The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-15
I,EONI ON THE STAND.
His Story of the Death Struggle
With Richards.
rHe DECEASED THE AGGREssoR.
n Beat and Choked the Defendant,
who Fought For His Life-Leoni
Did Not Mean to Shoot.

1 Carrie Richards, was finished yesterday after
.oon, and the argument of the case will begin
MS morning. The killing is admitted, and
DE object OF the testimony was to show the cir
l uns;ances under which the deed was commit
"A Apart from the defendants own story It
II gu sill circUmstantia!, as there was no eye-si.-
n sess 10 the act further than the two men who
anticipated in IL
i rhe first witness called yesterday morning
Sss n. d. Ciegg, He testified that on the day
Il ii the killing he was rowing on the lake with
4 hs wife and had heard ono or two shots fred
i o Mercer island. some time later he had dis
covered the BODY OF Richards, which had washed
shore on the esst side of the island, and had
4 notified the coroner.
Joseph Dean, who lives on Lake Washington,
! Hstihed that a few days before the killing
l Richards stopped at his house to buy glass Of
i milk, and bad pulled several silver coins and n
30 gold piece when about to pay for the milk.
o. C. Luther testified that he had known
Richards since last March, and had seen him
out hunting. The last time he saw him was on
April .. W hen shown the gun put in evidence
/ eihe one that did the shooting, the witness
i thought 1t looked Ike the one owned by Rich
afds. He had borrowed the gun OF Frank seine,
han who lived at one time with Richards,
i odd used il Tor two weeks.
J. L. Anderson, master of the steamer C. c.
| Caikins, testified that the 22d day OF last
April he cav Leoni on the lake IN boat and
tewed it around TO his cabin Leoni was in
red, fat-bottomed boat. containing some fishing
l poles and box of provisions. Leonf told him
bewas going fishing.
David b. Taylor, foreman of the Taylor mill
l On Lake Washington. had seen Leoni during
Anil picking up logs and fishing not far from
! Tie mill. Richards. the deal man, had sold
him logs. but had given . different name,
Henry Leon.
Deputy Sheriff Jack Mcdonald testified that
he arrested Leoni between Everett and Muki,-
l teo He had found the defendant four miles
east OF spaxsum, In British Columbia, on the
Canadian Pacific railroad and the Fraser river.
He had not arrested Leoni in British Columbia
Coz fear of his being habeas corpused, and did
not serve the warrant until he had him in the
United States. He had told Leoni that he was
wanted for the murder and that Puccia had
told the whole affair Leoni then asked him:
"Do you know Richards?" The witness replied
that he did and Leoni had said: Then you
couldn't blame me for killing him" Lsoni had
I then told the witness tho story OF the killing.
Richards, he said, was an overbearng man and
frequently abused him. On the day OF the kill
ing he had said: "You - Dago -, &c.
cut" Leoni had started to wrap up his blankets.
While he was kneeling down Richards jumped
% his back and began choking and beating
him To defend himself he had struck mp over
Bis shoulder with the knife several times In
ts scufie the knife was lost and then Ieoni.
hng free, ran out of the back door. Looking
heck be saw Richards coming with an ak. He
prked up the gun, which leaned against the
eatSide of the cabin, and it went off accident
sgy, killing Richards. Afterward he and
Psccis went back and dragged the body down
Nths lake and threw ii in. When the witness
had asked Leoni why he had not come to the
sserifs ONCE to tell the officers he had an.
wered that he was afraid OF mob
Jacob wencheil the last witness for the state,
keeps chicken ranch near Leonis cabin, on
Lake Washington. On the day of the shooting
Leoui and Puccia had sold him . gun and a
boat for SC, and he had also turned over to Lconi
3 that he was keeping for him.
On cross-examinaton. the witness said that
Isoni was scratched about the neck and face
The witness had asked him IL he had a fight,
and he had said "No." Afterwards Leoni, who
was crying like baby. told him he had killed
man.
1 The defense opened its case by calling NJ G.
. Gorrie, the proprietor OF marble yard. He had
Known Leoni for three years, and had employed
hin for short time. He considered Leonis
kputaslon good as far as his being peaceanle
sau.
Archie Goyrie, brother of the preceding
Witness, testified 10 practically the same things.
l William II. Wilson, marble cutter. testified
/ hai be hes known Leoni for the last two and
l bali years. and that he has good reputation.
l he admitted on cross-examinatlon that he had
not seen Leoni more than eight or ten times
during the period that he has known him. At
TIE marble yard. where the witness works, he
has heard the defendant spoken of as a quiet,
iaofensive man.
The next witness called was the defendant,
Malta Leoni Although roughly dressed, there
vas nothing in his appearance TO create II bad
3fmpIession man of middle age, with the
eGk ska and eyes and other characteristics of
en race. closely cropped black beard, rather
nfEepossessing features and sub9ued manner.
va the stand the witness spoke freely, evidently
attempting 10 withhold nothing. There was,
sowever, no trace of bravado. and be evidently
tppFeeiated the seriousness OF his position. He
POKE in broken English, but there WAS gen.
Haliy no trouble in understanding what he
aid Occasionally he illustrated his words,
specially When telling of Richards harsh
lords and actions, by vehement gestures. The
sory that he told, in the peculiar style OF an
aaian who struggles to express himself, was
Easlahually as follows
he was born forty-fve years ago in Italy. He
ased there aud in France until lSS2 working
ne latter part OF the time at his trade of q
aone cutter. In 1852 he came 10 the United
sa'es, bringing Up ut san Francisco, where ne
peat q year and half. He then came TO tho
so''a Pacific coast, working At Victoria, Yale.
iae"ma aud other points, aad finally coming TO
i SAlue some time before the fire. He had
i 's.Aed az marble cutting. as COOK, and
/ az cleared land tor John Collins mcst
! ? we tine he had lived In n cabin which hs
/ sa4ii on iake Washington, below Yesler avenue,
/ a. 'Asl spring he Lad been fishing. Joe Fuccia
sfed IN ,he cabin with him at that time. one
l sanaas Richards came TO the cabia aud pro
! posed 20 him 20 go over 10 the other side of Mef
es' Island aud catch logs On Tuesday he wen:
ssst 70 tae Island and joined Richards. After
s~Ahs elgat OF Blue days they got together
'o oooms VITA about 900 feet OF timber. Al
=" Richards treated him all right. bat after
Nv Gays began 10 be rough and frequently
1 ,'o's a. Ain. On The Gay before the killing
ANhS'as hal been greatly eBraged because the
."hess WORK n handling the boom did no.
80 im The witness told him then that he
'ee'd cave the mex morning.
heFe Leon was interrupted by his counsel
"a questioned concerning ghs opinion lie had
/ W .s1 % form OF kithar 10 character. lie r.
| = 'aA' Richards had told him that be had
stAea jail either at Arlington or Snohomish,
- 'aa' Dc always carried gun because he
i 'eliG not De taken alive
AI'er the Interruption feoni took up the
.4eaa q his story again. The next morning -
49, sad that &c would leave ana Richards be-
/ "a caFsps h,ln and called him = t. d
s'so 8 D.. The witness said roth
a. "a 'ep.y. bGi went 70 roll up his blankets.
"aNe he wss leaning over Richards spraas
/ sP0a hita, cau<at him by the throat aud forced
- aeSi against the wall while beating ami
AAs h'm lie tl.eoni) saw a butcher En4te
s'ag On TIE door and made luuge . set il;
fNs Ss Richards $50 attempted 81 gel L Leoui
/ ~eGfs1 u aad ia his excitement struck out