Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-03-29
DAY OF TESTIMONY
In the Seifred Incest Case in the Dis
trict COurt-The Prosecution
Has Rested
And the Defendant Is On the Stand
He Testified to Quarrels With
Frank Seifred.

The district court was occupied all
day Monday with the Seifred incest
case. and an evening session was held.
For the state Mrs. Frank Seifred,
James Seifred, Lizzie Seifred, William
Seifred and W. NJ. Cockrill were wit
nesses. The complainant was re- called.
No new facts of general interest were
testified to by these witnesses, their
testimony being corroborative. At 3 p.
M. the state rested and the defendant,
Geo. B. Seifred, took tbs stand in his
own behalf. His direct examination
WAS mainly devoted to showing that the
prosecution was inspired by malice. Re-
ferring to the family council last No
vember, he swore that at that time he
denied that he had had improper rela-
tions with Ada, and declared it was a
plot to ruin him. He afterwards told
his brother James that Ada had been
whipped for such a thing by her mother.
At the February meeting Ada and
Jimmie were in the kitchen, when
George first entered the house,
Frank went out and closed the door.
When the three came in Frank said:
"Now, Ada, what do you WANT" She
replied: Il want him to give up every
thing he's got and skip the country
She did not ask for money for her to go
away during her sickness. When wit
ness gave Frank the affidavit for Ada to
sign, Frank said Ada should not sign it
if he could help it. Later Frank de-
manded that defendant sign a confess
sion, saying: "You had better sign it
and give her what you've got, fer she will
get it anyhow At the second February
meeting Ada demanded money to help
her through her sickness. Defendant
replied: "Iou people don't want the
same as you did BEFORE" and left the
house."
Frank Seifred was then called for the
defense. He denied that he had had
qnarrels with George and denied that he
had threatened to assault defendant.
Then the defendant was recalled.
In September, 1893, Frank had shook
his fist at defendant in a quarrel over the
use of a buggy. In September, 1894,
Frank raised a big arm chair over de-
PENDANTS head and threatened to smash
his head. In November, 1894, when
defendant SAID that Franks wife lied
when she accused him of improper con
duct with Ada, Frank threatened to
strike him with a poker.
On cross-examination defendant said
that he, Ada and another girl went to
defendants ranch, about II miles from
home, about April 10. They we're on the
road five and a half hours. They had no
load. Defendant was certain it took five
and a half to six hours to drive the -
One bed was made on a cot. The other
blankets and four or five quilts in his
snack. He moved up there about March
90 and it was cold. He also had a single
mattress. He slept on some quilts and
used some for covering. The quilts and
blankets were divided equally between
the beds. He did not take the cot up
and set it outside the door. He did not
sleep on the floor with the girls. He did
not sleep next to Ada.
About April % witness and Ada came
to town, when Ada secured her medicine.
Had heard of Ada's ailments several
times. Heard of them first in the fall of
1892. Had not heard of them immedi-
ately prior to the time he and Ada came
to Great Falls togther. He did testify
on direct examination that he had Sc
cured medicine for Ada about two weeks
prior to their trip to Great Falls.
On the trip to Great Falls he asked
Ada if she had ever had anything to do
with any men. She denied it. He said,
Would to God that anybody else had
charge of you but me, for it anything
should happen to you they would blame
me on account of my guardianship
The first time Ada told defendant OF her
irregularities was after defendant had
procured medicine for her. Defendant
never gave Ada any Oil Of tansy from
bottle in his pocket.
SCANDINANIAN METHODISTS.