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Story
March 30, 1910
The Brunswick News
Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia
What is this article about?
From prison, banker Charles W. Morse asserts he was scapegoated by financiers and public prejudice influenced courts, leading to his 15-year sentence in Atlanta for banking law violations despite benefiting his institution.
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WAS MADE THE SCAPEGOAT
FOR OTHERS.
Public Was Prejudiced, Declares the
Imprisoned Banker, and This Prejudice
in Turn Had a Noticeable Effect
on the Courts.
New York, March 29.-In a signed
article printed here, Charles W. Morse,
now serving a fifteen-years' sentence
in the federal prison in Atlanta for
violating the national banking law,
declares:
"I am in this prison today for making
$250,000 for the Bank of North
America, and turning it over to that
institution."
He declares he was made the scapegoat
by men in high finance who
been wolfing everything in sight
years and claims if his transactions
were fraudulent then no banker in the
country is innocent.
What Morse Says.
Among other statements made by
Mr. Morse are these:
"Corporations may not have souls,
but their individual members have,
and they have hearts as well, and their
hearts may be made to suffer as keenly
as the hearts of poorer men.
"Because I was quiet and did not
take everybody into my confidence, I
was regarded curiously as a man of
mystery-a man of surprises.
"If I had all these transactions to
do over again or any of the others I
do not believe that I would act differently.
I was never a welcome factor
in New York finance. I was regarded
as an uncertain and disquieting
element and I suppose I did disturb
the dreams of some of the heavier
capitalists.
"Individuals and cliques whom it
would be invidious to designate, but
whose names must naturally occur to
anybody familiar with finances in this
country, made attempt after attempt
to crush or cripple me.
"All my life I have observed that
the passions of a mob are easily
swayed, but I had never dreamed of
becoming the victim of one.
He Was Logical Victim.
"I was the logical victim, because
I was the one who had been 'stirring
up the animals,' and the animals were
all growling at me and awaiting their
opportunity to get at me.
"At times it seemed that the whole
financial world was in full cry after
me like a pack of wolves trying to tear
me down.
"The public was prejudiced against
me, and this in turn prejudiced the
courts.
"I compute my losses at over $7,000,000,
and I consider that I have
paid a fine of that amount besides entering
upon this manifestly outrageous
imprisonment.
"I can frankly say that at the bottom
of my heart I have never really
despair ed. I have smiled at those
who have been 'solicitous about my
making away with myself or trying
to escape from prison. The idea of
self-destruction has never crossed my
mind.
"While by this brutal sentence I
may be brought to ruin, the damage
done to me as an individual is not
half as important as the injury to
the administration of justice in this
country."
FOR OTHERS.
Public Was Prejudiced, Declares the
Imprisoned Banker, and This Prejudice
in Turn Had a Noticeable Effect
on the Courts.
New York, March 29.-In a signed
article printed here, Charles W. Morse,
now serving a fifteen-years' sentence
in the federal prison in Atlanta for
violating the national banking law,
declares:
"I am in this prison today for making
$250,000 for the Bank of North
America, and turning it over to that
institution."
He declares he was made the scapegoat
by men in high finance who
been wolfing everything in sight
years and claims if his transactions
were fraudulent then no banker in the
country is innocent.
What Morse Says.
Among other statements made by
Mr. Morse are these:
"Corporations may not have souls,
but their individual members have,
and they have hearts as well, and their
hearts may be made to suffer as keenly
as the hearts of poorer men.
"Because I was quiet and did not
take everybody into my confidence, I
was regarded curiously as a man of
mystery-a man of surprises.
"If I had all these transactions to
do over again or any of the others I
do not believe that I would act differently.
I was never a welcome factor
in New York finance. I was regarded
as an uncertain and disquieting
element and I suppose I did disturb
the dreams of some of the heavier
capitalists.
"Individuals and cliques whom it
would be invidious to designate, but
whose names must naturally occur to
anybody familiar with finances in this
country, made attempt after attempt
to crush or cripple me.
"All my life I have observed that
the passions of a mob are easily
swayed, but I had never dreamed of
becoming the victim of one.
He Was Logical Victim.
"I was the logical victim, because
I was the one who had been 'stirring
up the animals,' and the animals were
all growling at me and awaiting their
opportunity to get at me.
"At times it seemed that the whole
financial world was in full cry after
me like a pack of wolves trying to tear
me down.
"The public was prejudiced against
me, and this in turn prejudiced the
courts.
"I compute my losses at over $7,000,000,
and I consider that I have
paid a fine of that amount besides entering
upon this manifestly outrageous
imprisonment.
"I can frankly say that at the bottom
of my heart I have never really
despair ed. I have smiled at those
who have been 'solicitous about my
making away with myself or trying
to escape from prison. The idea of
self-destruction has never crossed my
mind.
"While by this brutal sentence I
may be brought to ruin, the damage
done to me as an individual is not
half as important as the injury to
the administration of justice in this
country."
What sub-type of article is it?
Biography
Crime Story
What themes does it cover?
Misfortune
Justice
Deception
What keywords are associated?
Charles Morse
Banking Violation
Scapegoat
Financial Prejudice
Prison Sentence
What entities or persons were involved?
Charles W. Morse
Where did it happen?
New York; Federal Prison In Atlanta
Story Details
Key Persons
Charles W. Morse
Location
New York; Federal Prison In Atlanta
Event Date
March 29
Story Details
Imprisoned banker Charles W. Morse claims he was made a scapegoat by high financiers for profitable banking transactions, prejudiced by public and courts, resulting in a 15-year sentence for violating national banking laws and personal losses over $7,000,000.