Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1899-07-13
JESTER INTERVIEWED
THE OLD MAN TALKS TO A RE.
PORTER OF THE PARIS
(MO.) MERCURY.
HE ADMITS THAT he is JESTER.

Captain Logan's Story
No Arrests Made
ct Teeumseh.
From the Paris Mercury,
Tuesday morning ct 0 O'Clock BY
courtesy of Sheriff Nelson a special
Representative Of the Mercury was I'D
mitted co the dingy little jail back Of
the shsriff's house and was granted an
interview with Jester the now famous
criminal. On being introduced BY
Sheriff Nelson, the reporter said:
"Mr. Jester, you are aware that you,
whether Innocent or guilty, are con-
fronting q trial for murder? You have
also seen In the daily press that you
may be tried at Paris, in Monroe
county, where the crime with which
you are charged is alleged to have
been committed. The Mercury is read
by men who may make up the jury
that will pass on your life. Don't you
think a statement from you might be
beneficial? The Mercury win be just
and not distort one word you may
say.n
For q moment his confidence seem
ed to have been won and he replied:
al thank you, my strange young
friend. would like to tell you all you
would like to know, but my lawyers
have closed my MOUTH
"You do not then deny your identl-
TYP You are Alexander Jesterf"
al am. took the name from my
stepfather and enlisted under IT,"
"But your sister says you had no
stepfather."
ssShe liedin he exclaimed, almost
darting forward.
"what was her motive in betraying
your"
He seemed scared at his own sud-
den emotion and relapaed into the
soft, pharisaical tone again, and re-
piled:
"Motive2 1t was wickedness. 1t was
like this; When received my PEN
sion l got 5000 in back pay, with which
bought a 800 buggy and set Of
harness. My sister had $40, and we
decided to turn 1t all into property
and buy us little home, which we
did. Shortly after this my youngest
daughter, Alice, was married. The
match was ali OF my sisters making.
had nothing to do with 1t. But she
Immediately began 70 quarrel with
them, and for spite moved her belong
ings into the best room, though we
offered to build one for her. When
she found out was going to will the
home to my married son, she lowed
she'd raise hell. She swore awful. She
knowed such things would hurt me
fmor'n anything else. All, she was
cruel, wicked. God knows / tried to
be q brother to her; but she was al
ways Iookin' for some way to hold me
to law.u
He sighed as If the memory OF the
oaths still ranked In his sanity heart
"But II you are not the real Alex
ander Jester, by what strange coinci'
dence does your name and your sis-
ter's charge correspond with the
name and crime OF 80 years agof"
'sI cannot talk. Newspaper men are
assassins. They are bounding me tc
death.n
"You are preacher?"
"Yes. was convicted OF sin neal
Richmond, Ind, in 1858 and have beer
an ordained minister OF the'New Light
Chriatian church ever since. Ihavs
lied many souls to repentance and es'
tabIIshed several churches, mostly
in Texas. My powers as an exhortel
were noticed In the army and ths
lieutenant OF my company requested
the men to listen to me-"
He was never so free as when talk
ing of bis pIety and seems to depens
on 1t to escape the gallows.
"You have some property"
"0nly my home. / am poor olt
man charged with q terrible crime.
am depending on the Lord to clear me
Why, had I been guilty He wouls
have struck me dead In the pulpit 70
daring to preach His name"
"Do you remember Of being In Pari
in ls7f7m
81 cannot talk"
"Do you remember your attorneys
Judge Bashaw and Major Bristowfn
| He looked up with interest on beinI
told that Judge Bashaw had q complet
Transcript Of the evidence in the case
almost compromising himself in thi
IreplY;
81 do not remember the gentlemen
Here's : letter I received last weel
that may have some bearing on wha
| you ask.n He handed the reporter
short letter from Maj. Bristow.
"Do you remember any Of the wit
nesses at the preliminary hearing9'
The reporter read the list Of witnssse
including the name OF Pleas Outright
"Mr. Outright says he rode up be
hind you at Union ford on the morn
ling after the murder was supposed 4
have been committed. You, or rathe
Alexander Jester, were then drivInl
one team and leading another. II,
says you were startled and frightene,
and asked him hurriedly to unreln tn
front team. De you remember"
81 cannot talk. never knew On
Der Gates or any of the family. Their
Is some awful mIstake.n
| Col. Pat Cullen, OF Mexico, viii de
fend Jester, although the accused maj
has been flooded with letters iron
famous criminal lawyers all over thI
country soliciting the job. Prosecut
ing Attorney Rodss says he win no
bring the case 70 Paris. The prisone
was never arraigned.
The Mercury reporter, after hi
lengthy talk with Jester, left the jaI
impressed as follows: "Leaninq upo,