The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-01
GUILTY OF MURDER
John Sebastian Will Serve a Life Sen
tence in the Pen
THE VERDICT is APPROVED
Steve Leyden Has Gone to Deer
Lodge-Cases of Minor mpor-
lance Up for Trial-Matters
oettled in Court.

Great Falls, March 31.-The court
room this morning was filled as IL was
understood that the jury in the Sebas-
tian murder case had reached a YER
dict after nearly IL hours of delibera-
ton and disagreement. The defendant
was seated in his usual place inside the
railing and appeared stolidly indiffer-
ent and uninterested In the proceedings
except for the continual twitching and
twirling Of his hat, which he has kept
up during the entire week of the trial.
The jury had been out since O'Clock
p. m. yesterday. For a long time II
seemed as If 1t would be impossible for
them to arrive at verdict and at 3
O'Clock in the evening they asked to be
polled and excused, but Judge Benton
declined to grant their request and at
ii O'Clock the jury was locked up for the
night. About ~ o'clock an agreement
was reached and cots were prepared
for them in the court room. They
were a tired looking lot as they filed in
from the jury room and took the seats
they had been holding down for a long
tiresome week. Every eye was on
Judge Benton as the foreman handed
him the verdict. The usual breathless
silence followed as Clerk Cockrill, after
endorsing the finding, arose and an
nounced that the jury had found John
Sebantian guilty of murder in the Sec
ond degree and sentenced him to inn
prisonment for life at Deer Lodge
While at the beginning of the trial
there was a very strong undercurrent
of prejudice against Sebastian and the
general expression of opinion was that
the killing was a cold blooded murder
and that hanging was too good for the
man. yet the development of evidence
throughout the course of the trial has
worked a decided change and the find
ing of the jury is very generally en-
dorsed.
Steve Leyden has been taken to Deer
Lodge and will begin serving out his
sentence of three years for the killing
of Victor Zig. He has decided not to
make an appeal for new trial
Civil cases of minor importance will
occupy the attention of the court for
the remainder of the week after which
the criminal cases against O. j. Freu-
denthal, charged with running a gam
bling establishment without a license;
Mollie Thompson, an appeal case from
Judge Races court; and Fred Whit
taker ct al, a case growing out Of a
row between two logging crews over
timber lands.
Thirty-seven civil actions have been
continued and ten on the docket are to
be tried without jury and a large pro-
portion of those cases still on for trial.
dismissed.
An officer has been sent after Fred
Whitaker Charles Knudson and James
Barker who failed to appear last Sat
urdey to plead to information in an as
sault case i'm which they are defend
ants. and were subpoenaed. Under
the law their bonds are forfeited by
their non-appearance.
Suit has been enterd by James Gree
ley through his attorney. II. Il. Brady,
against the county of Cascade to re-
cover 81 800 and interest. The action
arises from a check given Mr.. Greeley
by the county, drawn on the Merch-
ants National bank.
In the case of Bovard VS.. the Amer
loan Brewing company. the jury re-
turned a verdict of $27S for the plain
tiff. A verdict of SIT for the plaintiff
was returned in the case of William
Walker VS.. II. w. Milard