estimony from two defense witnesses, Stickus and Dr. John McLoughlin, reinforced the defense contention that tribal custom was to kill medicine men whose patients died. Stickus's testimony was unusual, since existing law in Oregon stated that an "Indian shall not be a witness in any court, or in any case against a white person." The fact that he was testifying against the government rather than against a white man was apparently the distinction that allowed his testimony.

Transcript of testimony:

Stikus an Indian Chief being called on the part of the defendents testified that the said Marcus Whitman was at his lodge on the Umatilla the day before his death. That during the visit of said Whitman he told him that the Indians about the Mission were talking bad about him the said Whitman that he the said Whitman was in danger.

Transcript of testimony:

Dr. John McLoughlin, having been called on the part of the said Defendants testified that in the year eighteen hundred and forty or eighteen hundred and forty one he warned the said Whitman of his danger in residing among the Cayuse people that he invited him to come and spend the winter with him at Vancouver an that in the spring he the said Whitman could go to the Willamette that if he the said Whitman would absent himself from the said people for two years they would feel his loss and invite him to return which he could do in safety He warned him against giving medicine to Indians as they Indians killed their medicine men.