fort Me Pherson, Ga-, near Atlanta, at once. Recent efforts in his behalf showed that his friends wished to take him to CaElsbad for treatment, and tonight it wRs deemed probable here that he would be taken abroad at once.
 Persistent Efforts of Mrs. Morse.
 The communication of Morse's sen tsnce was the end of Inonths of un- reulitting effort by Mrs. Morse and tho bankeTs friends, Almost since the day the doors of his cell in Att lanta closed upon him, Mrs. Morse and influential persons have hesieged the dspRrtm of justice and through 1t the White house for some mitiga- ton of the sentence, Mrs Morse in person conducted B canvass among senators and members of the house of EepresentaxtvRs and obtained the six natures of scores of prominent men to a petitSOn shsA circulated in her hus- bands behalf
 investigations of President.
 Until the past few months, however. all efforts were fruitless and Presi- d=nk Taft and Attorney General Wick eTEhan refused to consider @ pardon CT communication. Recently reports from Atlanta 1ndicated that Morse E health was precar3ous and the presi- dent caused several Investigations tc be made ,as a result of which the prisoner was trsnsferred from the prison to the Fort McPherson hes- pftsi.
 Transfer Had Been Ordered.
 Last week, after further investiga- Hun by army and navy physicians, President Taft, through the attorney general, autmrized the transfer of Morse from Fort McPherson to the army and navy general hospital at Hot Springs, Ark. Reports from Att lanta after this announcement averred that Morse could not be taken to Ar kansas and friends indica1Rd that they wished to have him removed entirely from federal supervision to stop the depressing mental effect which the knowledge that he waE . prisoner had upeD his uhysicaf condition Tho eaf,1