The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-01-19
W|FE'S Devotion
WINS HIS FREEDOM
Mrs. Charles w. Morse Has
tening to Atlanta With
the Pardon
PRESIDENT ACTS ON
REPORS OF SURGEON
Sends Papers to Waiting Wo-
man AT Hotel, Who Hur-
ries to Train to Go
to Prison


checks abloom with youth renewed.
giving the lie TO hair gray from years
of sorrow and anxiety, il speeding
south tonight with the official papers
that will restore to liberty. and she
hopes and believes. TO health. her
husband. Charles w. Morse.
Basing has action upon the re-
port OF Surgeon General Torney, that
IL confined in the hospital at Fort
Mcpherson. Atlanta. for another
month. the little wizard Of finance,
whom Wall Street feared. but whom
one woman loved an few men have
ever been loved before, would die,
President Taft at o'clock this even
ing commuted hts sentence of fifteen
years and ordered his immediate re-
lease.
''Ah. but now he'll live. He must
live. ] can't let him die. After the
four years OF struggle he must be
mine"
Standing in the Union station at
le:tS tonight. fidgetting on one foot
and then on the other, waiting for
the train gate To open with an i'm
patience that was pathetic and beau
dful. Mrs. Morse expressed this SEN
timent
This train won't get TO Atlanta
until O'Clock tomorrow after aoon, -
she said. the tears swelling in her
eyes. How can exist all that time.
felt some days ago that l would
soon have Mr.. Morse free and with
sfic once again.
Woman's Prcmonition.
'yesterday had a premoni,ion
that would get the papers today.
How did ] know? Oh. a womans. pre-
n II Apar
This affNFnoen 40 O'clock 4 was
In the Congress- Hhli Hotel. couldn't
reaist the tsmptation ~ send a mes
sa8o to my husband: / think 1t will
he Granted In an hour I'll bring the
papers 10 you / wired to Mr.. Morse
And sure enough in an hour / had
them. There are two papers One
to the warden. II has a big red
seal on II. And I think 1t Is the most
beautiful thing ! have ever seen in
all my life. The other Is addressed
to my husband. 1t tells him that he
Is free.
Il was at the telephone I'm the no.
tel talking to some friends when
somebody tried to break in on the
line. It's the White House. the
operator said. '~ld the message is
urgent tell You l dropped that
line quick so the White House could
get the person 1t wanted. In a sec
ond had the news. In IA minute the
whole hotel knew that my husband
Was to be free. 1t was dinner time
aud everybody crowded around me.
Most of them / did not know
Fifteen members of Congress and
their wives congratulated me. /
knew some OF them. They had sign
ed the petition ] presented TO the
a ~
seemed just as happy as those who
had signed the petition.
Don't you feel hard toward the
men who have kept your husband In
prison all this time?' a woman asked
me. Don't you think that Attorney
General Wickersham has done you
and your husband a wrong,
Only Joy Now.
No. MOI ] told them. 'Attor-
ney-General Wfckersham In an angel
Everybody is an angel tonight
Secretary OF War Stimson, who az
United States district attorney, tried
my husband. has been 50 kind.
don't think / would have ever gotten
my patitian to the President If II
hadn't been for him and ! feel sure
he had something to do with restor-
ing Mr.. Morse to liberty
Tho release Of Morse brings to a
close the most dramatic fight that has
been conducted by a wife to save
her husband in many long day.
From the day Of Morse's indictment
TIL this evening, when she boarded
a train for Fort Mcpherson, Mrs
Morse has never cea4ed to struggle
Tor her husbands liberty. When he
A&- 4nxt xAa nant Ia Atlanta aie ffassxs
ferred her activities to Washington
nd hn
the Department Of Justice Her at
torneys have been continuously active
in trying to secure at least an abate-
ment OF the sentence, and since Morse
: became III their activities haxs been
renewed.
Acts Only ON Report
- TIP to the time that the report OF
DR.. Torney was received at the White
House, however. the President has
steadfastly refused to listen to the
pleas OF the attorneys or from the
powerful coterie OF banking friends
who have interested themselves in his
behalf.
The transfer from the Federal
prison at Atlanta. where Morse was
sentenced to do hard labor. was based
on Norse'D failing health. and It was
announced At the time that the same
treatment would be accorded any
other prisoner.
When Morse had the sinking speel
referred to In the report Of the sur
geon-general. the post surgeon. Major
Baker. made an immediate report I /,
his superior In Warrington. Baker
made : second report = couple Of days
later. in which he tntimated that
unless Morse was released he would
not live q month. These two reports
were Immediately transmitted to the
X Department Of Justice and Norse'a
attorney Wa advised that action
might be taken.
FHpegJ Delivered to VIE.
i messenger from the White House
planad he pardon papers In Mrs
Nofss's hands ahout sac thia even
4ing.
N A. snoa - ne mAsssnssr arrived
at ~ hotNj, hs was conducted TO
I'm Nosssss apartments. The
M IT, . 0f1tA Knaa.s