The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1926-12-23
GUILTY OF MANSLAUCHTER
VERDICT IN KITTOCK CASE
Defendant Charged With Staying of Carl Segert
Benrud Homesteader, Tried At Scobey-Nine-
Year Old Girl States Chief Witness s-Polish De-
tective On The Case-Intense Interest Surrounds
Mystery.
KITTOCK FOUND GUILTY

KITTOCK FOUND GUILTY
After delibera ting FIVE hours
the jury in the Kittock man
slaughter case at Scobey
| brought in verdict of guilty
at $3.50 Wednesday evening
| The punishment was left to the
court and Judge Paul set De-
cember 28, at 9 o'clock as the
time for pronouncing sentence
History of Trial
Scobey, Dec. 14.-Selecting a
jury TO hear the trial of Joe Kit
took, who is charged with man
slaughter in connection with the
death of Carl Seigert in this city
early in the spring 1926, has gone
forward slowly. The jury panel,
which included 65 names, had
been reduced to 40 by the time the
Kittock case was called, the other
jurors having been excluded for
one reason or another by Judge
IS. f. Paul of Plentywood, presid-
ing.
Counsel on each side admitted
taat it might not be possible to
fill the jury box from the panel
available, whereupom special
venire would be drawn.
Nine-year-old Girl Witness
The body Of Seigert was found
on May 16, 1925, in the Poplar
river with bullet hole through
his head. Every effort was made
at the time to discover some def
mite clue which would lead to the
murderer, but without success.
Last June 9-year-old Elsie He'd
erick told story of quarrel at
her Grandmother Kittock's home
which resulted in the death of a
man. She said her Uncle Joe kill
ed him and put the body in the
river The arrest of Joe Kittock
followed. He gave bond, was given
a preliminary hearing amid bound
over to the district court.
George Ericsson of Poplar, as
s9ciate counsel for the defense,
has Withdrawn and Thomas M.
K,9egan Of Sco'bey is handling the
defense alone. Thomas F. Clifford
of Scobey is assisting John S. Ny
quist in the prosecution.
A large number of witnesses are
being called from Poplar and 9TH
er points and it is expected that
he examination of witnesses will
consume 10 days or more.
Even for the tedious business of
examining the jury, the court
room was full. The sensational
story of the child witness had
caused intense interest in the
case.
Bride Attends Trial
Mrs. Agnes Seigert of Long
Prairie, Mimi, mother Of Carl
Seigert, the slain man, was also
a witness. During the examination
of other witnesses she sits calmly
in court while the law determines
whether or not this is the. case
that will avenge the death of her
boy.
Another interested witness is
'Ihe accused mans wife, who mar
ried him couple of months ago.
Mrs. Kittock was formerly Chris
tine Larsen and was employed in
Wolf Point. Other relatives of
the accused are present and it is
said relatives from Poplar will
come to testify regarding the lit
tie girls visits to Scobey.
The Jury
Giving heed to every question
and every reply, the jury which
will decide Kittock's fate shows
marked attention. The twelve men
are: VIM. Northelfer, Whitehall;
D. McGibbon, Scobey; E. NJ. Jack
SON, Ma.dioc; Melvin Jones. Peer
less; John Englund, Madoc; H. J.
Bourassa, Madoc; Arnt homeland,
w. E. Schneekloth,
Continued on last page)