The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-09
Is GATES ALTE?
Many People Coming to Be-
Iieve That He Still Lives.
MISSOURI MINISTER SAW
Him in Texas After Alleged
Murder Took Place.
MISSOURI MINISTER SAW

Guthrie, O. T., Sept Sis Gilbert Gates
of whose alleged murder old man Jester
was acquitted, alive At the first blush
the public will say that Gilbert Gates is
not alive A long trial and widespread
publicity Of the case. it is naturally
argued. would have brought the man to
light If he were alive There is, too, every
reason why Gates if alive should return
TO make himself known. for his relatives
have become very rich and the rest of his
life could be spent in ease.
Nine-tenths of the people who have fol-
lowed the case would say that Gilbert
Gates is dead. But there are those who
are coming to believe that he may be
alive or if ne is not alive that there are
people on earth who, if they could be
found. would testify that he died a natur-
al death.
This belief is founded on a letter which
Alexander Jester has received from min
lister in Missouri, c. A. Emmons Of Mt.
Vernon, who says, without any attempt
to be sensational, but with all sincerity,
that he met Gilbert Gates, or u man
whose name was Gilbert Gates and whose
appearance answers to that of young
Gates, long after the alleged murder took
place.
Jester, who is visiting in Grant county,
Oklahoma, has received this letter and
the Renfrow Tribune publishes it It
reads:
Mt. Vernon, No. Aug. "A, 1900.
Alexander Jester, Norman, O. T.:
Dear Sir: You willt doubtless be sur
stranger, especially when you acquaint
yourself with its contents. But consider
ing your long and eventful career, I sup
pose by this time that you have become
accustomed to surprises.
l read carefully the newspaper account
Of your recent trial at New London, on
the charge Of numbering Gilbert Gates in
1911 The name of Gilbert Gates in
familiar to me, but being an itinerate
Methodist preacher and therefore NOV
ing around a great deal, could not call
10 mind when or where I had met a per
son answering TO that name. 1t was only
day or SO before you were acquitted,
and after the evidence was all in, and too
late 10 be Of service to you there, that
whole thing came back 10 my mind like
fash Had the verdict been other than
what it was, l should have written your
attorney at once the history / am about
u relate. I have written the same story
70 j. o. Allison, one of your attorneys
and also TO John w Gates Of Chicago.
assuming in both letters, as I do in this
that the Gates of my recollection. and
the Gates whom you were charged with
numbering, are one and the same person.
ana possibly may still be living in Brown
county, western Texas.
In the spring of 1876 together with my
family and brother-in-law, who is now
dead. left Galloway couHy overland.
or by wagon. for the state of Texas
Somewhere about Fort Smith, Ark. we
fell in with a man driving a four-mule
team, who was also on his way to Texas.
with him there was a young woman
about IS years Of age, whom he claimed
as his wife. They had one child a little
boy, perhaps years old. There was also
with them in the wagon a young fellow
suppose about II years of age. whom
they called Sam. I don't remember that
heard them call his surname. They said
he was not related to either of them
though 1 thought he resembled the
woman.
The man driving this mule team toId
me that his name was Gates. and heard
ms wife cali him Gilbert perhaps as many
as fifty times while we were TRAVELLING
together, which, perhaps was as long as
two weeks.
Gates was at that time Gn 1879 about
q or . years of age. and somewbarsJ
near six feet high. and rather raw
bcned.' lie wore no beard. He baa
Drown hair and tolerably fun brow,
eyes tie was profane in his speech es-
pecialiy when angered While Dleasar,
ana eopanionable, he was not conmuri-
eatNe about himself and said NOTHING
Whatever that / now remember. abou+ |
MS antecedents, In fact. he impressed
me distinctly as not wishing TO jiscues hi, |
own history About all got out Of bi,, |
on this subject was that "be came fro,,, |
Missouri and was on his way r, 7ras+a-,, I
Texas His wife. however to,5 49,
that they Travelled most ~ tbo -,
and had made several trims baol o.,
i'F'h between those two states r.
,'"' lhsy followed for a livelihood. or in |
BUSINESS they were engaged. Meth |
er OF them ventured a remark
We separated after rescbi-e r.
mere about Clarksville. 7 turni,e
=" 10 VISIT 4 brother in Hopkins cornt,- |
ne gong west. bound" as ne told r,o
i'' Brown county, 6ver the Co,ora5,
river I never heard from him &c..
ward MN aiter-
have thought and yet think =, ~.
on'F possible but highly probablS tbs,
TINS is the same Gilbert Gates whom, vo,,
Were charged with numbering. and me-.
yer be living somewhere in 49,, /
IeNas. And. believing this. as ssts -
lore / wrote 20 John ". GATES If cbi
oase urging him To make sil;r,n- -
curry of the officials Of Brown ana go
cent COUNTIES respecting such ns~s@.
- me nope that il viii result IN s,s,..
me missing boy. and diSpelling rbs So (
or suspicion which I be.iere -, -,
hangs over your life.
Yen are az liberty to mae This r....- +
p0oAc If YOU wish That this Is -, - go. I
sorry 1 WI add that am a n7iris.s- -
ne gospel and have been a rnerhs- -
,,e S'1'h"est Missouri Conference NJ 81.
o-s'n'ois' Episcopal church. Soutb 80
Nifsen wears. any member Of which Am
Nooeh fer my truthfulness yo,,rs -,
c 4. ENiMONs
NOMINEE PuOCcN ~,