The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-25
JESTERDENIES IT ALL
Shawnee Man Arrested for
Murder
CALLS HIS SISTER A LIAR
But Forgives Her--Was to
be Married.

, Alexander Jester, alias ". H. Hill, OF
Shawnee. o. T.. who has been arrested for
the murder Of Gilbert Gates Of Valley Gen.
ter, Kan, near Paris, Mo-, in ISL. has
come cut in an interview denying that he
is the man wanted.
In the fall Of 1871 Gilbert Gates, young
man who had come out to Valley Center
from Chicago on a trip to recover his
health, was visiting some relatives Of the
Gates family by the name of Williams,
who lived in the country above Wichita.
5Ie stayed all summer leaving some time
in August for a wagon trip east, going
TO Iowa and other places; taking this
,gnethod OF travelling to benefit his health
On the way he was Joined by Alexander
Jester, who travelled with him 10 Paris,
Mo-, where Gates disappeared. Jester was
arrested for the murder. and It is claimed
had Gates watch and some other prop
erty. Gates father came out from Illinois,
had Jester arrested and taken to Mis-
souri, for trial While awaiting the ses-
sion Of court Jester got away and was
never heard Of till his sister. Mrs. Corne-
lia Street, OF Shawnee, o. T.. wrote here
10 Sheriff Simmons giving her brother
away Jester has been arrested and is
now in jail at Shawnee.
1t seems that all the trouble is over a
family row. Jester and his sister, who
had trouble with her husband at Nor
man five or six years ago. were living to-
gether. They had trouble, and Jester
threatened to put her out of the house.
He was to be married soon when Mrs.
Street knew sho would have to get out
Jester is 81 and his sister 6S.
TESTERS STATEMENT.
Jester said to The Eagle correspondent
at Shawnee yesterday:
az know nothing about the Gates muir
der in Missouri; didn't know Gates nor
his father. Ny fui, name is William Alex
ander HILL 1 am 81 years old. 1 know
nothing about any killing. 1 know 1 never
killed anyone in my life"
Asked about his being the person ar
rested for it, he said:
II don't know that it is necessary for
me to answer that question. don't know
anything about Valley Center, Kan: only
heard Of 1t. That is the place that woman
mentioned in her letter"
You mean your sister?"
have to. Her name before marriage was
Ccrnelia A. Jester. Her father was my
stepfather. Domestic troubles wrecked her
home and she Joined me last November,
and she soon threatened to report me for
Gates murder. to get rid Of me. 1 didn't
believe she would, and didn't know she
had till I read her letter in Sundays
Eagle. I read it about three days before
my arrest. 1 enlisted In the army as
Jester because 1 had always been known
by that name. Until met my sister four
o. five years ago had not seen her for
twenty-five or thirty years. L have. had
no talk with her since my arrest. but
would just like 10 see her. would like 10
have her bow with me. think 7 could
make pretty good prayer for her shall
never ho,d it against her: she is forgiven
In my heart"
Wiping away falling tears, he said: 81
joined the Christian church in 1858 Jan
nary l; was baptized next day, where
eleven inches OF ice were cut away I en-
tered the ministry that fall and have done
active ministerial work ever since. No
charges Of any kind ever came against
me. All want the public to know IS that
God knows 1 am not a guilty man. One
thing more: 1t is charged that I COM
mitted the crime in 1871. went from In
diana to Texas in 1869, married there I'm
$50 and lived in Texas continuously about
sixteen years"
MRS. STREETS STATEMENT.
A Shawnee paper had the following in
terview with Mrs. Street:
did you write the letter which appeared
in The Eagle of the 2lst instant, with your
signature attached?"
81 did"
What was your motive in writing this
ietter?"
Il wrote the letter because 7 va,t.5 49,,