Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-07-26
OLD NAN JEsTER's TRIAL.
Witness Riley Tsstifes That BE Saw
Gates Body in Reece Creek
Many Men Saw Jester.

ieaniug witness to-day In the trial OF
Alexander Jester was W. Bryant
Riley, who In 1871 resided with mis-
parents near Reece Greek In Monroe
county.
The witness was then . mere boy,
but he remembers very distinctly that
he saw q body floating down Resce
Creek, when the ice broke In the
spring of 1871. He swore that on this
creek, with his parents enc day, he
thinks IL was in February, 1871, his
mother, who is now dead, called his
father, who Is also dead, to look at
the object in the creek.
The witness and bis father hurried
along the west aide Of tie stream to
Investigate the object, which was out
Of their rsachs the c-ssk being about
- feet deep and probably 40 feet
wide, the broken ice and water run
ming swiftly.
They discovered that the object in
the creek was the body of man. He
was floating on his face, but they
could see bis head and portion Of
bis shoulders. His hair was dark and
long, the description fitting that Of
Gilbert Gates. They had no boat or
graphing apparatus and it was i'm
possible for them to rescue the body.
On examination, Attorney
Allison asked the witness what time
1t was he "thinks'' he saw the body.
Attorney Forrest objected to Mr..
Allison using the word "thinkn when
the witness swore positively that he
saw the body.
Judge Eby sustained the objection
and TESTERS attorney was compelled
to admit In his cross s-exanination
that Mr.. Riley had seen q body In the
creek.
]. B. Adkisson, now Of Moberly, saw
the. defendant, Alexander Jester, pass
into the pasture of the GiddIngs farm
at the time the Jester outfit and buf.
falo calf passed through that COM
munity in January, 1871. At that
time 1t appears the wagons had been
changed and that the larger wagon
was in front, which is supposed to
have been the Gates wagon and the
one which carried the dead body into
the timber tract. Another theory is
that the old man, prior to reaching
this point, had disposed of the body
by throwing It down the bank of q
creek, or where the large blood spots
were found.
A. 8. Dry oorroborated the Adkis-
son evidence. He also saw Jester 60
south and return, presumably having
lost his way, and returned to get out
on the Paris road.
Pleasant Cartwright, aged 81, stat
ed on the witness stand this morn
ing that he Travelled q short distance
With Alexander Jsntar on the Enorn-
Ing OF Jan. rs, 1871. He then resided
eight miles from Paris.
Cartwright overlook Jester on the
road en- route to Paris, near Elk Fork
on Salt River, In charge Of two wag-
ons and teams and was pretty close to
him before Jester knew he was near.
Jester turned and seemed much dis
turbed. Cartwright and Jester went
along together about 800. yards.
Cartwright remarked to Jest&r: .
"You are by yourself, are your"
Jester replied: 81 am"
Cartwright said: SIT lie bad weather
for man to be cut with two teams"
Jester answered that they were no
trouble only at night and morning,
and that after they were hooked up
and started they went along all right.
E. T. Wetmors testified that Jester,
with his two teams, stopped in bis
livery stable ct Paris the night Of
Jan. 25, 1871, Jester slept In bis wagon
that night in the barn, although he
was invited to sleep in the Office where
there was stove. Jester appeared to
be In trouble.
MANY WITNESSES sUBPoENAED.
CARTHAGE, NO., July 1s.-E. 8.
CAN'T, of Mexico, NO., one Of the at
torneys for the defense in the Jester
trial sat New London, brought sub
poenas for twsnty-six citizens Of
Carthage, Jasper and joplin. They
we're served to-day on A. q. Oaffse,
W. S.Orans, D.M.stazord, A.M.Wall-
ingford, VIM. Raizwater A. Hunt and
Jake Stsmmons, Of Carriages A. NJ.
Orandall, Bert and Omar Webb, DR..
Goodnsr, DR.. Hendrix, John Near, R.
R. Larrick, Frank King, Henry
Gather and r. 4. Ohildsrs, ei Jasper;
r. 7. Randall and several sthsrs, of
Joplin. Miller, an important witness
in the case, was found In the mines
ank 1aAk