The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-08-02
AGED MAN IS FREED
Alexander Jester Acquitted of
Ancient Murder.
SISTER ACCUSED HIM
BROUGHT 70 TRIAL AFTER
THIRTY YEARS.

New London, No, Aug. 1.-Alexan-
der Jester, the octogenarian, who has
been on trial here for the past two
weeks for the murder. twenty-nine
years ago. Of Gilbert Gates. was to-
night acquitted. The jury took three
ballots.
When the jury filed into the court
room it was filed with an expectant
throng. Eager faces bent forward and
watched closely every motion of the
twelve men who were to decide the old
mans fate.
Judge Erby read the verdict of the
jury, as follows:
I'VE, the jury, find the defendant,
Alexander Jester, not guilty"
The prisoner, bent with age, and
worn with watching. sat as if dazed
for an instant, while the audience, at
first too amazed to realize that the
trial had so quickly come 10 an end,
watched the actions of the judge in
GREATNESS silence, and seemed hardly
to 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 jurymen
to thank them.
A moment later the spectators awOke
and gave vent to their feelings in a
shout that made the court room ring,
then, with common impulse a rush
was made for the man who had in his
declining years made so brave fight
for his life. He was almost smOthered
with congratulations.
Sister Against Brother.
After nearly four weeks of tedious
testimony taking, the trial of Alexan-
der Jester has passed into history. 1t
had been a trial filled with pathOs, pre-
senting as it did the spectacle of a
woman testifying against her brother
in an attempt to fasten murder. com
mltted nearly thirty years ago, upon
his head.
When Jester was enabled finally TO
disengage himself from the friends who
surrounded him, he made his way
quickly to the hotel. where, surround
ed by his children, Harvey Jester, VIII
and Alice Hill, he rejoiced quietly. He
will leave here at once for his home in
Oklahoma, where he was taken pris-
oner over two years ago.
There was general rejoicing among
the tOwnspeople when the verdict be-
came known.
Story of the Case.
Alexander Jester. whose face was
IdA htlltN ny tllt SlittlOW Ol lllt EdUOMS
was On trial for the murder of Gilbert
Gates, thirty years ago, while the two
were trekking across Missouri The al
legged victim was a brother of John w.
Gates, until recently chairman of the
board of directors OF the American
Steel and Wire company.
Jester was arrested in 1871 at Valley
Center. Kan, and eXtradited. to Paris,
Mo, where he was indicted by the
Monroe county grand jury. A change
of venue TO Audrin county resulted in
the prisoners transfer to Mexico, Mo.
whence two years later he escaped to
Texas, assuming the name of w. A.
Hill.
Although the fugitive had left a wife
and six children at his former home.
he married Julia Reynolds in the Lone
Star state, having several children by
her. He went to Oklahoma in 1889 and.
it is stated, married again. Shortly
afterward he obtained a divorce and
was married a fourth time, divorce
again dissolving the bond. He was
about to take & fifth wife, it is charged,
when his sister, Mrs. Calvin Street,
wrote to the sheriff of Sedgewick coun-
ty, Kan, exposing his hiding place at
Shawnee, Okla.
Jester is seventy-three years of age