Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-07-06
Mexico County Missouri Thursday July g. 1893

opening Of Oklahoma, when he locat-
ed at Norman. He moved to Shaw
nee about year ago, where he was
arrested.
Sheriff NJ. n. Nelson, Of. Mexico,
Mo-, arrived thIs morning with requl-
sition papers from Gov. Barnes. Jes-
ter asked for a writ OF habeas corpus
and the case was called this morning
before Probate Judge jennings, OF
this county. After the evidence OF
Gates had been taken Jester asked q
continuance until July to secure wit
nesses from Texas and Norman. The
continuance was granted and Sheriff
Nelson left to- day for Guthrie to pre-
sent the case TO Governor Barnes.
A NEW MOVE 10 oEr HIM. ~
A telegram to the Globe Dersocrdt
from Tecumseh, Ok, late last week
says: A. e. Finks, who Identified the
old man now under arrest es the per-
son whom he then saw in the Paris
(Mo.) jail, lives on farm near here.
Jester, through his attorney, W. R.
Asher, swore ont writ OF habeas
corpus to prevent Sheriff Nelson from
transferring him to Mis'ouni, and ask
ed that the sheriff of this county be
called before the Probate Court Of
this county and show cause why be
(Jestsr) should not be released. sher-
III Trousdale, Of this county, filed his
answer, producing the requisition and
warrant Of the Governor. After Finks
and Gates had identified the prisoner
and the court had granted Jester a
continuance until July to get wit
nesses to prove an aiibi, Gates attor-
neys filed a motion In the Probate
Court, alleging "that this court has
no Jurisdiction in said case, because
the same 10 one arising under the
laws OF the United States, and that
the pleadings OF the prisoner on their
face do not entitle him to bis dis
charge" The motion will be heard
next Monday morning. Sheriff Mel
son, Of Missouri, then went to Guth-
rie to consult with Gov. Barnes reIa-
tive to getting possession Of Jester,
who is yet in the hands Of Sheriff
Trousdale, and being held subject to
the order Of the Probate Court of this
county.
NELSON MAY GET HIS MAN.
The correspondent of the Globe
Democrat in Tecumseh telegraphs that
paper as follows:
County Attorney Pittman informed
me this morning that he proposed 70
see that Sheriff Nelson is permitted
to take the prisoner back to Missouri,
Mr.. Pittman does not know when
Sheriff Nelson can get possession OF
Jester.
The court is said to have indicated
he would dismiss the case Monday for
want Of Jurisdiction. This will enable
Sheriff Nelson to carry the aged pris-
oner away under the requisition he
holds. Meantime the officer is walt
Ing patiently the formal decision OF
the court and listening to the claims
of several parties who think them
selves entitled to portions OF the large
rewards said to have been offered by
Gates for the apprehension of Jester.
M. B. Well, who assisted Mrs. Street
In writing the letter in which she
claims to have exposed her brother,
wants reward, as does Howard
Smith, the deputy who saw the pub
lished letter and made the arrest on
the alleged information it contained.
JESTER HAS CHANGED MUCH.
Jester remains silent, except when
spoken to by the jailer or his attor-
neys, and is very weak and feeble.
His arrest and Identification as the
supposed murderer of Gilbert W.
Gates twenty eight years ago has
caused a wonderful change in his out
ward appearance. At the time of his
arrest he appeared spry for man OF
his age and with the assistance OF a
cane was able to get around. A day
or two later he was compelled to take
to bed and now remains there almost
continuously. For a man Of 81 years
his physique Is exceptionally we'll
preserved and evidently, II he is the
murderer of Gates, the horrible CRIME
has not in the past worried him in |
the least. His voice is low and at
present he is unable to leave his cell
without assistance. On Wednesday,
assisted by two officers, he went from
the jail to the Probate Court room,
sixty yards distant, where John W.
Gates, brother of the man supposed to
have been murdered, testified that be
(Jester) was the person who was
arrested in 1871 for the supposed MUIR
der.
STEPHENS RECEIVED NO LETTER.
In an Interview with Ex-Sheriff |
Rufus Gone, Of Sedgwick county,
KAN, be was recently reported as
having said:
otis all a mistake" says Mr.. Gone,
''to think that Mrs. Cornelia Street is
the fret one to give away the secret
that W. Fl. Hill, of Shawnee, was
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