The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-02
JESTER GOES FREE
Verdict of ACquittaI Returned
on Third Ballot.
Thanked THE JURYMEN
Spectators Received the YER
dict With a Shout

Alexander Jester, the oetogenarta1, who
has been On trial az New London, No,
for three weeks, charged with tho muir
der OF Gilbert Gates, committed twenty
nine years ago. was acquitted last night
The jury took but three ballots. On the
first three voted for conviction for mGr-
der in rhs first degree. And So endelh
one Of the hardest fought legal battles
OF a criminal nature in Missouri
The defendant prisoner was arrested
in 1s7l, when he resided in Sedswick
county, but escaped from the Paris. No,
jan shortly after his preliminary hearing
He was again arrested about Two years
ago in Oklahoma, where he resi- leI, his
sister having turned him up" lie was
taken 70 New London. No. in The coun-
y where the murder is alleged L have
been committed Detectives were en-
ployed BY the murdered boys orother,
who IS d Chicago Millionaire, ana every
inch Of the territory traversed ~ Jester
and young Gates was gone over TO pro-
cure evidence against the cid man.
AT the trial Jester was traoed rom IN
diana to Sedgwick county, testimony
was introduced tending to show that ges-
ter killed Gates in Hulen's lane near New
London The millionaire spared no means
70 ferret out the mystery that surround
ed the death Of his brother twenty-n8ne
years ago. Witnesses from Indiana TO
Kansas testified for the state. It was
proved that Jester sailed under the alias
q Hi and had applied for q pension IN
der that name Records in the pension de-
partnent were introduced in evidence,
but there was no direct testimony con
pecting the aged man with the buffalo
calf with the murder Of Gilbert Gates.
The trial lasted three weeks. and was
tedious from beginning TO end. Through
81 this the aged prisoner sat in Silence.
taking in every scrap Of evidence that
was Introduced His attorneys made a
hard fight for him and they won.
When the jury fled into the court room
Il was filed with an expectant throng
Eager faces bent forward and watched
closeiy every motion OF the twelve men
who we're 70 decide the old mans fate.
Judge E-by, who was in waiting, prompt
y addressed the foreman Of the jury.
Joseph Barry. as soon as the jurymen
n - taken their seats and asked II they
had come 70 a conclusion. Barry an
swered quietly in the affirmative and
handed the verdict 10 the judge. The
latter calmly unfolding the paper. scan
ned IL moment and then read:
We, the jury, ind the defendant. Al
xander Jester, not guilty
The Old prisoner, bent with age and
worn with watching. sat as if dazed for
an instant, while the audience. at frs.
too amazed 10 realize that the trial rad
50 quickly come to an end, watched the
actions Of the judge in breathless ST
lence, and seemed hardly able 10 grasp
the meaning Of the words Just spoken.
Jester finally realizing the import Of the
words. arose and, his face beaming with
JOY. moved toward the tJlrymen to thank
them A moment later the spectators
awoka and gave vent to their feelings IN
q shout that made the court room ring.
Then, with common impulse, i rush was
made for the man who had il his declin-
ing years made so brave a fight for his
life and he was almost snothered with
concentrations.
After nearly four weeks Of tedious tes-
timony taking, the great trial OF Alex
En6er Jester had passed into history.
with the buffalo calf and Hulen Lane,
and the old man, after a second attempt
70 send him 70 the gaLoEs, had bsel set
free. Il had been a trial filed with pa
thos. presenting at X did the spectacle
os q woman tescifying against her
brother. in an attempt to fssten murder,
committed nearly thirty years ago, upon
his head.
There were three ballots taken in the
jury room The first stood nine for ac-
quittaI and tire, for murder in the first
decree. The next ten stood Tor acQuittal
and two FOR convtctlon. TIE Third aad
Ias- unanimously for acquittal, was given
with 8 shout by the tired iurymen.
When Jester vas enabled finally 10 DIS
engage himself from h friends who sur
rounded him ne made his vsy quickly u
his hotel where, surrounded by his call
drea, Harvey Jester. VII and Alice Hi. .
he reJoiced quietly. he vii leave here
at once for his home u Oklahoma, where
he vas taken prisoner over tVo years
ago
There was general rejoicing among the
when the verdict became
known
". Q. Forrest Of Chicago. closed TIE
arguments yesterday morning. speaking
four hours for the state He referred
particularly 10 the strength = circu-a-
stantizI evidence, declaring that It was
surunger than direct The very fact Hat
al u the evidence in Ibis case did BOT
agree IN unir7porcant details but did as
to the main facts, he said, vas co1cIu-
sive thai il vas not perf1-ed testimony,
% orde-. as The defense