Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-03-29
THE SE|FRED INCEST CASE
Trial of George b. Seifred Com
mences in the District Court
Before Il Jury.
The Evidence Produced by the state
in Support Of the Terrible
Charge.

When the district court convened Sat
urdaJ morning Judge Benton issued al
order excluding from the room all per
sons except officers, talesmen, member
OF the bar and representatives OF tn
press. The pending case was that OF thu
State We. George B. Seifred, charged witt
incest with bis 16-year-old sister, Ada M
Seifred, the jury consisting of Robert s
B~lankenbaker, Gold T. Curtis, r. S
Ford, E. r. Hooker, H. F. Collett, V. A
Wilson, M. j. Brattain, George M
Parker, Dan Samples. G. M. Webster and
j. A. Campbell.
The complainant. Ada M. Seifred, was
the first witness. She SAID she was Ii
years old February 4, and had lived with
her brothers and sister-in-law, Mrs.
Frank Seifred, at what is known as the
Selfred hone ranch. About two aid one
half years ago her brother George had
made improper proposals to her, and Of
fered to purchase jewelry for her. and
did purchase a ring and breast pin for
her. They were fought of Dyas
& Jones of Great Falls. Thenceforth
their improper relations continued.
April. 1894 she had cause to fear that
she was in a delicate situation and
George brought her to Great Falls to
see a doctor, who prescribed for her. and
results showed that she was not enciente
The last criminal act occurred Sept. %,
1894. Upon this the Information is
L,,en6 Aho,1t To-, Oh she haaamaa Wa re-
that she was in a delicate condition. In
October, 1894, her family learned of her
relations with George.
On cross examination questions were
put to her concerning the ages of boys
of a family in the neighborhood with
whom she was acquainted. She could
give only the approximate ages. A Sc
ries of questions relating to her actions
while camping out with other parties,
visiting at the homes of other men, and
tending u show that she might have
had opportunities for relations with
other men we're ruled out, the defense
excepting in every instance. She was
then dismissed, ne state reservlng the
right to recall her.
George Plunkett was the next witness.
Dnring last September he was engaged
at work with George Seifred about ten
miles from the home ranch of the Sci
freds. The night of Sept. %, 1894, he
and George slept at the ranch. The
next morning Sunday he went to Belt.
When he returned Ada and George were
at the house. Soon after his arrival Ada
left the room and went upstairs. In a
few minutes George followed. He ate a
cold lunch and read for a time, then
heard steps coming down the stairs and
passing outdoors. The time that elapsed
between Ada and Georges entering the
room and the steps passing down stars
was fifteen to twenty minutes. lie left
the house and found George in the yard.
Cross-eXamlned, be said he judged, from
the pitch of their voices, when they first
entered the room together, that George
and Ada were quarreling. This lasted
but a short time,
The next witness was defendants
brother, Frank, Nov. 25, 1894, he, his
wife, Ada and Jim Seifred had a consul
tation with George. George denied that
he had had any improper relations with
Ada. Frank asked George if he remem-
bered that when he brought Ada to
Great Falls in April, be had exclaimed
to her: Would to God it was
anyone but me- George said that
he declared: Would to God that it
was anyone but YOU George said that
Ada and his brothers could take every
thing he rad if it would help them out
any. In February another family coun
ell was held; Ada asked George to help
her through HI sickness, and to support
the child. He said he had 800 and could
-. nor. H. denied that he was the
E.r,=a n, er ui~sf0Itunes He said. Even
= did ~. yl.t good would it do me-"
H. ain r.. "a wiling to help Ada all
~ co.. r. 4 DAY Or two afterwards.
rrar a.. -ea ara illness returned from
C,-est -, G;aor5e gave witness a pa
-, srr --LaJ hir7 r. secure Ada's sigma
+r..+at, FaF,uarv ~ another family
g-.-srtly "a. ra1 ind Ada refused to
e,,rtrE--1a.ir' which states nat be-.
C,.,,;r, ~ carasd hv George. and
-r-,ri. ,nrrnrt ,nr.rd her was never
$500. G,1-,n aid her SIGNATURE
F..,,.g t;-g.5a ry[,id sare him
t,-rN - oa1t-
|,,sg -~ri,.l ,,a aitra.s said hA
a,,srt. ri M .tir n NJ i'm toward
Gaor,a i sa-jas ns our-.'n,s designaC
- - - D' 'H< '-I