The Washington times., 1923-06-18
PLANS SURPRISE
IN MORSE
HEARING
Runors Rife Prosecution Will
Present Damaging Evidence
This Week.

This Week.
This week. the ninth in the
Morse conspiracy case which Is on
trial in Criminal Court No. l,
Justice Stafford presiding, prom
ises to no the Governments star
week for presenting it's most
damaging evidence, according to in
formation which has leaked out, the
details of which, however, are be.
ing jealousy guarded by the prose
cution.
So far there have been intro
duced in evidence about $50 pieces
of written data, and even though
there are about 200 more to be
offered and read into the records,
the Government will bend every eff
fort to complete its case in about
two weeks. Everything in the
shape Of documentary evidence, in
GLIDING the minute books Of all the
Morse concerns. iedgers, cash books,
journals, correspondence, checks,
vouchers, invoices, memoranda, and
other matters tending TO throw
light on the question have been ex-
posed in court to the acid test of
examination of both sides. Most
of this testimony offered in evidence
by the Government was objected to
by the defense, but much was adj
mitted by the presiding Judge,
counsel for the defense noting ex-
ceptions in every case.
Difficult to Prove.
1t is conceded by lawyers that
conspiracy is one of the most diff
- - he
reasonable doubt" Conspiracy is
rarely proven by direct evidence as
the nature of the crime is such as
to imply secretiveness precluding
almost entirely testimony and evi.
dence tending to prove in a direct
manner the commission of crime.
1t seems for this reason that the
course of the Government in the
Morse case had needs be q long and
tortuous one. The prosecution
hopes to join together from its long
list of documentary evidence the
various links tending to indicate
conspiracy and forge therefrom the
chain of proof which will convine
the jury beyond reasonable
doubt" that the crime indicated in
the indictment has been committed.
The prosecution contends that 1t
has already introduced sufficient
evidence to prove it's case which
claim, however, is stoutly denied by
the defense.
Much of the Governments testi-
mOny and evidence when first pre-
scented to the jury looked bad for
the defense and caused the i'm.
preston that the prosecution would
easily succeed in proving its case.
But the most damaging evidence
so far offered by the prosecution,
under the skillful handling of At
tornev Nash lockwood, of counsel
for the defense, most ably assisted
by Attorney Hobart. Of Newark, N.
j., a son of the late Vice President
Hobart. collapsed like a house Of
cards, in some of the cases witness
es for the Government even prov
ing themselves good witness for the
defense.
Two More Weeks.
The plans of Morse's lawyers as
to how to proceed in the case after
the Government has finished its
side, have not yet fully matured.
The Government expects to take
about two more weeks for the final
clean up OF it's side. Then the de-
tense will be called upon to dis
close its strategy. Unless JUS
tice Stafford directs the jury to re.
turn a verdict of not guilty. counsel
for the defense, it is indicated will
put on the stand about six of the
biggest men mentioned by the Gov
eminent in connection with the
case, and have them to testify as
to Morse's honesty in his dealings
with the Government as well as
his efficiency as q shipbuilder and
his readiness to assist the Govern.
ment during the perplexities of the
war. These men will include Cen
eral Goethals, John Barton Payne.
William G.. McAdoo and others Of
like character
The other alternative course of
the defense will be to, step by step,
answer the contentious OF the Gov
eminent as elucidated in the course
OF the lengthy trial, and in that
manner prove to the court and jury
that the great mass Of testimony r.
fered by the prosecution has not
produced any evidence, either direct
or indirect, justifying the jury to
return a verdict OF guilty as In
dicted.
Politics Injected.
Whatever the outcome OF the
trial, it is bound to have its roper.
cussions in the politics Of both par
ties. It is claimed by the defense
that the bringing in of the name of
william G. McAdoo, Secretary of
the Treasury under Wilson. was
merely to discredit him as a politi-
cal factor in the coming Presiden-
tial campaign. In this connection,
lawyers for Morse and his code
PENDANTS claim that the offering in
evidence and reading into the rec
ord last Friday by Assistant Attof
ney General Turner, Of the Depart
ment Of Justice, Of the minutes OF
the United States Transport Com
pany, a Morse concern, with par
ticular reference to the fact that
! McAdoo's law firm in New York got
rake off" for securing coal ship
ping contracts from the French and
italian governments. showed politi-
cal motive and personal feeling.
Throughout the whole trial, Jus.
tice Stafford has sat patiently, Civ
ing each side a fair chance to pre-.
sent to the jury in a fair manner
their respective. contentious. Law.
yers for the Government as we'll as
| for the defense are full of praise
at the attitude of the court and
| the manner in which he leads a