The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-06
He CONSENTED TO co
Alexander Jester In Jail in
Missouri Makes a Virtual
CONFESSION OF GUILT
Says He Went From TeCumseh
of His Own Accord.

coming out in a statement yesterday say
ing that his removal from the Tecumseh
Jail to Mexico was by his own consent.
There is some very strange proceedings
IN the Jester case. He was making hard
fEht TO prove an abb and to remain in
Oklahoma. He was taken away in the
middle fthe night on special train.
There was a charge of kidnapping and
Governor Barnes was hot. Now Jester
comes out in a statement and says he
consented to go. II Gates made this state
,ueut of his own accord he makes
a virtual confession of his identity and
of the murder of Gilbert Gates. il he
were innocent he would never go to Mis-
souri, for trial. He would have fought
10 the last to remain at Tecumseh among
his friends. The st. Louis Republic says
of his quarters at Mexico:
The Jail is a dingy, ill-ventilated struc-
ture. There Is a little corridor anc
dozen very narrow cells on either Sue.
In one of these Jester was lying on a
cot. It was so dark in the cell that Sheriff
Nelson had to strike a match. Jester had
removed his coat, vest and straw hat, and
was stretched full length on the cot, one
arm above his head and the other at his
side.
He spoke pleasantly, and as he answered
questions and talked, the sherih mean
time striking matches, he wouh OCCASION
ally lft his cane. He talked quite freely
Sn regard to questions about his health,
but when reference was made to the muir
der Of Gates he said:
'I would like to talk to you. / would
like to tell you all you want TO know so
far as I could but my lawyers told me
not to talk Probably II l keep on talk
ing TO you 1t might make matters worse.
Following this at least fifty questions
were asked and in no instance did ne
seek to avoid to answer any OF them.
.ETreouently, however, he would interject
that his lawyers had told him to be very
cautious about what he said. His story
was in substance as follows:
PRISONER INTERVIEWED.
''I know nothing whatever about the
murder OF Gilbert Gates, nor did L ever
know anything of his family. Save what
time 7 was in the army, / have been
preaching the gospel since 1858. 1 have
sorganized many churches in Kansas
Texas and Oklahoma My right name is
William Alexander HILL, but 1t is true
that 1 was known until after the war as
Alexander Jester.
ST was born in North Carolina December
~. 1919. My father died few weeks be-
fore I was born and subsequently my
mother married Isaac Jester and as l
grew up / was known as Jester. My
mother married in North Carolina, but
soon after the family moved to Henry
county, Indiana There 1 grew 10 man
hood. and at the breaking out of the war
enlisted at Richmond. Ind. In 1858 ] was
ordained a preacher. 1 belong TO the New
Light Christian church
How did happen TO change my name
back to Hill after having been known so
long as Jester and serving in the army
under that name? Well It was just a
notion of mine / was mustered out near
home where everybody knew me and 1
concluded that was the best place to as
eume nv proper name 1 have been mar
Sied three times. My first two wives are
dead, but 1 was divorced from the third
one. 1 have three children living and
nine dead.
You want to know how II happened
that my sister wrote a letter saying /
murdered Gilbert Gates? Surely it must
have been the devil in her that made her
do It. The Lord only knows what trial
chat wicked woman has been to me.
tried my best to be a brother to her, but
Il was no use"
The prisoner was asked how he sup
posed his sister had heard that a young
man named Gilbert Gates had been muir
dered in Missouri twenty-eight years ago
"I am sure ] don't know anything about
st. he said. my sister has said shat
am crazy. ] think she is crazy and filled
with the devil. am so worried. SO full
of grief and shame to think that my SIS
ter would lay this great crime on me that
] hardly know what am saying TO you.
II NEVER KILLED ANYONE"
Then, after pause. he continued
s'Some day when this trouble is ended,
hope I can talk freely to all who want e
hear. But you know have been told by
my lawyer not TO talk. not to answer 81
many questions. would like TO tell al
know. but must mind what he says.
was never in Monroe county, Missouri, II
my life. and. OF course. never ESCAPED
from the Jail in this city. never kille,
commit such a crime and preach the COS
pei. for l believe that God would strik,
him dead. The Lord is my shepherd. AND
am trusting in Him 10 bring me out O
this trouble. Everybody is against me
but the Lord has been good 10 me and
will trust Him."
During all the time Jester was talking
sometimes expressing his confidence in III
i. -
cence half Il dozen prisoners in the cor
ridor kept up q noisy argument ovar
game of cards. Two pretty little girls O
Sheriff Nelson peeped in through he grin
bars out Of childish curiosity to catch
glimpse Of the aged prisoner by t. G liEh
of a pickering match. The scene was on
not soon 10 be forgotten. Sometimes Jes
ter closed his eyes when talking. but agai
he would raise his head slightly cnd Wsv
his cane. He shook hands cordi tally Wit
the Republic correspondent, when the in
terview closed. and said:
II am sorry / could not tell you more
God bless you. hope God will put il int
sour heart to do me Justice
So much for testers side OF the s;cry
But there are other chapters equally ir
teresting. II he is not the man WI
campeo IN monroe county Win yong I'll
bert Gates January .. iS1i. and was Sut
sequently arrested and indicted for ri
murder, then a horrible mistake nas tte
made.
Link after link In the chains Of ,deEtif
cation has been forged.
k11i7S, ELS