The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-07
WHY JESTER WAS ACQUITTED
Jurymen Give seven Reasons for
the Verd eft Returned by Them.

The question is being discussed by the
Chicago and New York papers as to the
reasons why Alexander Jester was &C
quilted of the murder OF Gilbert Gates.
a correspondent has talked to the jury
men and asked them to give their reasons
for acquitting Jester. They say:
l. The state failed to prove the corpus
delicti-that is, that Gilbert Gates was
killed.
2. The state failed to prove that Alex
ander Jester killed Gilbert Gates.
8. Some Of the witnesses changed
preliminary trial in 1871. and the prelim-
mary trial in 1892 at Paris.
4. The jurymen did not believe that the
testimony of Shrewsbury, who said he
saw the body in the wagon with blood on
the face, and the testimony of Shuck,
who said Jester confessed to him in rhe
Paris jail that Gilbert Gates had cut his
own throat, was true.
5. The presence at the trial and the &C
tive work of the Pinkerton detectives.
s. The lapse of time and the uncer-
tainty of remembering details Of events
occurring thirty years ago.
Z. The free use Of the money OF John
w. Gates in prosecuting Jester.
8. The age and feeble appearance Of
the old prisoner.
These are the reasons, and they form
the basis upon which Jester was acquit-
ted.
Mrs. Cornelia Street, who revealed the
identity Of her brother, Alexander Jes-
ter, as the man indicted for the murder
of Gilbert Gates in Monroe county, Mo,
thirty years ago, lives in a cosy little
room over a grocery store at S3e Usage
avenue in Armourdale, Kan. She firmly
refuses to express any opinion as> to the
guilt of her aged brother, who was ac-
quilted last Wednesday of the crime for
which he evaded trial in 1871 by escaping
from jail.
Mrs. Street is a hale and vigorous
woman for her years, but her manner IS
that of a person whose life has been
clouded by sadness The single room
which she occupies in the second story
of substantial brick building, was
tastefully and comfortably furnished A
picture Of her son, who comes to see her
occasionally, occupies a prominent place
on the wall There are no other family
pictures.
Jester was living in Oklahoma under
the name of Hill when, as the result of
quarrel over a year ago, Mrs. Street
wrote to the prosecuting attorney Of Mon
roe county, Mo-, informing him that Hill
was in reality Alexander Jester. On this
subject Mrs. Street refused absolutely TO
say word. She was returning from the
store below with an armful of groceries
when reporter met her and asked her
for an expression on the outcome of her
brothers trial.
81 have nothing to say" she said. ST
have had trouble enough over it already"
Have you any opinion as to the guilt
or innocence of your borther?" she was
asked
1.-The courts have settled the ease now
forever Let 1t go at that. have moth
ing more to say
when you revealed the whereabouts of
your brother, did you believe it was pcs
sible that he might be convicted Of muir
der?"
IT haven't another word to say. I have
had too much notortety already and L
don't want TO be connected with the case
in print any more"
Then she added with a tone of sadness:
81 have been dealt with unjustly and
suffered greatly in connection with this
trouble. I won't say anything more"