The Alaska daily empire., 1921-10-20
SEKIN0FF CASE NOW COMPLETED;
 JURY STILL OUT
Arguments Closed at 3:2O ?. M. Defense Claims
 Attempted Conspiracy.


 The jury in the case of the U. s. vs Pete Sekinoff. charged with a statutory crime, retired at 3:30 this afternoon after listening to the clos ing arguments of attorneys for both sides and receiving the icstructions of Judge T. M. Reed. The case, which has occupied most of the cast two days, was tried behind closed doors.
 In furthering the theory of the de- fense that Sekinoff is the victim of an attempted frame-up by the com plaining witnesses. Attorney Marshall in his argument dwelt largely on what he termed inconsistencies and apparent contradictions in the tesii mony of important witnesses for the such possibility of such a theory be ing true and asked for verdict of guilty. The jury had not reported late this afternoon.
 Claims Conspiracy
 J. B. Marshall, counsel for the de fendant, announced in answer to a question from the government attor. ney that the theory of the defense was that the parents of the little girl were attempting to beat the defend ant out of money, admitted by them to be owed to Sekinoff by having him prosecuted on criminal charge.
 Defendant on Stand
 The greater part of the morning was occupied in direct and cross ex. animation of the defendant. Through an interpreter, he gave his side of the story of his acquaintance with the family, of services claimed to have been rendered by him to the father, of money borrowed by tha father on mortgage of the family home and of attempts made to col lect it. He admitted being on terms of friendship with the entire family and gift made the alleged victim. He denied having improper relations with the girl and said that the first time he had ever heard that he was so charged was at the time he was taken into custody by a Deputy U. s. Marshal. He held substantially to his story under cross examination.
 Little Rebuttai Evidence
 l. With the completion of the defend ants cross examination, the defense rested it's case. Three witnesses were called by District Attorney Shoup in rebuttal in an attempt to discredit certain testimony intro duced by the defense. Mir. Shoup started on the opening argument for the government just before noon
 Government Rests
 The government completed it's in. troduction of evidence yesterday aft ernoon at 4 o'clock, the final witness being the mother of the alleged vic tim. The woman corroborated testi mony given by the, other principal witnesses for the prosecution s~ ' as Defense opers
 Three witnesses were called by the defense, yesterday afternoon, being Alex Sokoloff, Ernest Millarger and P. 'Sosoff Their testimony bore on an alleged meeting between the father of the girl and the defendant which it is claimed by the defense was had at the instigation of the former and inz which the defendant was invited to visit the formers home and "be friends again."
 Completing the examination of these witnesses. Attorney Marshall asked that the case be continued until today in order that he might have time to consult his client. The request, without opposition from Dis. trict Attorney Shoup. was granted by Judge Reed. =.