The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-27
ACTED VERY QUEERLY
Many Witnesses Think Sebastian Was
Out Of His Right Mind.
HIS SYMPTOMS OF INSANITY
He Slept on the Floor In Cold
Weather With the Door Open
Back In 1892 He Was
Fireman in St. Paul.
HIS SYMPTOMS OF INSANITY

Great Falls, March ga Jury was
finally secured yesterday in the case of
the state against John Sebastian, who
sits in the court room nervously
watching every move in a trial where
his life is at stake. AS usual the court
room was well filled by those appar-
emily anxious to absorb every detail of
the shocking tragedy wherein Mrs. Sc
bastian met death at the hands of her
husband.
The jury is composed of the following
gentlemen: f. d. Glaring, G.. w.
Ryan, S. e. Atkinson, III. B. Dickinson,
j. F. Stork, ]. M. Bridges, ]. G. Rum
ney, j. u. Conner, H. S. Spinner, H.
Shipkey, A. Miller. ]. F. Stewart.
In making the opening address to the
jury County Attorney Freeman said in
substance that the state would endeav
or to prove that since Sebastian and his
wife came to Great Falls, in 1898, they
had not lived happily together and that
the murdered woman was hardwork-
ing and industrious as the evidence
will show while at Mrs. Hoffman's,
where she lived after leaving her hus-
band. That Sebastian came to Great
Falls about - II, 1895, and camped
on the west side of the river; coming
across to Mrs. Hoffmans and not find
ing his wife, told Mrs. Hoffman that
she (Mrs. Hoffman) would be sorry for
what she had done. That later he got
into a discussion with his wife about
two guns and, returning the next morn
ing, tried to trade a gun which his
brother had for the two guns he
thought his wife had. In the discus
sion which followed he said to his wife
that they had lived together for 13
years and that now they would die to-
gether. Then he fired a shot which
lii AA.- he oh ftaer he-
fore his arrest he made assertions that
he would kill himself and made sew
eral attempts to do so. Mr.. Freeman
closed by saying that the state would
prove by the evidence that Sebastian
had no reason to kill his wife and that
he would expect a verdict of murder in
the first degree.
The first and most important witness
for the state was Mrs Anna Hoffman,
at whose house the killing was done.
She was somewhat nervous when first
put on the stand and shed tears and
sobbed, but finally regained her COM
posture and made a strong witness.
She said she had been living in Butte
since January last and had lived pre-
viously to that time for four years on
the river banks in Great Falls. De-
PENDANT and his wife had lived next
door to them for three or four months
in 1892, when they first came to Great
Falls, afterwards leaving for Poplar
Creek, from which place Mrs. Sebastian
returned in October, 1894, in company
with two men, and from that time had
lived with the witness until her death.
During that time Mrs. Sebastian had
worked at several sporting houses and
at times did washing with Mrs. Hoff
man. She said that Frances Sebastian
slept in the front room of the house on
a single bed.
at fha
several times after his wife came to
Mrs. Hoffman's and said he was look
ing for work In January, 1895, he left
with her a tent, a rifle and revolver,
after which he went to Columbia Falls,
returning about October last. He called
at the house between 8 and O'Clock
in the afternoon but Mrs. Sebastian
was not there He asked for the two
guns, but Mrs. Hoffman told him TO
wait until his wife returned. After
some conversation he said that Mrs.
Hoffman would be sorry all her life for
the trouble she had caused between
him and his wife. Sebastian then left,
returning about $3.50 O'Clock in the eve
ming after his wife had returned They
shook hands and seemed friendly. He
asked for the guns. They were talking
in a low tone and witness did not hear
all the conversation. Defendant had a
revolver in his belt. After a while
Mrs. Sebastian went out and sat down
on the steps of the hen house. He fol-
lowed her out and when Mrs. Hoffman
went to the door he was on his knees
in front of her looking up into her face.
After that she went into the house and
defendant left.
During previous conversation Mrs. |
Sebastian said to defendant:
81 know you will shoot me; you
might as well do il tonight as to-mor
row.
she also said to Mrs. Hoffman: II
feel he is going to shoot me-"
The following morning, while Mrs. |
Hoffman was getting up, Sebastian |
called again. His wife was getting |
breakfast ready. They began to talk |
about the guns again. She said she |
had sold them and would give him $25 |
for them If he would give her buck |
skin dress and saddle. After further |
talk he went out. called his brother. I
got the gun he had and wanted to 1
trade with his wife. She said she did i
not want that gun ana had no use for /
il. Then. after little while. she heard /
him say:
MY dear wife we have lived 13 /
years together and have had a pretty |
hard time of il. Wen die together"
The shot followed Immediately. Mrs. /
Sebastian staggered across the room I
and into Mrs. Hoffman's sleeping /
room, sat down on the ped ana then 4
fell forward TO the floor Sebastian 4
had followed her and tried to get an z
other shot, but Mrs. HOFFMAN knocked /
w the gun and finally grabbed the 4
weapon out of his hand. Then he left .
the house. after having regained pos
session Of the gun.
Upon cross-examination Mrs. Hof- 1
man said that Mrs. Sebastian never l
called herself Mrs. Frost. although /
others dii. She had two beds in the I
house. one for herself and children anu I
M ether for Mrs. Sebastian. Dan .
Frost always stopped al her house
when he was in town and kept his 1
trunk and clothing there. After leav-
ing her husband az Poplar creek Mrs
Sebastian came 10 Great Falls with 4
Dan Frost ana Joe Soto. a Mexican
At one time Mrs. Sebastian promised
TO go back and live with aer husband.