Evening star., 1923-08-03
HARDING SPIRIT PUT
INTO MORSE TRIAL
Judge Stafford Delivers In
structions, With Tribute to
Dead President.

did not carry on to completion duty
upon which we had entered" declared
Justice Wendell Phillips Stafford of
the District Supreme Court today,
when he decided to charge the jury
in the Morse conspiracy case. which
has been on trial in Criminal Division
for fifteen weeks.
The justice paid a tribute to the
departed Chief Executive and sug-
gested that prayers should be said
for Divine guidance of President
Coolidge. The court complimented
the lawyers on both sides of the case
on the manner in which it has been
tried: and thanked the jurors for
their untiring attention throughout
the long trial
I'VE have one unfailing consola-
tion." said Justice Stafford. 'in an
hour like this. 1t is that the ship of
state may lose her captain. but she
never loses her pilot. Captains may
go and come, but the. Unseen Hand is
ever on the wheel"
Task to BE Finished.
Before beginning his exhaustive
charge to the jury. in which he stuck
closely to the law and the interpre-
ton of the contracts involved in the
case and steered clear of mention of
the facts. Justice Stafford said:
Gentlemen of the jury the terrible
news we received during the night
has made it hard for all of us to take
up the burdens of the day 1t is hard
for me. and / am sure it will be hard
for you.
But / am sure l express the opin-
ion of all connected with this case
when | say that we are acting, in the
spirit of our dead President when we
do go on and finish the work upon
which we have entered
ls Ire was af given civ in the nd faithful
ought to give ourselves, as far as
necessary. in the faithful performb-
ance of our duties.
You have made a great contribu-
ton. a patriotic contribution. to civil
government in this District by sur
rendering your time for this long
period in a court Of justice. What
sation in money is trifling compared
TO the loss that you have sustained.
You ought to be relieved. and l am
sure you will be relieved. if you re-
quest it, from jury service for long
time in consideration of the great
sacrifice that you have made.
Patriotism and Duty.
But it would all be worthless un-
less you carried it through to the end.
You must carry 1t through You and
! have hard. dry task before us.
But we must perform 1t in the spirit
of patriotism and of duty.
Il am sure you would not thank
me. and the others connected with
this case would not thank me, IL l
proceeded to the charge without ex-
pressing feebiy. imperfectiy, what
is in all our hearts. The President
went to Alaska on what he cheer
fully called a voyage of understand
ing'-one of the most beautiful eX-
pressions ever used by a public man
in this country He has gone forth
now upon another voyage OF under
standing, and l am sure it is the
prayer in the hearts of all of US that
l. 60 hn, .ln6
lasting peace.
I'VE ought also to pray for him. the
honest. capable and fearless man who
has been called by his death into the
highest place in this country.
II think it is only simple justice for
me to say, and | say 1t for two reasons
one because it is an acknowledged
ment due to the counsel in this case, and
the other is because I wish to impress
a certain fact upon you. L have been
in courts for more than forty years, and
] have heard many cases tried. and have
participated in many trials, but l have
never heard case So well tried and
argued as this case has been. You
have had the privilege of listening to
some of the most brilliant, eloquent,
thorough and able discussions of a ques-
tion of fact. that have ever been heard
in this country. 1t is something you
may remember all your lives.
Now it remains to be seen whether
you will do your part as thoroughly.
as patiently. as conscientiously as these
gentlemen have done theirs
Morse Activities Denounced.
In a stirring speech of three hours.
which held the attention of the jury
and a crowded courtroom, Wilbur
r. Turner. assistant to the Attorney
General. Scathingly denounced the
the wartime activities of Charles w.
Morse, his three sons and the four
other defendants. who are charged
with conspiring to defraud the Unit
ed States and the Fleet Corporation.
Judge Turner concluded the sum-
mlng-up for the prosecution and
asked the conviction of all the de-
PENDANTS.
He pictured the Morse interests
as two great solar systems. Charles
W. Morse was the sun in one of the
systems and his three sons and the
other defendants were his satellites.
The United States Steamship Com
pany was the reigning planet in the
other system and about it revolvcd
the numerous other corporations
through which Morse and his asso-
ciates perpetrated a raid" on the
government to secure construction
contracts, he said.
1T was the first payments they
were after" shouted the prosecutor,
and then the progress payments.
Then they wanted more contracts,
from which they might secure addi-
the completion of ships"
Judge Turner took the evidence
step by step and set before the Jurors
clear and connected explanation of
the case of the prosecution which. he
claimed, proved that the Morses OBJ
tanned contracts by false representa-
tions to the Shipping Board, secured
advances from the Fleet Corporation
by false vouchers, bribed an official
of the government and diverted pay
ments for ship construction to other
purposes.
Referring to Philip Reinhardt, the
former auditor for the Fleet Corpo-
ration 1t the Alexandria plant, who
Turner said Reinhardt was bought"
paid for and owned like slave and
was so bound by his voluntary servi-
tude that he was afraid not to do
their bidding" The Morses. who he
claimed had corrupted him. the prose-
cut0r said. were equally "despicable
and contemplate"
Judge Turner fiayed the claim of
patriotism put forth by counsel for
Morse. He said: Patriotism! Oh!
Patriotism, what crimes are COM
mitted in thy name. Consider the evil
dence. gentlemen of the jury, and all
this talk about patriotism goes up in
smoke and vapor. / prefer to use
the name they have supplied me with
treason. Not only in the District
of Columbia but throughout this
country the people are awaiting your
decision. 1t remains for you to de-
eide what you shall call these de-
fendants."