Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-04-03

~ S''O y SicSn ANSoNoy AAS' AANS sAAS
jury in the Sebastian murder trial,
which had agreed at midnight returned
into court verdict of guilty of murder
in the second degree, fixing the punish
ment at imprisonment in the peniten-
tiary for life, the maximum penalty.
The defendant betrayed no emotion
until Clerk Cockrill began to read the
verdict. Then he grew pale, but recov-
cred his composure as soon as he heard
the sentence.
Judge Benton remanded the convicted
10 o'clock Of Saturday morning, April 4,
when he will formally pass the sentence
imposed by the jury.
Ths verdict seemed to be approved by
the public generally; only those who did
not hear the evidence protested that the
jurors did not do their duty. Many of
those VINO heard the evidence consider
the defendant insane, but believe that
the prisoner may az well spend his life
in the penitentiary as in the asylum.
A TRIBUNE reporter saw Sebastian at
the county jail Tuesday evening. He
said that he was feeling better than he
felt during the trial. When asked how
he liked the verdict, he replied that it
was all he could expect in view of the
prejudice against him in the community.
He insisted that the people would, at
some time, learn that he had no inten-
ton of killing "that woman;" mean
while, he said, he did not care: no one
l.
and little sister, and he guessed it did
not make any difference what was done
with him, but he did not want the peo-
pie to believe that he intended to kill
his wife. He said that he took the gun
his wife had; Mrs. Hoffman and his wife
spoke of Dan Frost's having the guns,
and then everything became silent for a
his nervousness, the gun went off. He
said that he had not heard of his wife g
adultery until Just before he entered the
house. He accused Mrs. Hoffman of
having caused the trouble between him
self and wife, and seemed to be rather
bitter toward her.
He described the spells to which he is
subject ss leaving him helpless; he said
that If a man should attempt to shoot
him when he was in one of those spells
he could not defend himself; and said
that he must have been in such a condi-
ton when he shot his wife.
He spoke of the testimony in the trial
showing that he had paid attention to il
as he sat with eyes downcast and face
averted.
When asked if he had ever thought
that he was in danger of death, he re
piled in the negative, and said that be
had not cared what was done, except
that the people should know that he die
not want to kill that woman
He expressed reconciliation to hi
fate, and his gratitude to his attorneys
Stanton & Stanton, for what be termed
their noble fight for him; he knew tina
everything was against him all the time
and they did all that he had expected
then 20 do, lie was grateful, evidently
but ha did not seen 10 realize that III
attnrneyr, and they alone, had saved hin
from death on the pGlIoUe.
Il iH uGuarstapI t1at the joTy on th
first ballot. stood 8 for conviction o.
murder IN tie tir8c degree, rr9 FOR cen
yiction OF murder in tho geep1d drrre,
and one for acquiltal by reason of in
san r.. On the subsequent b4ilptB, Un
til Ike last, the vote wag 10 for col
viction # murder in tho first degree, an
two for conviction OF murder in Ii
second dagree, with life sentence,