Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-08-03
WHY HE Is CERTAIN THAT
JESTER SLEW MS VOTING
EST SON, GILBERT.
TIE EVIDENCE THAT BE OBFAIEED
Found His Boys Trunk and Watch in
Alexander Testers Possession
Story Has Been Told in
the Ledger.

uhy contains Q special diepatch IRON
HageFsfown, Ind, recounting how
Alexander Jester is supposed to hav,
killed Gilbert W. Gates, nearly all o.
which has, from time to time, appeared
in the LEDGER. The article lie mainly
the story Of Azel Gates, father Of the
missing boy, and about the only mat
ter now Of interest In the narrative ID
as follows:
After ascertaining many facts tend
ing to prove the guilt Of Jester and the
name Of the place in the West to
which the party was moving, Mr.,
Gates returned here and took the
train for the West. Accompanied by
officers, he came up with the party
just as the goods were being unIoaded
from the wagons. Jester was arrest
cd immediately. Cornelia Street, Jes-
teF's sister, who has since betrayed
him, was also there.
When Mr.. Gates recognized the
team and wagon which he had pre-
sented to his son, even knowing the
name OF the maker OF the wagon and
finding II stenoiled on the rear axle, he
gave way to grief and Tor moment
was overcome. But, recovering his
self-poasession, he climbed into his
sons wagon to look at the contents.
In doing this he was forcibly resist
cd by Cornelia Street, who fought like
a wild cat, but she was overcome, and
Mr.. Gates proceeded with his investi-
CATION There was Gilbert's trunk,
broken and demolished. In 1t were
photographs and trinkets belonging
to the boy and articles OF clothing,
soiied and worn, but which Mr.. Gates
easily recognized as his sons, for he
hSa purchased the goods himself, and
every ene Of the garments had been
made by Gllbert's mother. One Of
Cornelia Streets boys was wearing
one Of Gilbert's hats at the time. Azel
Gates snatched 1t from the child's
head to keep rs reminder OF his
murdered son. The silver watch,
which Azel Gates had given another
son, who had been killed in the war,
with the watch on his body, was taken
from the pocket Of Alexander Jester.
The watch is still in the possession OF
Azel Gates and will be produced at
the trial In September.
These are but a few Of the hundreds
OF circumstances upon which Azel
Gates and John W. Gates base their
belief that Alexander Jester murdered
Gilbert Gates on January %, 1871.
JESTER NEVER ARRAIGNED.
PARIS, Mo-, July 27.-A thorough
search among the old records of Mon
roe county was completed by Prose-
cutting Attorney Rodes to-day, and
not one word was found to indicate
that Alexander Jester was ever ar
before the Monroe county
Circuit Court and given a chance to
plead guilty or not guilty after his
indictment In 1871. The only record
Of the case on the Judges docket was
an entry In regard to the change OF
venue granted prisoner. Whether
this viii make it absolutely necessary
that Jester be brought back to Mon
roe county and aFraigued before the
court in which he was indicted, is q
point Of law that must be decided be-
fore the case goes to trial. That the
case will be brought back to Paris 10
taken for granted by the citizens.
Among the other links In the chain
of evidence that has been unearthed
against Jester is the original manu-
script Of o piece of doggerel poetry
written by him while In jail at Paris
In 1871, and given to DR.. 3. O. Patrick,
for whom Jester had taken q fancy.
The poem lie important, because it is
an account In verse OF Jester's trip to
the bedside Of q dying sister and tells
OF the death Of his son. his long jour
neys and final imprisonment in the
year he was arrested on the charge Of
numbering Gates. There are twelve
verses Of the doggerel, the last OF
which 10 as follows:
Now, when / am called upon TO die
BY Mary and Robert wish to lie
And there to dwell till Christ shall
come
And bid us rise and 60 with him,
Written by the father and brother
Of the deceased and In memory Of
those at home, this August 81, 1871.
ALEXANDER JESTER.