The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-10
CASE OF ALEX. JESTER
1T PROMISES TO BE A CAUSE CELE-
BRE IN CRIMINAL ANNALS.
Several Odd Features That VIII At
tract Wide Attention-The Alleged
killing of Young Gates.
st. Louis Republic.

is about to be avenged. He is positive that
the old man in Jail at Mexico is the man
who was indicted for the murder Of his
brother twenty-eight years ago, and subse-
quently escaped from the Audrain county
Jail while awaiting trial on a change of
venue from Monroe county.
This bids fair to be a noted criminal case.
There are many mysteries connected with it.
There seems little room for doubt concern
ing the identity of the old prisoner in the
Mexico Jail. His sister and a nephew say
he is the man, and three other competent
witnesses have added their testimony to the
same effect 1t appears that there is very
little along this line that need be added, but
still the old man stoutly maintains that an
awful mistake has been made and that ne
never killed any one in his life, or even
heard of Gilbert Gates until he was recently
arrested.
1t Is generally believed that the defense.
failing to prove that the old man in the
Mexico jail is the wrong person, will assume
there is no evidence that Gilbert Gates is
dead. This is where the State will have trou-
BILE in making case, and it is feature
which will render the proceedings of great
interest
1t all seems very strange now how Jester
managed to eIude the officers for so many
years. The father and brother of young
Gates never ceased to hunt for him, and
yet he left a wide trail every place he went
He was living near Wichita when he was
first arrested. and, according to his nephew,
he returned there Immediately after he
broke Jail at Mexico. 1t seems that a. little
alertness on the part of the authorities
would at that time have resulted in his re-
arrest. At the time $500 was outstanding fol
his capture. 1t appears, however. that he
did not tarry long in Kansas but went tc
Cook county, Texas. and later to Graysor
county, the same State, and thence drifteC
into Oklahoma.
So many stories are told about this old
man that it is difficult at this time to know
what is the truth. His own statements dc
not agree by any means. He admits that
Mrs Street is his sister. and that he had a
sister named Polly who married mar
named Moore. He also says that this wom
an had son named James, but he does
not know If he is the same man who identi
fed him last Tuesday as his uncle. He says
that he was known for a number of year:
as Jester. and it appears that he is drawing
a disability pension under this name. He &C
counts for this on the theory that he en-
listed in the army under that name. He
agrees with his sister that he was born II
North Carolina and was raised in Henry
county, Indiana.
SAYS HIS SISTER is WICKED.
If he is not the man wanted, the question
comes up how did his sister happen to know
anything about Gilbert Gates? That i:
something that Jester does not attempt to
explain, further than to say that the devi
must have prompted his sister to make III
such a story. He can't account for it or
any other grounds, he says. This is a mat
ter of no small Importance, for Mrs. Street
never lived in Missouri, and it is hardly
deemed probable that she could have hearc
in some accidental way many details con
nected with the disappearance of Gates anc
the escape of the man who was held for his
murder. That she~fs thoroughly familiar
with all these matters admits of no doubt
and that she must have known the same
says his sister is a wicked woman, and
under the influence of the devil. His sis
ter says that he Is bad man and treated
her cruelty, and that IL was through feal
of her life that she sent letter to thu
sheriff of Wichita notifying him of hel
brothers identity. Jester says that his sis
concocted the Gates murder story as Z
means of accomplishing this end. He say.
that she also wanted to become possessed
of his property.
That the two quarreled continually seem.
to be. well established. They came to Shaw
nee less than a year ago, and neighbor:
gether that they were not quarreling. The,
purchased a three-rOom house and two lot.
in partnership: Jester says. as a furthe
cause for his sisters action, that he had in
vited his married daughter to live witt
thsn. His sister says her brother was abor
to marry for the fourth time, and hat
planned to drive her from the house.
figure in the trial. The property is said I,
be of little value. and yet a half interes
In 1t is all of testers earthly possessions
Prior to coming to Shawnee he had lived a
Norman, some forty miles distant, ant
preached there to a little congregation Th
seems to have been his only source of reve
Eue. No doubt his salary was quite meager
The. people at Shawnee don't know yer,
much about him.
Undoubtedly Jester has had a varied ca
reer during the last thirty years. His sis
ter claims that he has three times been in
dicted for murder in the first degree TIL,
old man says he was never indicted To-
killing any one: that If he was a murderer
and would attempt to preach, God woul,
strike him dead. In this way the stories
about him are continually conflicting.
Walv1ng the question of identity, whicl
almost everybody says is settled beyond ais
pute, attention is directed as to what kin,
or case can be made against him at thi
late day. 1t seems remarkable about tn,
way so many witnesses are turning up. blu
most that they can tell is that the old MAJ
In the Mexico Jail Is the same man who wa
Monroe county. Here is about what tn
State expects to prove. On the night O
Jan. 3. ISL, Jester and Gates were campo,
together near the little town of Middle
Grove. That was the last time any one il
Monroe county saw Gates. Jester drov
away away next day and he was by himself. I
Jester offered any explanation of the ab
sence OF Gates that fact has not yet devel
opee. They had pet deer and a buffal
to pay attention to them.
THEORY OF THE GATESES.
1t is the theory of Gates's father ard ais
his brother that on the night of IAN. .
Jester killed his victim and showed tn
body under the ice in Salt creek The bod,
was never found. Blood was seen on tn
snow near the camp and also a hole wa
discovered in the ice with some bloc,
around 1t. Nothing was thought of this a
the time, it being supposed that the bloc,
came from stock and that the hole ha,
been cut in the ice for the purpose of wat
ering the stock. Young Gates posted ;
letter to his mother at Middle Grove an,
that eventually led TO locating the pal
there on the night stated
When Gates did not return home an,
nothing was heard from him, his parent
became uneasy and the father instituted ;
search for him He tracked The pair from
there the trail ended. Then Mr.. Gates mad
up his mind that his son had been muir
dered, and he became an ayenger on tn
track of Jester. Presently he discovere,
Illinois. ard from there he tracked him I,
Indiana and finally back TO Kansas at las
locating him near Wichita. At that poin
he