The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-10


formed them that he was coming home.
and that the murder was committed for
robbery. Great Importance is attached to
the fact that Jester had Gates's property
Jester has said since his arrest that he
moved to Texas in 1869 and was living in
alleged to have been committed. 1t is
claimed the State will offer testimony TO
the effect that he did not come into Cook
county until 1874. From the same source
the statement comes that some years later
Jester moved TO Grayson county, Texas
and In 1882 was indicted for a murder
there. but was acquitted. 1t Is stated that
the murdered man had been shot, but the
State could not prove that Jester nad
was plowed up in .ield near the horse
In which he had been living IL IL SUBJ osed
that the gun had been hidden: OF course
this later incident VIII eat I'D figure in The
Missouri case, but IL tends 10 show what
checkered career the I'D an las had;
James Moore, the Kansas City r1an VINO
he was living at the rome Of he la'ter's
wife, near Wichita, when the oid nan
came home. That was about the time Jes-
ter escaped from the Mexico :ail II seems
that Moore and the cid man hal some
trouble and The latter left without stat
ing where he was gong. As ioDre tens
met him in the Mexico jail. nor mad re
meantime informed any II his people wh here
he was living. 1t rs Mo2~e,s theor! that
Jester is not guilty of murder.
STRANGE FEATURES
There are two or three features In con-
pection with this remarkable case that Will
attract wide attention. One is the persis-
tency with which Gates's family have
hunted Jester down and by what strange
means he was finally turned up In the even
ing of his life and another will be efforts
of the State to fasten the crime on him
and the attempt to prove to the satisfaction
of a Jury that Gilbert Gates was murdered.
Lawyers say that this can be done only
by the strongest kind of testimony. 1t VIII
have to be well established that If he was
not killed he would have returned home:
1t seems the letters to his parents are yet
in existence and will be offered 10 snow
that he was on his way home.
1t is not very clear where Jester ana Gil
bert Gates first met. II must have been
n TeeT Wichita The young man had team
| then, and 1t seemed he had quite num-
Der of buffalo robes In his wagon, which
he had probably purchased for speculative
purposes and intended to bring them home
| with him. 1t is also thought that Gates
| had purchased the buffalo calf and pet deer.
| Both men were from Indiana, and evidently
| II was Gates's understanding that Jester
| was going back there. From Kansas tney
| journeyed UP through missouri and occa-
1t was a comparatively. easy matter 10
| track them from one camp ground 10 an
other Everywhere people aT.e and them tbe pet
| deer. 1t Is claimed that Jester told parties
| in Johnson county and elsewhere that Gates
| latter knew of this What his object was
| in doing so must remain matter or con-
| lecture.
1t seems that they camped two nights
near Middle Grove Persons living in the
| neighborhood say that young Gates told
| some parties the morning after they reached
| to death during the night. Asked how this
| happened. he said that Jester told MIN ne
| was asleep at the time and was dreaming
| that he was engaged in a fight 1t appears
| this explanation satisfied Gates.
The father and brother of Gilbert Gates
Intend to take persona inaeress SANS In s
| ter that they can find. John w. Gates Is
| very wealthy man, and 1t is well known
the testimony Seemed important Time has
| not softened his heart toward the man
whom he believes to be the murderer OF his
| and does not conceal his joy that he is once
| more within the grasp of the law. 1t Is
thought that the defense will not undertake
| that appears to be established beyond any
room for doubt. but will stoutly maintain
| that there is no positive, evidence that GIL.
| bert Gates was murdered or that he is not
| alive to-day.
"It seems that 1 have no friend left on
the Mexico ' jail. sbut the Lord is my friend
| and / will place my trust in Him.. The old
| man did not figure on the notoriety his case
| would occasion, and the swarm OF lawyers
| who would come forth and offer their serv-
| ices gratuitiously in view of the advertis-
| ing they would receive. But aside from the
| lawyers, ii seems in truth that he has few
/ friends. 1t Is quite certain that he has a
rumber of very dangerous enemies, and
| they will be actively at work hunting up
| evidence against him while he fingers In a
| stuffy little cell in badly ventilated jail.
| Jester is evidently lacking in education,
! but he does not lack for good sense. judg-
| ing from what has been seen of him in this
State. True. his contradictory stories con-
| corning himself do not indicate much
| shrewdness, but he explains all this by say
| ing that his memory is bad. There are those
| who doubt this. They think that he knows
| a great deal more than he pretends to, and
| that to a great extent he is practicing de-
| ception. No doubt there will be good
| many new developments before the case
| comes up for trial next September. Every
| day seems to bring forth something. So far
nothing has developed that would in the
| least benefit the old prisoner.