Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-12
IDA MITCHELL GOES FREE
Woman Who Robbed Jake Galbraith Escapes
Punishment.
VICTIM DOES NOT CARE TO PROSECUTE
Man who Lost His wealth suddenly
Leaves the city, Thus Prevent
ing the state from TAX
ing Action.

ing the state from TAX
ing Action.
Ida Mitchell, alias Ida Truesdae the
negress indicted on the charge of rObbing
Jake Galbrath, a white man. of Sl15, was
released from custody yesterday, the case
having been dismissed by County Attorney
Kilpack. The reason given for the dis
missa is that the evidence to sustain the
indictment was lacking. 1t is understood
that the prosecuting witness has left the
city and that there are no prospects of his
returning here, at least in the near future.
The escape of this notorious negress from
suffering the penalty of her offense Is said
to be indirectly due to the fact that the
city authorities permit the gambling houses
to- run wide open. The attorney for the
Truesdale woman saw in this loophole
whereby his client could escape conviction
and serving term in the pententiary and
was not slow to avail himself of it. The
day following the arrest of his client he
filed an information against Galbraith for
gambling and, although no warrant was ever
issued the complaint was held as a club
over the head of the prosecuting witness.
II was with some difficulty that Galbraith
could be induced to appear before the grand
Jury, but he finally did SO. No steps, how
yer, were taken by the authorities to bind
i'm over as a witness and as soon as he
ecured the return of his money he left the
'ity, taking his family with him His sud
zen departure was due not only to the fact
hat Ida Truesdale's attorney threatened
rim with arrest as a gambler, but also
threatened that If the case were pushed
lgainst the woman he would have every
Gambling house in the city closed whether
Mayor Jennings or Chief of Police BiXby
liked it or not Under these circumstances
iC is said that the city authorities are not
grieving very deeply at the disappearance
# Galbraith and the dropping of the case.
At the time the woman was arrested in
Omaha $50 of the money stolen from Gal
brath was found in her possession and
later $22.5O was recovered from negro por-
ter in this city to whom she had given it.
The day following her arrest she signed an
order directing that the money be turned
avcr to Chief BiXby and in this order she
admitted that the money was the property
# Galbraith. This admission, IL was be-
lieved at the time, would have been suf
fcient to have convicted the woman and
sent her to the pententary. The dispost-
tion of this money by the police gave rise
to a number of rumors more or less reflect
ing on the department. Yesterday, when
he learned that the case had been dismissed
and the woman released. Chief Bixby eX-
hibited a second order from the negress, au
thOriZing the money to be turned over to
GalbTaith and also a receipt from Galbrath
for it. The chief also exhibited a COM
munication from County Attorney Kilpack
stating that the money would not be
quired as evidence in the case. The money
II
on February %.
Oliver Cornell, indicted on the charge of
conspiring to defraud Henry Funk of Glen
wood out of $J was released from the county
Jail yesterday, the case against him in the
districc court having been dismissed by the
county attorney. Mr.. Kilpack was of the
opinion that the evidence in the case was
not sufficient to ensure a conviction.
The three cases against George G. Bell, on
the charge of embezzemenk, were at the re-
quest of the defendant continued until next
term. Bell was indicted in January, 1898,
but his trial has been continued at each
successive term of court since. He was for
merly in the commission business on South
Main street and is, charged with embe2zliug
the proceeds of two carloads of potatoes
consigned to him TO sell on commission by
the firm of Owens & Perry of Aberdeen, S.
d. ana or consignment or grapes en-
trusted to him by J. j. Cook of this city.
He is out on bail in the sum of $500 IN each
case.
Considerable difficulty was experienced in
securing jury for the second triar of John
Lawrence and r. b. Tracy and it was nearly
II o'clock yesterday morning before a jury
impaneled and not until after four spe-
cial venires had been issued. The trial was
not completed when court adjourned.
The jury in the case in which Lawrence
and Tracy were tried on the charge of steal
ing LorenZ's chickens failed to arrive at
verdict yesterday after being out since Fri
day afternoon They quit balloting at
O'Clock last night and went to bed and will
go at it again this morning.
In the superior court yesterday Charles
Gregory was granted default in his suit
against John Lindt to recover on a prom
issory note for $500.