Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2004)
December 9, 2004 P.ige 7 Spilyqy Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon Washington court considers Chief Leschi's legacy Will he be known as hero or murderer? YELM, Wash. (AP) - Chief Leschi fought to preserve his tribe's way of life and died a hero to his people. But in the official records of Washington state, Leschi is a convicted murderer, hanged for the death of a militia soldier in the 1855 Indian War. Everyone from Leschi's ex ecutioner to respected historians have questioned his guilt. This week, the chief justice of Wash ington state's Supreme Court is convening a historical trial to seek justice, at long last, for Chief Leschi. "It's a search for the truth," Chief Justice Gerry Alexander said. The search began generations ago, among Nisqually Indians who kept Leschi's legacy alive through stories they told their children and grandchildren. Cynthia Iyall, a descendant of Leschi's sister, remembers visiting her grandfather's home on a bluff whe're Leschi (pro nounced LESH-eye) and his brother Quiemuth (KWAY muth) used to camp. "It was just fantastic. He would tell us how they used to burn the prairies for grazing, and about their horses," Iyall said. "They had a view for miles. , I could imagine way back when, Leschi and Quiemuth sitting up there watching the militia men." Iyall grew up knowing Leschi's life by heart. She didn't dwell much on his death until she had a child and started thinking about the stories she would pass down to him. "It really makes a big differ ence tolcnow who your ances tors are and where they came from, and pass that on to your kids," Iyall said. "To know our historical icon, the person who is why we are here today, is con sidered a murderer - the people of Washington state need to know the true history." Legend says a bright star rose over the Nisqually plains the night Leschi was born in 1808. Wealthy in horses, Leschi was also known for his wisdom and eloquence. The Nisqually Indians did not have formal chiefs, though. That distinction was conferred upon Leschi by Isaac Stevens, Washington's first territorial gov ernor, who needed someone to sign treaties for the tribe. The Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854 defined reservations for the Nisqually and several other Puget Sound tribes. An X appears next to Leschi's name, though some historians say he refused to sign. The treaty con signed the Nisqually - whose original name, Squally-absch, meant "people of the river and people of the grass country" -to a high forest, cut off from their homes on the prairie and the river. War between the Indians and the territorial militia broke out in 1855, and in 1856 Leschi was captured on Stevens' orders. The government charged Leschi with the murder of Col. A. Benton Moses, a militia sol dier killed in battle. The trial ended with a hung jury. At the second trial, the court refused to instruct the jury that killing an enemy solider in war is not considered murder. Leschi was convicted and sentenced to death. On appeal, the territorial Su preme Court declined to con sider new evidence showing Leschi was miles away when Moses was killed. The U.S. Army refused to execute Leschi, as military lead ers believed the rules of war should have prevented him from being charged with mur der. Then as now, debate raged about the distinction between prisoners of war, "enemy com batants" and terrorists. Pierce County authorities oversaw Leschi's execution on Feb. 19, 1858. Indian drums sounded in the distance as Leschi stood on the gallows. His hangman, Charles Grainger, later said, "I felt then I was hanging an innocent man, and I believe it yet." Leschi did win one battle in the end: after his death, the gov ernment moved the Nisqually reservation to a more suitable spot on the river, about 50 miles south of Seattle, where his de scendants still live. When Iyall was hired as the Nisqually tribe's economic development planner, she also became chairwoman of the Committee to Exonerate Chief Leschi. Just 05 DODGE 3500 QUAD 4X4 H.D. CUMMINS, SLT, PSEAT ffS$34j31 FACTORY F8AT HOLIDAY BONUS 100 32615 05 CHRYSLER PT CONV. TURBO. GT. FUN $26,720 ftOO Q FACTORY REBATE 3261 5 A 04 DDOGE 3500 QUAD DUALLY, LOADED, 4X4 $33,8 $40,275 33350A 95 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LTD. LEATHER, AND MORE $10,995 CAD.IL EXmiS 123104 . I,, uLiiia-iiniii Tlilli.liHllllinilHIW II m 11 I I" 78 $7,961 T ' 3273H ? 1 smsM afi vmmsm lias, ftoMfft' WWW limiKi'fiU Wuil Great holiday gift ideas for everyone! 10,000 sq. feet of great treasures, new and old, with new Items arriving weekly in: Big shipment of great gift items. 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