Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-07-12
JEsrEB JURY SELECTED.
Defense Win Argue That Gates
Disappearance is No Proof Of
a Murder Committed.

NEW LONDON, No., July l0.-The
twelve men who are to determine the
fate Of Jester are now selected. The
attorneys for the defenss insist that
the prosecution viii not be able to
prove that Gilbert Gates was muir
dered or il sven dead. They say that
people often disappear, are mourned
as dead and then are discovered TO be
alive and well.
This county furnishes three re-
markable instances Of this character.
Abner Knight seventeen years ago
departed for q visit to Georgia. There
he mystsriously disappeared. After.
ward a body was found and identified
as his.
His widow married MilfordMcElroy
who died some years ago. A few
weeks ago knights daughter Q
ceived q letter from her father, stat
ing that he was alive and living in
Georgia.
Twenty years ago silas Carter was
SUPPOSED to have been murdered at
'Mausneld King, q Aoted criminal,
confessed the murder. This confess
ion was published In the st. Louis
papers and was read and denied by
Carter in California, alive and max
ing money.
Eva Lister moved from Ralls county
to Montana with her family In the
seventies. Her husband persisted in 8
storm and she started homeward, but
never arrived.
Eighteen years elapsed, and her
estate was divided among her rela-
tives. Recently she arrived at New
London. She has been living In Me-
vads and was four years postmistress
under Harrison.
These strange facts are recited
among witnesses and spectators, and
serve to increase the doubt Of the
death Of Gates. The jurymen know
the cases well.
The evidence against Jester lie
wholly circumstantial. Each jury
man has sworn that he believes In
capital punishment and would ind q
verdict OF guilty on circumstantiaI
evidence alone II It be connected and
strong.
Despite the evidence Of = negro,
who states that he saw . corpse In
TESTERS wagon, and the statement Of
the Clark sister, whose testimony
eorroborates the negro's, besides q
most formidable array Of damaging
evidence, some would not be sur
prised to see the missing man walk
into court.
At 4;45 court reopened and the jury
was sworn.
Prosecuting Attorney T. 7. Rhodes
OF Paris, read the volnmninous In
dIctment OF twelve counts, covering
almost every imaginable method Of
murder. Jester sat motlonless, ex-
cept for the same nervous twitching
OF the muscles Of the face.
Tears were In theeyes Of his young-
est son.
The 1uFymsn we're then placed In
care Of the sheriff. They were
charged by court, &c 10 usual, except
being cautioned TO read no news
comments on the trial
The States statement of the case
will be made in the morning BY At
Rhodes. Il will differ materi-
ally from the statement ct the pre-.
lIminary, and no forecast q be
given. t
TESTERS q is one Of the most re-
msFkabIs on record The aged de-
fendsnt is accused OF numbering Gil
bert Gates, brother OF the Steel and
Wire Trust millionaire, John W. Gates,
10 1871.
Jester and Gates met while travel
Ing across the country and continued
togsther some days. Gates was 10
search Of heath and Jester was going
sast to get his family.
At Hulen's Lane, near Paris, No.,
Oates wss seen for the last time. A
lev weeks later q body was said to
rave been see floating down the
liver. Gates father never heard from
him again.
Jester was later found in Kansas,
md had In his possession Gstes' wagon
md some clothing and other property
the missing man. |
On May ?, 1871, Jester vas arrested
ssdgewIck county, Kansas. A trial
vas had 10 Wichita Township on May
!, and Ansel A. Gates, father Of GIL
,ert Gates, and other Witnesses testl-
led. Alexander Jester also testified
Il that trial
Mrs. J. A. Harrison and daughtsr,