Evening star., 1923-04-24
Jury COMPLETED
IN MORSE TRIAL
Seven Statesmen, Two Cash.
iers, Clerk, Collector and
Hotel Man Chosen.

The Morse jury was completed and
sworn shortly before noon today. The
twelve men who will decide the guilt
or innocence Of Charles w. Morse,
his three sons and four others of the
charge of conspiracy to defraud the
United States in connection with war
time ship contracts is composed of
seven statesmen. two cashiers, one
clerk. one collector and a hotel pro-
prietor.
United States Attorney Gordon be-
gan this afternoon a lengthy state
ment of the governments case
against the alleged conspirators. He
reviewed the two indictments and
outlined what the government ex-
poets to prove. The introduction of
evidence probably will start tomor-
row.
The jurors are John W. Dillon. CAT
F street northeast; E. Guy Donaldson.
225 p street northwest: William r.
Dimsey, % Bates street northwest
George c. Elliott. 902 NJ street north
west; Joseph II. FRANKIE, 500 10th
street southeast; Thomas S. Fritch.
Long. 613 Florida avenue northwest;
William T. Carroll. Atlantic Hotel;
Curtis l. Disney, 1912 B street south
east; Samuel l.. Fowler, 1856 Emerson
5S06 Colorado avenue northwest, and
Taylor E. Eiker, 1006 Otis street
northwest.
Explains Charges.
In his opening statement to the
Jury Maj. Gordon explained in detail
the charges contained in the four
counts of the two lengthy indict-
ments. which have been consolidated
for trial, and pointed out that all of
the charges relate to the same series
of transactions, namely, certain ship
construction contracts and other con-
tracts supplemental thereto. He then
summarized the indictments and
stated that the substance of all the
charges was that Morse and his asso-
! ciates entered into a wartime con-
spiracy to cheat. swindle and defraud
the Fleet Corporation and to defraud
the United States by obtaining,
through false pretenses, ship-con-
ments. loans and advances from the
United States and its agencies. the
Shipping Board and the Fleet Cor
poration, as we'll as by misapplying
pr diverting vast sums of money be-
| longing to the government and in the
hands of the various corporations
controlled by Morse and his asso-
| ciates, either for ship construction or
as a result of the operation by such
| companies as agents of ships oWend
| by the government.
Crime Is Charged.
He pointed out that the charges are
violations of section 81 of the federal
criminal code, which, he said. made II
a crime to conspire either to commit
an offense against the United States
| or to defraud the United States in any
/ manner or for any purpose. One OF
| the counts, he said, charged the de-
| PENDANTS with conSpirtng to commit
| about fifty offenses against the United
| States, each of such offenses to consist
in the defendants making false
statement to the Fleet Corporation foI
the purpose and with the intent OF
I cheating, swindling and defraudine
such Fleet Corporation, all the stock
of which was owned. he said, by the
United States.
The other three counts, he said
! charged, in various ways and from
different viewpoints. conspiracies to
defraud the United States, by inter
fering with the governmental func-
tioning of the Shipping Board and
the Fleet Corporation, which. he
said, were endeavoring, on behalf OF
| the government, to encourage. de-
velop and create a merchant marine
a naval auxiliary and a naval reserve
! to meet the requirements of the COM
merce of the United States, and es-
pecially to meet the urgent require
ments of the country in efficiently
| prosecuting the war with Germany
| and bringing such war to a prompt
and successful termination.