A. Benton Moses was collector of customs for the Territory of Washington. His name would be prominent through most of the time Kautz was at Fort Steilacoom for Leschi was accused of killing Moses during the Indian war of 1855-56
The 30th [May 1853]. was spent in visitng old man Crockett, who with a large family was located on the prairie on the top of Admiralty head. A large number of Suqualmish Indians engaged in gathering camas were encamped on the bay.17 From them the doctor [John Miller Haden] and [Edmond] Starling succeeded in procuring transporation to Steilacoom. For this reason the doctor and Starling had come to the island with me. They were prettily fooled by Col. Eby, on whom they expected to impose, as the colonel was going to Olympia to assume his office as successor to [Abram Benton] Moses, and they planned to return at his expense.
Though artisans may not be able at once to execute the invention which is explained in the Dioptrics, I do not think that any one on that account is entitled to condemn it; for since address and practice are required in order so to make and adjust the machines described by me as not to overlook the smallest particular, I should not be less astonished if they succeeded on the first attempt than if a person were in one day to become an accomplished performer on the guitar, by merely having excellent sheets of music set up before him.
This evening I paid my respects to the lords of the country. There were also some distinguished Americans among their number. “Gen. Taylor” showed a letter of recommendation he had received from Moses16, post collector; “John C. Calhoun” sold to us a pretty little canoe for the sum of $5.50 which we proposed to use as a tender to our launch in shallow water. The “Duke of Clarence” has stretched my bearskin for me.