The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-24
ABUSED HIS FAMILY
testers Sister Gives Him a
Bad Reputation.
BURNED GATES TRUNK
A. M. Martin Came to Wich-
tia With Him.

In the Jester trial at New London, Mo-,
yesterday the state introduced some dam
aging testimony to the old man. One
witness from Indiana swore that between
Forst Scott and Uniontown, Kansas,
to have been the property Of young
Gates. He had Travelled from Indiana to
Wichita with Jester. TESTERS sister gave
important testimony which showed that
the old man had a dangerous disposition
in his youth and on several occasions as
saulted members Of his own family.
The third week Of the trial of Alexan-
der Jester began today with the testi-
mony Of A NJ Martin Of Indiana, on the
witness stand. He swore that he first
met Jester on the streets of Webster,
Ind. He male arrangements to meet
Jester at Indianapolis, and accompany
him overland to the Jester farm near
Wichita, Kan Witness described their
journey through the states and the prop
erty Jester had, much of which CORE
spends with the property of Gilbert
Fort Scott and Uniontown, Kan. Jester
burned up a trunk. This is supposed to
have been the trunk belonging TO the
missing Gates.
F. " Martin also of Indiana, testified
that he accompanied Jester and the Street
party from Indiana to Kansas. He saw
Jester burn a trunk on the route while
in Kansas. He had never seen the
trunk until it was on fire. He was i'm
pressed with TESTERS demeanor, being so
reserved and guarded in what he said.
Joseph H Thompson of Richmond,
Ind, testified that Jester stopped at his
home in 1871 and stayed there for some
thing like a week. He had two teams
and when asked where he got the bay
team, said ne "dickered for 1t with
young fellow who was travelling with
him. The boy was travelling with him
but got tired and left him in Missouri
to go home The witness said that after
Jester left he found some grain sacks
in the barn with the name Of a. A. Gates
on them. Witness said he noticed THAT
Jester was very restless while at his
home.
Mrs. Street, TESTERS sister, relating all
leSeQ incidents Oh the NeLenudAt lie,
said:
"At one time while his wife was i'll he
kicked her viciously in the siie almost
killing her. He treated his children ex-
tremely cruel, repeatedly beating them
into insensibility. AT one time in partic
ular during TESTERS young manhood he
followed his brothers for two days with
the expressed intention of killing them
for some fancied insult over a trivial
matter. Another time he came to his
mothers home, he had some words with
his sister and he knocked her down with
a club and when she tried to escape from
his he attacked her with a knife and
stabbed her in the arm, innicting a
wound from which the blood flowed,
freely"
While telling this story on the witness
stand F. E. Shuck, who told about his
with Jester at the jail in
Paris, Mo- wept like a child Attorney
Allison commenced a cross examination
that lasted five hours. Although the
cross examination was long and tedious,
it failed to materially affect adversely
the story of the witness. Several of the
jurymen went 20 sleep during the cross /
two Of them he admonished them to keep
awake. and pay close attention to the
evidence. Shnck's remarkable memory IS
on here as something wonder
full. He remembered everything he did
during one week, day and night, twenty
nine years ago. and left no doubt in the
minds of some that he was stating them /
as they occurred. Jester wrote letter
10 the pension bureau on May IS, 1895 1t |
has turned up here in the evidence |
against him Here is the letter as he /
wrote 1t:
Pension Commissioner-Dear Sir:
'In answer to yours of the 10Th, claim /
ant was born in North Carolina, Surry /
age 50 occupation farmer, height /
5 feet dark complexion hair black, eyes +
grayish blue, no scars or marks. 1 sent .
my discharge certificate TO the pension /
office some time ago and I sent AFFIDAVIT /
oy Elish SchOckley. We was raised boys (
together and enlisted together on the 20th +
Of September. 1861, in the 36th Indiana I
volunteers. Co. D. under Captain Isaac .
Ninley. 1 was left at Nashville, Tenn. (
sick in the hospital and was sent louis /
vile. KY. and furloughed home in COM /
IdnN
is. Ind. My son, James R Jester, came !
after me. l never saw the regiment IN
til after vas discharged. II the tesd- I
nony I have furnished is not sufficient (
[ don't know where I could set any
more. 1 am destitute OF money, unable /
10 travel. 1 feel like 1 would have TO give /
up my pension. never applied until I .
was destitute and not able TO work and +
make q living. After I was discharged I
for disability I got able TO enlist again 1
"A the nineteenth battery. but never got .
sound in my lungs and today I am af- {
1icted with the same disease together 1
with other affections. I done all I could 1
Tor the government during the rebellion /
y hen was not able TO soldier was /
getting recruits for the army. I feel that +
[ ha Ie d ne my duly as . patriotic cili- /
zen. Please answer and tell II you got I,
my duplicates Of discharge and affidavit +.
If Shoclley. Yours y. A Hill"
TIE jury spent this evening singing re-
Igious songs, such as when the Roll
S Called up Yonder III be There" and /
Are You Ready Tor the Judgment Day.
Judge Ebey gave his consent for the jury
10 ATTEND church on sunday, but after
ward withdrew f.
BFaIPS OR BRUISES