, 1857-03-20
Trial and Conviction Of L,~hi.

| Trial ana lOhttllOn vi LtN0hi'
Tho trial Of this noted half Klikatat-
Nisqually chief, (who has been rendered
perhaps more notorious in name than deed
as the accredited head and front war chief
Of the hostiles, west Of the Cascade noun
tans,) was commenced on Monday morn
ing OF this week.
The preliminary proceedings connected
thcrewith-the examination of witnesses,
the submitting and reading Of depositions,
&c, consumed the entire day.
For the information Of such Of our read
ers as may not be familiar with the history
Of this case, we would remark, that Leschi
was taken prisoner on the Upper Nisqually
river, last fall, through the management OF
special Indian agent, S. S. Ford, jr; and
having been brought to Steilacoom, was
tried at a special term of the U. S. court,
Sd, judicial district, Associate Justice CHE
NowErH, presiding, on an indictment, char
ging him with the murder of Col. A. B..
Moses, near the Puyallup river, in Pierce
county, in October, 1855, who, in company
with Col JosErH MILES, who was also
murdered together with DR.. Burns, Mes'rs.
Tidd, Bradley, Bright, and A. B. Rabbe-
son, were on their way to the settlements,
with an express from the command Of Cap
tain Hays and Capt. MalOney, then on the
eastern slope of the Cascade mountains.
At his former trial, last November, in
the district court alluded TO, the jury were
unable to agree upon verdict, aud were
accordingly discharged. LEscH was re-
tanned prisoner, and from that time, until
the present term of court commenced in
this, the % judicial district, had been kept
in close confinement at the Fort Stelacoom
guard house.
The principal evidence on the part OF
the prosecution, was that Of A. B. Rab-
beson, Esq, who, as will be seen by tue
above, was in company with Col. Moses at
the time be was murdered. The evidence,
we learn, was clear and unquestionable, as
establishing the guilt Of Leschi, and as we
are told, corresponds, substantially, with
Mr.. Rabbeson's former evidence, at the
time Of Lcschi's previons trial. c. II.
Mason, Esq, also gave evidence favorable
for the prosecution. -..
The principal evidence introduced on
the part of the defence, was that Of DR..
ToLNIE, Chief Factor, H. B. Co., Fort
Nisqually, Messrs. Swan, Bradley, Benson,
and others, Of Pierce county, Col. M. T
Simmons, Indian Agent, and A, ]. Sim
mons.
The prosecution was ably conducted by
B. F. Kendall, Esq, and ]. S. Smith, Esq,
and an able defence was made BY Col. W
H. Wallace and Frank Clark, Esa The
addresses to the jury Of Messrs. Smith and
Wallace, particularly, are spoken of in
terms Of the highest commendation-that ol
Mr.. Smith is pronounced somewhat Of a
masterpiece. Every thing connected with
the trial, we are told, was conducted fairly
and honorably-no small advantage having
been sought by either party. The charge
Of Chief Justice LANDER to the jury was
clear, and to the point The arguments Oi
counsel being concluded, the jury retired
about u o'clock, NJ, lat hight, and next
morning, Thursday, at s o'clock, they re-
turned verdict af guilty" rs charged in
the Indictment. oen1 .r
P.S-Aiter the verdict of the jury had
been rendered, a motion, and lengthy argu-
ments were made blythe attorneys for the
prisoner, showing cause why new trial
should be granted. To-day, FRIDAY the
court overruled the motion, and passed the
final sentence of death upon the prisoner
The sentence reads that Leschi is to be exc
cuted, according to law, at Fl. Steilacoom,
June 10th, 1857.