, 1858-01-29


for Lesehi to have been present wbcn o,',Tle ~
murder was committed. Lieut., Col ~. s"e
OF the army also, in his official capocitr
dressed letter to the Governor prov;na au
respite for Lesohi Col. Wright a1o,Sd s
officer Of the army, was appealed 70 aN5
joined Tolmic and Casey in LesebT, bot"T aIS
Governor McMullin laid aside tbo uSH -,
generally followed by an executive offC". Cea
and went to the military post at SteilocOon,,
to give the prisoner more than fair NJ
ing. There he gave patient audience ~
all the appeals of Tomic, Casey, Kan,1
and all others who Joined them, and oo1'
Sidered them calmly and delibero,elv
this committee believes, with an carro.s 90
desire to do justice in the premises and riT'
the Indian the benefit of all doubts IN hi. nv
favor. When he had done this he camo s -
Olympia and announced his dsterminot;o.
not to interfere with the sentence of ~.
law. On Friday, the 22d inst, at 2 o,clocL
A. NJ, the Governor received the follow
ing letter from the sheriff of Pierce COUNTY
srEn.AcOoM, W. T.. Jan. 81. 1853
Sm--This afternoon called upon Col. Casey .o,.
manding Fort SteilacoOm, with the request H., NJ
would furnish me with sufficient guard to maiasn he
the supremacy of the law in the execution Of fnscL
lie did not positively refuse but informed me mai r.
he was formally requested by some person barina
authority he might on might not that he ent,siss
washed his hands of the whole ailair-that he y
sidered it murder at the best-that he and ali ~
officers Of the army entertained the same onnian
lie also further positively forbid me having hin syo
cuted upon the Government reserve, $50 called1
| would request, II in your superior Judgment von
deem IL necessary | do. that a
quest from you to Col. Casey for sufficient rusrd ~
protect me, be forwarded by the bearer of tits com
municatOn.
GEO. WILLIAMS.
Sheriff Pierce Co. W.
To His Excellcncy FAYETrE McMULLIN -
Gov. Washington Territory
Upon the receipt of this letter Gov
McMullin addressed a letter to Col Casey.
desiring him to furnish the guard. Between
the hours Of 10 and l2 O'Clock, on FRIDAY
the sheriff, George Williams, and his den.
uty and executioner, G. Mcdonald, were ar
rested by Lieut.. McKibbcn, Of the army,
and Fred. Kautz, the brother Of Lieut.
Kautz, upon a warrant issued byJ. NJ
Bachelor, U. S. Commissioner and the
suttler at the military post at Steilacoom.
They, Williams and Mcdonald were taken
into the town of Steilacoom, a mile or two
distant from the post, where the sheriff re.
manned until after the hour Of Q O'Clock.
which was the limit of time fixed for the
execution. When Williams was in Stella
COON, and, as he said, under arrest, Secre.
tary Mason, requested Mr.. Sealy to get the
death warrant from him. Mr.. Sealy pre-
ceeded to Steilacoom and demanded the pa
per- Williams refused to give il up with
out an order," rs he said. Mr.. Sealy then
asked to know by what authority be was
detained there. Lieut. MeKibbon answer
ed that Williams was under arrest and in
bis charge Mr.. Ssaly then attempted to
take Williams by force with view Of con-
veying him 10 the place where his, duty re-
quired him to be. Lieut.. McKibbon, DR..
T. B. Webber, and others, interfercd and
prevented Sealy from executing his design
Charles Mcdonald, the deputy Sheriff, and
executioner, said he would not regard the
arrest and demanded of Williams the au-
thority, (which was the death warrant Of
Lescbi, that be might proceed with his
duty. Williams refused to give him the
paper.
1t is the fixed conviction Of two truth
ful and reliable men, who witnessed this
affair, that Williams remained under arrest
willingly, and did not desire to be released.
In consequence Of this most extraordinary
and unprecedented course Of conduct the
Indian Leschi was not executed in obedi-
ence to the sentence Of the law.
In addition to the above cited (actS, the
committee have gathered sufficient informa-
tion to indnce them to believe that this
disgraceful scheme to prevent the execution
Of the law was concocted aud carried out
in the following manner:
Frank Clark, an Attorney at Law, and
one Of the counsel for Leschi, procured an
Indian to make an affidavit before J. N.
Batchelder, the U. S. Commissioner, charg-
ing Geo. Williams, the Sheriff, and @. Nc
Donald, the executioner, with selling intoI'
icating liquor to Indians, in order to justify
the infamous plQbhe was about to put in
execution. We believe Clark did this, be-
cause he requested Dr. Webber aud S
McCaw Esq, to act as deputy Marshals 90
the morning Of that day, saying there were
two persons to be arrested and that be
wanted it attended to; aud because be Of
fered 10 bet 500, on two different oeca-
sions, that Leschi would not be hung on
Friday.
Batchelder, Williams, Fred Kautz, and
McKibbon we're cognizant Of the plot
Our reasons for this belief are the conduct
of these individuals on that day.
Entertaining these views, and with the
foregoing facts before US, We would respect
fully recommend the adoption Of the iol-
lowing Resolutions:
]. Resolrsd, That we believe It is the duty o. a.,
good citizens to condemn publicly all orirages an1
particularly is it the duty OF every to publicly anG
privately denounce and condemn the late desgFaeei
and disorganiZing transaction OF Steilacoom. =.
2. ResoiUed, That the whole course Of conauss
exhibited by Dr. W. F. Tomie in this affair has Deeh zen
voluntary and unjustifabe attempt to interfere WIZ
the execution Of the laws Of Territory, win u,e
bona de citizens of which he has no II terest gn1pa
thy, afliation whatever and that thus conaues
merits and should receive the general eondemna''On
Of our whole people. t.,
3. ResOlUsd, That we deem the conduct Of Lel ~.
Col Casey Ieut KautZ and all other officers OF ths