The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1905-05-12
is AT DEATHS DOOR
UNITED STATES JUDGE BEL
LINGER SERIOUSLY I'LL.
Contracted Cold While Hearing Land
Fraud Cases and Complications
Have Set In.

Charles b. BellingeI, Judge of the
United States Court, is critically i'll
at his home on the East Side, and the
chances for his recovery are SO slight
that hope is practically abandoned and
family and friends are waiting for the
end.
The mental strain caused by the re-
sponsibilities incident to the land fraud
investigations and trials which have
been proceeding under his jurisdic-
tion for the past several months, have
says the Oregonian, sapped the
strength of the aging jurist and weak
ened him until when he was attacked
by the grip upon the day of his decis-
ion in the case of the Mitchell abate-
ment plea, he was unable to rally com
pletely, and is now on the verge of
the grave, suffering from relapse.
When Judge Bellinger rendered his
decision in the Mitchell plea on Tues
day, April %, it was seen by those i'll
the court room that he was suffering
and that it was with difficulty he was
able to finish his reading. Prior to
the convening of court he rested on
the couch in his office, and as soon ah
court adjourned he returned to his
room and went to bed. His physician
pronounces the case severe attack of
the grip and prescribed accordingly.
By Friday the. Judge had recovered to
such an extent that he went to his
farm on the following day, returning
in the evening. Sunday he was appar-
emily well and on Monday morning
attended court, but became i'll and
returned to his home with all of the
former symptoms greatly intensified.
From that time on his condition has
grown steadily worse and the progress
of the disease cannot be checked. As
q result of the infection due to the
grip, it is said that the Judge is suffer
ing from septicemia, or constitutional
blood poisoning. While the physician
In charge of the case will make no
other statement than that Judge Bell
niger is critically i'll, still it is known
that there is but little hope for his
recovery and that his death is expect
ed at near date.
Judge Bellinger has had the dis
tinction of having had jurisdiction
over the most important cases perhaps
ever brought before the Americna bar,
those now pending in which Senator
| Mitchell, Representatives Hermann
and Williamson and so many other
prominent men are accused of having
transgressed the laws of the United
| States.
The effect Of the death of Judge
Bellinger, if the worst should come,
upon the land fraud trials would be
serious. His knowledge of the cases at
issue, gained from his familiarity with
the testimony of the grand jury wit
nesses, and his study upon the points
of law at issue, would have had much
to do with speedy and impartial trials
Of the cases pending. In any event
there is now small likelihood that the
cases can be heard at the present term
Of court, for If the place held by Judge
Bellinger is vacated it will be some
time before successor could be APP
pointed and the cases would be GER
tain to go over at least until the 0cto-
/ Der term of court. In the event of
Judge Bellingers recovery he would not
be able to hear the cases before Octo-
ber, if them