Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-07-27
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY R0DKS
AND GOV. JOHNSON, OF 81.
LOUIS CONFER
S1EE NEW EVIDENCE HIEfED II.
Teztinsny Tending 70 Show the Car
pa Es.sea Nay Be introduced
Two Hundred Witnesses
Expected to Be On
the Stand


Governor Charles P. johnson, Of
this city, has been employed to asaist
in The pr~osecution Of Alexander Jes-
ter, charged with the murder OF Gil
bert Gates in Monroe county, Moon
January IS, 1871. Prosecuting Attor-
nsy ]. 7. Rodss, Of Monroe county,
spent yesterday In the city in con-
snltation with Gov. johnson. They
put in almost the entire day discuss
ing the case and going over tessimo-
ny, old and new.
"There is no question that the man
In jaII a. MEXICO, No., 10 Alexander
Jester, indicted for the murder Of
Gilbert Gates" said Mr.. Rodss. "This
feature Of the case We consider settled
beyond dispute. At present We are
gathering up all the testimsny posi-
bic. ! find that about . dozen Wit
uesses for the State are dead, but I
believe that others have been dis
covered who viii be able to supply
al defeneies in the evidence oe-
czsioned by the death Of witnesses
summoned in the original inquiry.
AT the time Alexander Jester was
indicted, Judge Reed was Circuit
Judge. BE ID dead, and 90 Is the
Circuit Attorney, the Justice Of the
Peace before whom the original in
formation was fled, and the Circuit
Clerk. The sheriff and the deputy
shezif, who were in Once ut the
time, are both living and their al
tendance ~ the trial can be secured.
"A new generation has sprung up
since Gilbert Gates was killed. re-
sumed Mr.. Rodes, tfbut IT ID remark
able TO note how much testimony
bearing on the 3 e&n yet be Sc
cured. / believe from what I know
the State viii present strong and con-
victing testimony that Alexander Jes-
ter murdered Gilbert Gates"
"We are only fairly started in look
ing up testimony Of . c~onvicting
character" said MIR. johnson. "There
is testimony tending to establish the
corpus deficit (showing that Gates
is actually dead which we do MOI
care TO divulge. This, Of course, VII
be q very important part Of the pros.
ecuton, and It would not be policy
on our part to make known in ad'
vance what we expect 10 prove"
Mr.. Rodes has had . map prepares
Of the territory through which Jes'
ter and Gates Travelled after touch
Ing Monroe county. There are trac'
ings on the map showing whore thel
first camped, which ID only acroaI
the line. Their next camp ground !
shown and the spot where they ex
hibited the buffalo calf and stoppeI
for the night the little town OF Mid
die Grove, and proceeded the mex
morning on the road to Paris.
} Red ink marks the spot at vhiel
Jester is supposed to have Commits
the murder. This was about q mil
and a half from 3 creek and on
straight road to Paris. Here, ID
wagons, the State expects to prove
left the main road and went to
creek, which was crossed, and . de
. tour was made to another creeH
where Jester czmped for the nigh
Continuing the journey in the morn
ing, Jester made = long detour c
several miles before he again struc
the Paris road.
II is sold that Witnesses have bee
found who saw blood on the fres
7 snow after the wagons left the Par
] road and traced the same TO Ia
: creek, into which, it il the theory {
I the State, the dead body was throw
or, rather, showed under the ice.
$ The work of hunting up teatimon
has not yet been concluded. In fac
8 It lie the opinion of both Gov. John
8 son and Mr.. Rodes that this featuE
9 of the work has only been started
: Something new is developing ever
day.
/. John w. Gates, the Chicago million
ARE, and brother OF the murdere
man, as well as the iAtter's fatheI
are using every means within the
power 10 send Jester 10 the gaIlowi
There has been talk that the oI
indictment would be dismissed N
the case taken back to Monroe cour
~. Attorney Rodes would nj
say yesterday II this was . fact, bE
from what be said the impression W
, gained that both be and Gov. Johnso
consider the old indictment sufhcien
. Il charges that young Gate was beat
r en- or stabbed to death and It seem
that in the trial the State viii pro
coed along these lines.
This bids fair 10 be one Of the mo
noted criminal cases in the history {
the State. It is said that more tha
: 200 Witnesses viii be present 10 tes
tify. So far ss IL known the cas
will be tried at the September teri
of the Audrain County Circuit Cour'