The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-22
cur HIS OWN THROAT
Is What Jester Told F. P.
Shuck of Gilbert Gates.
JESTER Is IDENTIFIED
Testimony is Damaging to the
Old Mans Defense.

Mo, tod this story rom the Wl-Le1S
stand at the Jester murder trial yester-
day:
In 1871 I was journeying from Knox
/ county, No, to Audrain county. No, to
visit relatives near Mexico. When
reached Reuick I met an elderly man and
a young man with two wagons and
buffalo calf. I talked with the young
man, whom I afterwards learned was
Gilbert Gates. He told ne he was from
Kansas and was going to his home near
Chicago. He wanted me TO ride with
him 10 Sidney. sixteen miles, but the cid
man, whom 7 afterwards learned was Al
exander Jester, objected He said to
ne: You had better 60 where you
started
Mr. Shuck said they parted, but after
wards he met the Old man driving along
the road near Sidney. This time he was
by himself, but mad two teams Jester
yelled Hello as they passed.
The witness said he saw Jester again.
This time he was in the Paris, No, jail.
Mr.. Shuck had seen in the newspapers
that it was alleged that Jester had killed
Gates, and he called at the jail 70 see If
the prisoner was the same old man who
had objected to his riding with Gates
He called at the Jail and talked 70 Jester
about twenty minutes The prisoner at
first said he didn't recall seeing Shuck.
but finally asked him II he was going 10
appear in court against him. Il told
him" said the witness, that nobody
knew I had seen two teams at Sidney.
The prisoner then told me that Gates
cut his own throat Jester then choked
up and left him
Shuck. on cross-examinatiou, testified
that Jester told him in the Paris jail
that Gates would turn W at the right
time" In his direct testimony today
Shuck said Jester told him IN the Paris
Jail that Gates cut his own throat"
George W. Roudebush cf St Louis
identified papers and signature Of Will
lam A Hill alias Alexander Jester. on
application for pension under the name
Of William A Hill B F. Williams, clerk
Of the Third district court Of Norman,
O. T knew Alexander Jester as William
a Hill from 1899 TO 1855. having prepared
his pension papers and petition for d.
vorce from his wife Julia A Hill
Mr.. Forrest read in evidence the marri-
age record Of Jester Jester is alleged to
have escaped from the Mexico jail in 1872
and to have gone 10 valley. Center. kan,
where his first wife was living. Desert
ing his family. he went To Denton. Tex.
and under the name OF William \. Hui
married Julia Reynolds living with her
and raising family under the name of
Hill. his first wife dying eight years af-
IN, ut al
Itse Hill sought in every way to divorce
his identity from that OF Jester.
IN his application for pension IN
March. 1Sas. Jester says: Il was left at
Nashville. Tenn. sick in the hospital
ard was sent 70 Louisville. Ky, and was
furleughed home in company with Adju-
taut Noble to Indianapolis, Ind. Ny son,
James r. Jester, came after me" This
IS the first time this son has ever been
mentioned.
IN explaining his married record Jester
says IN his application Tor pension
Married; wife's maiden name, Margaret
E Brown. first she married Smith, sec
ond. Hall. third Hill She has had three
husbands. Married May o. q, IN Te-
cunseh. Potta waton1ie county. Oklahoma
by the Rev J. ". Slaughter. I was d.
vorced from my former wife, Julia Rey-
n3lds IN Norman. Oklahoma. Path day o.
November 1891 Have three children liv-
ing. viz: William c. Hill Nancy J. Hill
and Alice FilI-y. A Hill.
In his application he made no mention
Of his first wife and eight children whom
he IS charged with having deserted in
Sedgwick county. Kansas. which includes
the children who now sit by him durins
the trial
testers next matrimonial venture was
his marriage with Mrs. Margaret Brown
at Tacumseh. o T. MAY y. 1895 She OBJ
tanned divorce from him In 1ssS on ac-
count If, cruel and iahunan treatment
Mrs. Brown had two former husbands
and Mr.. Jester had Ier- two wives At
the time Jester was preaching and was
engaged % he married 70 another woman
WIEN arrested
lester applied s1c 4 pension under both
the name az William A HU and AIean-
der Jester. swearing that he was "a years
old in ISL. which would make him =
years oil now. instead os 81 as he
claims He specified IN one application
for a pension that 10 had lung trouble
and IN another Application Re swo-e hat
he had bladder disease. n rs petition
for divorce Jester alleges tfs marriage
with Julia Reynolds took place n $50
supposedly scr the purpose OF proving
residence in Texas about the ttnle GsI-
be-r y. Gates was Killed
NJ Allison for The defense. asked ne
witness who paid his expenses here Re
SAID he 6'5 rot know: tta- H-rz-kauq
bought his ticket T-ha defense has aimed
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