The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-19
Banker and Ice King Order
ed Freed by President
Taft.
HIS DISEASES ARE lNCURAULE
Wouldn't Live Month Long
er in Prison Says Surgeon
General.
Months of Effort on Part Of
Wife and Friends Bears
Result.

Washington, Jan. 19.--President Taft
last night commuted to expire inn
medatcly the 15-yea- sentence for vio-
lation Of the national banking laws un-
der which Charles w Morse the New
York banker and ice king. served two
years in the federal penitentiary at
Atlanta. Ga. The commutation SEN
tence, which gives Morse his complete
freedom, but which, unlike a pardon.
does not restore his civil right, was
granted upon recommendation of At
torney General wickersham and Sur
geon General Torney, U. S. A..
According to the surgeon generals
report to the president on his condl-
ton, Morse could not live one month
longer In confinement. and even at
liberty probably would not live six
months.
The White House statement grant
Ing freedom TO Morse follows:
"'The president this afternoon com
mutod the sentence OF Charles w
Morse to expire at once. This action
was taken upon the recommendation
q the attorney general, based upon
the following report OF Surgeon GEN
eral Torney:
Diseases Are IncurabIc.
"A careful review OF these reports
makes il clear to my mind that he IS
suffering from combination of dis
eases due to degenerative changes
which are incurablc and progressive.
The reports show that both the condi
tion of the kidneys and the heart arc
growing worse. regard the attack OF
cardiac dyspnoea. or heart-bloclS. from
which he suffered on the morning OF
the 18th instant as an ominous occur
renee.
Tn my opinion the prisoners dura-
tion of life will be, i'm all probability,
les than one month II kept in confinc-
ment, and in the event of his release
under communication of sentence, IL is
not probable that he will live as long
as six months"
Mrs Morse, who arrived iero yester
day from New York, was informed late
yesterday afternoon Of the presidents
ciemcncy to her husband. She left last
night for Atlanta. Ca. TO Join her
husband The attorney general, i'm
mediately following the presidents nc
ton, telegraphed TO Warden Meyer of
the Atlanta pententiary. who tech
nlcally was in charge of Morse, evei
though he had been removed to the
Fort Mcpherson hospital, to release
the prisoner.
Complete Pardon Denied Him.
The army surgeons at Fort McPher-
son were similarly instructed. Morse
Will be freed by the telegraphic orders.
II being unnecessary for the Atlanta
authorities to await the formal war
rant Of Communication, which will be
sent by mail.
Efforts made for a complete pardon
were unavailing, and, under the law,
Morse could not be paroled until he
had served five years. Under the COM
lmutation he will be allowed to leave
the armory hospital at Fort McPher-
son, Ga, near Atlantis, at once. Re-
cent efforts in his behalf developed
the fact that his friends wished to
take him to Carlsbad for treatment,
and last night it was deemed probable
here that he would be taken abroad at
once.
The commutation OF Morse's sentence
came at the end OF months of unre-
uniting effort on the part OF Mrs.
Morse and the bankers friends. AL
most since the day the doors OF his
zen in Atlanta closed upon him. Mrs
Morse and influential friends have be-
sieged the department Of Justice and
through it the White House for some
Titlgation Of the sentence.