Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-16
BELLEW ON STAND TODAY.
Missouri Banker to be First Witness
Against Dobbins.
PRISONERS WIFE IS IN COURT
Jury to Try Alleged MaybrRy Steerer
is Made Up Almost sOIidly of
Farmevs-Big Bunch OF
Witnesses.


The contenticn that John r. Dobbins was
himself viclim of the Vaccinations Of
the Mabray gang Of swinders is under
stood to be an important feature Of his de-
fense against charge Of larceny COM
mitted as a "steerer in a horse race
swindle. The trial began yesterday in
district court at Council Bluffs.
1t has been intimated that his attorneys
viii attempt to show that Dobblns was
himself Mike" in the operation Of a
typical Nabray race which resulted in the
loss Of $4,000 by T. w. Bellew, a banker
from Princeton, Mo- This race. which was
held in field near Council Bluffs on oc-
tober 13, 1908, forms the basis of the pros
ecution Of Dobbins now In progress
The first testimony against Dobbins will
be taken today before a jury, which was
secured yesterday after a tedious court ses-
sion occupying the entire day. The mem
bers of the jury which will try the case
are: j. II. Dau, farmer; Phil Blntz,
farmer; Henry Hastings, s. H. Fllbert, Il.
W. Wilkey farmer; s. A. Larned, A. II
Fischer, farmer; Casper BIumer retired
farmer; John Churchill, retired capitalist
Maurice Hough, farmer; q. c. Bostwick
farmer; Matt Shea, farmer.
When at $3.50 o'clock the empaneling ol
the jury was completed Judge w. r. Green
delivered the formal charge and turned
the twelve men over a. Captain L. b
Cousins, bailiff, with instructions to keeI
them constantly under his care. The jury
men are lodged at the Kiel hotel and will
not be separated until the conclusion o
the case.
The First witness.
| T. w, Bellew will probably be the first
as he is the principal to be examined b!
the state. He arrived from Princeton
early and is not missing a word Of tn
trial. He Is known as a financer in hi
community and is said to be worth abou
100000.
Through Bellows efforts about ten wit
nesses from the vicinity OF Princeton vii
be present to testify. Among these me-
viii be o. Harris, a banker from Harris
Mo-, who came near to being the stake
holder in a Mabray game, but with rar
d secretion withdrew before he became en-
tangled. T. b. Mlnter, ex-sheriff a
Princeton, will be witness at the Sc
licitation Of Mr.. Bellew. The testlmon
of this group Of witnesses will be largel
for the purpose of corroborating that O
Bellew. They will. it is understood
testify that they were approached by Dol
bins.
Both Mr.. Dobbins and his wife are ma
tives of the Princeton community and ha
been known for many years to Bellew.
Among the witnesses who arrived yes
terday were: w. H. Bedford, a member {
the Mike" fraternity from Blockow Mo
who lost 5000; c. A. Nelson of Alma
Mich, another victim, and Sam Craig,
Rock Island conductor from Kansas Cit!
Craig's run takes him through Princeto
and he is expected by the state to be abb
to tell something Of the movements {
Dobbins, with whom it is said he was we
acquainted.
Mrs. DObbins I'm Court.
Mrs. Dobbins was the only woman IN n
court room. Paying closest attention [
the movement Of the case, she sits to III
left OF her husband at the lawyers tabl
She is small, semi-blonde and rather goo
looking In her sad expression. Dobblns,
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