The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-08
BAD FOR SMUGGLERS.
Oregon Judge Rules an Accom-
plice's Testimony Good.
WORK At STATE FAIR GROUNDS.
Pessibis Eject - Award ~ Man Coz.
txaets-Psss Angeles Apprsiss-
neus % Ne Approved.

PORTLAND. Dec. 7.-Judge Beilingef, OF
the United States district court, created .
surprise today by announcing in open
court that he had erred in the ruling made
in the Dunbar smuggling trial, that con-
yiction could net be had on the evidence
Of sccomplices without corroborating tss-
timony. The court said:
I'm that case ruled that there would
be 40 conviction without the testimony OF
others than accompiices. did this with
out investigation. / have since investi-
gated ii, and find that the testimony OF an
sccompiice is SUFFICIENT evidences for jury
10 convict II they believe the testimony Is
true. make this statement now so that
counsel will not be taken by surprise.
am satisfied l made mistake In the
ruling, and / hasien TO correct 1t at the
earliest possible moment"
The ruling which Judge Bellinger stated
was in error was that on which he based
his instructions to the jury that convic-
ton could not be had on eight Of the four
teen counts in the indictment against
William Dunbar, On trial for smuggling
opium, because there was no testimony
corroborating that of Blum, lacking. Gar
thorne and Berg. who were accomplices
and who pleaded guilty and testified for
the government 1t was on the remaining
six counts that the jury returned verdict
OF guilty against Dunbar. The announce
ment Of Judge Be!iinger viii have an inn
portant bearing on the remaining cases
against the ring" a. il 10 probable Blum.
lacking. Garthorne and Berg will tell all
they know in each case.
indictment against Dunbar, Blum, e. P.
~of e.
for smuggling opium.
The jury also returned an indictment
against o. p. Mason and Il. p. Watson,
publishers Of the Sunday Mercury, for
sending obscene matter through the mails.
Mason and Watson were convicted in a
state court q few days ago for publishing
ibelous and obscene matter, and sem
fenced to one year each in the county Jail.
The United States grand jury today in
dicted George Nordale, Ed Marshall and
i. l.. Smith on a charge Of counterfeiting
silver dollars. These men had an extern
sive plant on q small island down the
Columbia. and manufactured good irhi-
tation OF coin, with which they flooded
the lower counties.
PoRT TOWNSEND, Dec. Z-[Special. l.
Maj. Wilson, who was indicted by the
United States grand jury at Portland yes
terday, for completely in smuggling oper-
atoms. first informed the United States
officers of the smuggiers' schemes carried
on by the owners and attaches of the
steamer Haytian Republic. He was the
Victoria agent for the smuggIers. and he
claims they tried to swindle him out Of
$500 in an opium deal. Not being able to
get any remuneratiye satisfaction out of
the sm1gglers. he promptly turned over to
the treasury agents copies Of the corre-
spondence which passed between him and
the Portland gang. This move brought
his debtors TO time and the Claim was set
tied. When tho grand jury convened,
wilson failed 70 show up and testify ac-
cording TO his agreement with the govern
ments officers. who thereupon had him
indicted. II is said that it will be almost
impossible to convict the ringleaders with
out Wilson's correspondence. Wilson has
taken up permanent residence at Vic
toria for an indefinite period.