The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1905-05-16
GREAT JUkIST DEAD
JUDGE BELLINGER PASSED
AWAY FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
A kMan of Sterling Integrity His
Loss Will Be Keenly Felt By
the Whole State.

Judge Charles B. Bellinger, of the
United States district court of Oregon,
died Friday afternoon at $40 o'clock
from complication of diseases
The judge was taken seriously i'll
just after reading his decision in the
plea in abatement of Senator Mitchell
in the land fraud cases. The tremen-
dous strain attendant upon the prspar-
alton of the momentous decision
greatly sapped the vitality of the
jurist and one complication after an
other made themselves apparent.
Friday morning the Judge, surround
ed by his family, lapsed into uncon-
seriousness. Powerful stimulants
were administered with no effect. For
the past year the judge had been list
ening to the story of the land fraud
cases. He had seen men whom he
knew and respected for years drawn
into the net Of the government, indict
ed and charged with crimes and mis-
demeanors, and had been compelled in
strict performance of his duty to put
aside life long ties and all friendly
feeling and decide the points at issue
which meant either ruin to these
friends or their acquittal on all charg-
es. In almost every case the judge
found it his duty to decide against his.
friends, and this weighed very heavy
on him.
United States District Judge CHARLES
B. Bellinger was born in Knox county,
Illinois, Nov. 81, 1889, and came to
Oregon with his parents and grand
parents by OK team across the plains
in 1847.
His folks located on donation claims
near Salem, where he attended the
district schools and Willamette uni
versity. After graduation from the
university he studied law and was
admitted to the bar in 1868. He first
practiced his profession in Salem and
was elected to the house of represen-
tatives in 1868. He removed to Port
land in 1870 where he edited the Eve
ming Daily News for a year and was
then appointed clerk of the supreme
court and state reporter.
He was later appointed circuit
Judge, which office he filled ably for
two years, after which time he re-
sumed the practice of law in the firm
of Dolph, Bellinger, Mallory and 81
mon, at that time the leading law
firm of the state.
In 1893 he was appointed by Presi-
dent Cleveland to United States dis
trict judge for the district of Oregon
to succeed Judge Mathew p. Deadly,
deceased. AS district judge he added
to his fame as lawyer, but was
always considered by bench and bar
as strong lawyer, being resourceful,
untiring, well read and exceedingly
able.
AS lawyer, judge and man, he was
always ranked among the foremost and
his unswerving integrity and great
sense Of justice and right have been
the admiration of all good citizens
and CONSERVATION Of all evil doers.
Judge Bellinger has no small child
rem, his family having all grown up
He was wholesouled, social and most
entertaining man among his friends
and was fond of jokes aud anecdotes,
was a splendid story teller and royal
toast master.
No man in the state was more wide
ly or favorably known than Judge
Bellinger and his loss Is serious to the
whole state. He was always loyal to
Oregon and working for her advance
ment Reared and raised from early
boyhood in Oregon, his life is a grand
example Of ability, learning and integ-
rity worthy Of the splendid pioneer
stock from which he sprang