The San Francisco call., 1905-05-13
NOTED JURIST
ANSWERS THE
LAST SUMMONS

PORTLAND, May 12.-Judge Charles
B. Bellinger of the United States Dis
trict Court for the district of Oregon
died late this afternoon Of a complica-
tion Of diseases.
Judge Bellinger was taken seriously
Ill just after reading his decision on the
plea in abatement filed by United
States Senator Mitchell in the land
fraud cases. The strain attendant upon
the preparation of such a momentous
decision weakened the jurist, and one
complication after another followed to
sap his vitality. This morning Judge
Bellinger, surrounded by his family,
lapsed into Inconsistencies. Powerful
stimulants were administered, but with
no good effect, death ensuing this aft
ernoon.
For the past year Judge Bellinger has
been listening to the unfolding of the
story of the Oregon land frauds He
has has seen men whom he knew and
respected for years drawn into the net
of the Government, indicted and
charged with crimes and misdemean-
ors, and has been compelled In the
strict performance of his duty as Judge
of a United States court to put aside
lifelong ties and all friendly feeling
and to decide points at issue which
meant either the ruin of these friends
or their acquittal of all charges.
Charles 3. Bellinger was born at Ma
quon, ILL.,, November 21, 1889. HIS
parents brought him to Oregon in lS4I,
when he was years old. Judge Bel
linger's education was obtained In the
common schools Of Marion County and
at the Willamette University, Salem.
He was admitted to the bar In 1868, but
practiced law for only year, when ne
became editor of the Arena, Demo
cratic newspaper published at Salem.
Poor health terminated .his connection
with the newspaper two years later.
He pursued the mercantile business for
a year and re-entered the newspaper
business as editor of another political
publication. the States Right Demo
crat of Albany.
AS a result of the prominent part he
took in the political field he was elect
ed to the Legislature on the Democratic
| ticket He came to Portland to reside
in 1870. and assumed editorial control
of the Daily News, which he held about
a year, when he was appointed Prose
cutting Attorney. During the Modoc
war he served with such distinction
! as colonel of his regiment that he was
commended for gallantry in action by
General Wheaton.
| In 1880 he formed law partnership
with ex-United States Senator J. N
Dolph, Hon. Cyrus A. Dolph, Judge
Rufus Mallory and ex-United States
| Senator Joseph Simon as Dolph. Bel
| linger, Mallory & Simon, which fol
several years was the most prominent
| law firm in this State. He withdrew
from the firm in 1893, when appointed
Judge of the United States District
Court Of Oregon by President Grover
! Cleveland.
Judge Bellinger was a lawyer vel
versed in the knowledge of his profes-
sion. In addition, he possessed fine
| ~ balanced judicial mind, as is evi-
denced by the number of his decisions
sustained by the Appellate Court. His
ideas of equity were strict, which witt
the fact that he had no political affilia'
| tons with or antagonisms to the de-
! PENDANTS in the present land fraue
cases, fitted him peculiarly to try will
| Justice causes which involve the prom
! inent representatives of the Repubi
can party now at the bar.
For these reasons Judge Bellinger'!
death comes at an inopportune time
and is regretted equally by all persons
/ connected with the important cases
| What bearing his death will have OF
the land fraud cases is at present pure
Iy a matter of speculation.