The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-20
Like a Dime Novel.

narrative of l. reads like a
dime novel. The story OF the case as
reviewed at length in the Rochester
Post Express, may for convenience be
divided into four chapters.
The first chapter opens in Middle
Grove, Mo, thirty years ago. Gilbert
Gates, 10 years old, was travelling in a
prairie schooner from Fort Scott, Kan,
to his old home at Decatur, Ill. Some
where along the trail he happened
upon Alexander Jester, q veteran of
the civil war-"half preacher and half
mountebank"- vas making his
way by wagon TO Indiana. Jester
owned a buffalo calf which he had
taught to perform tricks, and he ex-
hibited the animal in the towns
through which they passed. At Mid
die Grove he gave highly successful
exhibition, and from this place young
Gates wrote home n long account of
his travelling companion, described his
personal appearance, and detailed
minutely his strange personality,
dwelling particularly upon TESTERS
trained animal and the exhibitions
they gave in the country towns. This
trick buffalo plays an important part
in the case of the prosecution.
The second chapter opens at Decatur,
Ill. After the letter dated at Middle
Grove, No, no word was ever heard
from young Gates. His father sent de-
tectiyes to the Missouri town, but they
could find no trace of the missing
boy. The father himself then took the
case in hand, and was more success
full. At Middle Grove he found sew
eral persons who remembered young
Gates and Jester, who had seen them
travelling together toward the east.
The spot where the two wagons had
left the main road was found, and the
camp in the hills whore the two were
seen together was located. A farmer
was found who said that he saw Gates
and Jester enter a large belt of woods:
and another farmer testified that
when the two wagons came out OF
the woods Jester was alone This cor
roborative testimony convinced the
dered and that Alexander Jester was
the man who committed the crime.
After a long search, Jester was finally
located at Wichita Kan, and arrested.
In his possession were a watch, cap,
ring. bowie knife and vest that were
identified as the property of the MISS
ing boy. 1t was also discovered that
he had sold young Gates team and
wagon in Indiana. Before he could be
brought to trial, Jester escaped from
the Jail at Mexico, Mo-, and though the
country was searched from one end
to the other. not the slightest trace
of the fugitive was found.
Twenty-nine years olapse between
chapter two and three. The sheriff of
Sedgwick county, Mo-, received a let
ter from a Mrs. Cornelia Street, who
wrote that Jester was her half brother,
that he was guilty of the Gates muir
der, and that he was living in Shaw
nee, under the name OF w. A. HILL
The sheriff communicate with the
Gates family, and JC.a w. Gates, Of
Chicago, n brother ur the murdered
man, took charge Of ,Ac case. Hill, a
minister of the gospel at Shawnee,
and respected highly by the towns
| people, was arrested. He admitted
that he was formerly known as Alex
| ander Jester, that Cornelia Street was
| his half sister, but emphatically de-
MED any knowledge of Gilbert Gates
| crime charged.
The fourth chapter in this tragedy
| opened last week in New London,
| where Jester, old ami decrcpit, verg-
| ing almost on senility, was brought to
trial, his defence being that he is
not the Jester who committed the mur-
| der. over 400 witnesses have been
summoned by the prosecution who, in
| spite of the lapse of time, are willing
! to swear to their recollcctions of Jes-
! tcr's early companionship with Gates.
! One OF these, William w. Shrewsbury,
| successfully a laborer. farmer, show
| man, book agent, auctioneer and pat
ent medicine hawker, on Tuesday gave
sensational testimony. He was selling
books in the vicinity of the murder
at the time of its commission. lie dis
| tinctly remembered Jester and the
buffalo calf. He talked with young
Gates, who told Shrewsbury he was
en- route to his Illinois home. He saw
Jester at that time and identified him.
He described both the prisoner and the
deceased as he saw them that day.
The next day he met Jester in the lane.
The prisoner was on the ground near
the wagons. Shrewsbury went up TO
the wagons and thinking the last
wagon, which had been upset, would
q