The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-06-11

TRIAL Ci George Gates
In publishing tie evidence in this ,rial We iuI
itimpo,sbe to couJcnse i, much, and ye, give all
the circumstances which have bearing IN the
cause But tn, facts slicited 10y all ibi, array Of
circumstances are few, but they ohsucb \ IA
,ura as to fix beyond the possibility Of a doubt
tie sdil, Of tho murder upon George Gates,
The material facts which lead to the conviction
arc =. follows:
Isl. George Gates and bis brother John Gates
sa,e proven to have been without none, lor 3
considerable time previous to the murder, and
that Immediately after they were flush" with
the same kind ofmoney Licy b'dgot the day he
was murdered Of Norris aud Fisher, viz: 3 aul 10
gu.ier pieces.
%. That Georgs Gates had ascertained the
fact, Of I.,'eys having $500 in land office money,
here III Ottawa, that he started with Li,cy from
Ottawa, and was. seen with him up to within .
mile and half Of the place where the murder was
committed
50, That Liey bad bought scythe and sna.h
in Ottawa, and was taking it out with him on
Mud Greek, and that be had been murdered with
these implements.
Al Tina; George Gates had had the coat he
wore that day washed after his arrival -, his
brother Johns, and that even after the ceat had
been washed, blood stains were discovered Gu the
sleeves.
5.h, That after he had been committed to Jail
Sheriff Lovelcss got John Deyol to visit HIM in
al TO find out something in reference to the muir.
der, aud that Gates there directed Deyol to 60 to
John Gates and tell him to "write that letter "
That Dcyol in company with Sheriff Loyeless and
George West went to John GATES Loyeless and
West remaining out of the house, and tina. John
Gates did then write the following letter:
Chicago August 95 1852
Sir lIr Phillip Hilton Sir
last monday 10 come home and go; As far as
Otter Creek and met With one OF nv acquaiutce
aud Hyrcd with and expect to stay Here 'Il next
spring for ain getting big wa IS | want Ia
watch g Il YOU hear Uf clothes stole
John Isle
oh, Tha; I.ley had had very fine dark brown
fgock coat, aud that shortly aie. he was mur.
dered George Gates was seen with similar Goa,
On.
5,h, That George Gates failed to show where
ne iei, Lley on the way between Ottawa and Mud
Greek.
sb That he could not explain how lie came by
the money . and % guilLer pieces he had after
the murder vas committed
a q, l. i I'll I 1 l
the fine dark brown coat and what had BECOME
Of it.
10th, That hi, council failed to impeash the
evidence Of John Dvvol by attacking his charaC
ter for truth and veracity.
Ill., Tha! George Gates was man Of bad
character, and had been engaged in laying plots
ior robbing a store short time previous IN o..
lava
Such are about tine leading facts which led to
his conviction and we think ar sufficiently to the
point to conv!ce the mos; skepteal mind Of his
guilt.
The object Of tho letter w,s no doubt, to make
it appear to Mr. Wilton, that Ley wass,ilI living
and by that mean, to convey the idea that the
body Of the murdered man was some other per
son, and that the clothing found were the clothing
alluded to in the letter. ~ having been stolen THIS
attempt, to diver! suspicion, however, eIectu
ally failed to accomplish lie object and became
the strongest Circumstance to prove the guilt .!
the prisoner.
The question for n new trial was argued all day
yesterday, and concluded so late las, evening that
uP to the time issuing of our paper the Judge
had not yet decided it The general impression
however is tina; it will not be granted Gate,
vii! be sentenced to day.