The Philipsburg mail., 1899-08-18
SLAYER OFG. W.GATES
SISTER OF ALEXANDER JESTER
BETRAYS HIM.
Torment OF COnscience-Assassin, Aged
and Infirm. Awaits Long Eiuded JUS
tice-Story of Il Crime Committed in
Oklahoma in 1871.

The man who twenty-eight years ago
n>rdered Gilbert w. Gates, brother Of
John w. Gates of Chicago, has been
round. After years of silence, the aged
sistr of the murderer. Alexander Jes-
ter. has made known his identity. and
the stone shaft in the Gates family
burial plat in West Chicago. which for
twelve years has accused him of the
murder of Gilbert, is to reap its re-
ward. Out Of Oklahoma there has come
a confession. Mrs. Cornelia Street, in
a letter to Sheriff Simmons of Wichita.
Kan, has stated that her brother, who
mas lived all these years under the
alias of w. H. Hill, and who lives near
Shawnee. Okla. so years old, intirm,
gray, and debilitated, is the man that
murdered Gilbert Gates. She. his sis
ter, has been driven by conscience in
her Old age to reveal a secret that she
mas kept for years. Those whose men,
ory is long recall that Alexander Jes-
ter was caught almost red handed and
taken to Mexico, Mo-, to escape the
vengeance of a pursuing mob. From
there he disappeared as though swal-
lowed up by the earth, and, in spite of
extensive search made persistently and
for years, he eluded all attempts at
his capture. Now the lost thread of
the story has been found, and the ev!-
dence of the old murder is pieced to-
gether out of the past.
(Iilhprt Eatac wac yaarc old ap6
In bad health when in 1870 he started
out from what was then Turner June
ton, and now is West Chicago. Ill.,, in
search of health and recreation. On
the Missouri trail leading south from
Wichita, he met Alexander Jester, and
the two travelled on in company. The
trail which A. A. Gates, father of the
murderer's victim. was following in
the search ended at Warrensburg. Mo,
and no further trace of his son could
be found. A few weeks later Jester
returned to Wichita alone with Gates
team in his possession and carrying the
gold watch which his victim had worn.
He was arrested, confessed, and es-
capped. Search as they might, no trace
OF him could be found, and for a quar-
ter of a century and more it was be-
lieved he was dead, until the follow
ing letter the other day disclosed his
hiding place:
ITO the Sheriff of Sedgwick County:
! wish to make a statement to YOU in
regard to my brother, whose name is
Alexander Jester, who was arrested
near Valley Center Kan, in the year
1871, May 2, for killing young man
for his team, watch and clothing The
murder was committed in Missouri,
near Warrensburg. My brother was ar
rested for numbering this young man,
and | know of my own personal knowl-
edge that he is guilty of the charge.
He was given preliminary hearing in
Wichita, and was sent to Missouri.
where the crime was committed. and
broke Jail. He is my own brother.
but ! want him punished for that
crime. | hope you can and will find
on the dockets his preliminary hearing
and will notify officers of the county
where the murder was committed. Nv
brother is living here in Shawnee,
Okla, and is known by the name of
w. II. Hill. Hoping to hear from you
in reply, respectfully,
"CORNELIA STREET"
When asked to give her reasons for
disclosing her brothers identity at this
late day Mrs. Street said:
The Lord has prompted me to do it.
No one has known the load have car
ried around for these many years.
When | would try to forget it, it would
seem to me as if | could hear the
Lord saying. You are as much a sin