The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-08-22
DEATH RECALLS
GATES MYSTERY.
Alexander Jester Succumbs in Southwest
at the Age of 90-Hid Identity
for Years.

y.
AURORA. Mo-, Aug. 19.-Information
has reached this city through Postmaster
j. j. Burke of Norman, Ok, of the
death of Alexander Jester alias William
A. Hill, aged over 80 years. who was.
tgIed at New London, Mo, in July, 1900,
for the murder of Gilbert W. Gates,
brother of John W. Gates, the New York
and Chicago steel king and multimil-'
lionaire the crime having occurred in .
February, 1871. The old man died on
August at the home of his daughter,
Alice Jester, and was buried at Shaw
nee, Ok.
Jester in the winter of 1871 departed
from Wichita, Kan, with prairie
schooner in which was a trained but
falo calf, en- route to his former home in
Indiana. He left on his ranch family
consisting of wife and two children.
On reaching the Missouri state line he
came up with Gilbert Gates and togeth-
er they Travelled until reaching small
town called Mulberry Grove in Audrain
county. At this point the young man
mysteriously disappeared and from there
on old man Jester was seen with both
his own and Gates outfit. Gates was
travelling to his home i'll St Charles,
H., and had written his parents that he
was en- route His last letter to his par
ents was mailed only a few hours be-
Through Illinois and on into Indiana
Jester Travelled, exhibiting his buffalo
calf, diSpoSing of some of the property
that was Gates, and reached Bedford
Ind. After resting a few days he re-
Sumed his journey back to Kansas, TAX
ing with him his sister and family, they
driving the Gates outfit.
Begin Search for Missing Man.
Azel a. Gates, the father of the boy,
became alarmed at his nouarrival. and
fearing that some disaster had befallen
him, left his home in search of his son.
For days he failed to find any trace of
him. until at last it was discovered that
he was travelling with Jester, and on
reaching Hannibal. Mo. he found that
Jester had both wagons. From that
point on TO Indiana it was easy to trace,
the outfit On arriving ut Bedford he
found that Jester had returned to Kan
sas, and \. A. Gates reached Wichita be-
fore Jester arrived. He had by this time
concluded that his boy was dead and
that Jester was the murderer.
Jester arrived ut his home late in the
afternoon, and awaiting him was the
sheriff and Azcl \. Gates. Jester was
Immediately put under arreSt-eyen be-
fore he was allowed to enter his home
The Gates wagon was with him and SO
were practically all the trinkets that the
boy had taken with him. On the head
of one of the children was Gilhert's hat,
and even Jester was wearing the Gates
boys vest The team was taken to
Wichita. Jester was given a preliminary
hearing, at which he stated that he had
purchased all the things of the Gates
boy and that Gates had gone to his
home.
Jester was taken to Mexico, No, and
placed in the Audrain county Jail To
await trial. \ few months later he, with
several others, escaped Jail. He returned
to Wichita and remained only one night
when he left his family forever never
seeing but one of them since He went
to Texas, changed his name to William
\. Hill, and took up life anew. He was
past 80 years of age lie was married
three times while living twenty-five
years in Texas. He entered the minis
try and was noted for his fervid p!ety,
and it is matter of record that he
dedicated at least one church. But his
neighbors were always suspicious of him,
and many looked upon him as Il Grim
inal.
testers Identity Discovered.
After testers divorce from his fourth
wife his identity became known to his
sister, Mrs. Street, with whom he tray
clcd from Indiana, and as she was grow
ing old and having quite a sum of money
she agreed that if he would not marry
again she would purchase a home for
both of them and they would spend the
remaining days of their lives in com
fort and ease. To this plan Jester
agreed and the property was purchased.
When the deed was made, instead of be
ing made out to the rightful owner, MIS-.
Street. Jester had it made out to him.
self Only Il short time elapsed until
for the fifth time Jester began pr"para-
lions for entering the matrimonial state,
and when the fact became known to
Mrs. Street She insisted that their COM
pact he carried out, but this Jester re
fused. EXaspcrated at the thought that
in her declining years she should be the
victim o! her brothers duplicity She adj
dressed letter to John ". Gates tell
ing him of the rightful name of the ac-
CuSrd murderer of his brother and where
he lived. This information was the first
that the authorities had received of JcS-
ter since he had escaped from the McXi-
co Jail twenty-cight years before
Mr.. Gates chartered special train.
took with him the proper officers. and
succeeded in placing the old man under
arrest At first he denied his identity,
but later admitted that he was AlcXaH-
der Jester, and gave a lurid account OF
his life since his escape from Jail.
Faces Trial for Ancient Crime
a change of venue was taken from
Audrain county and the case sent 10
Rails. and Jester confined in the Jail at
New London, where in July, 1900, over
twenty mine years after the crime had
been committed. he was brought to trial.
John W. Gates secured as counsel To
prosecute Jester Gov. Charles L. John
son of ST. Louis, W. s. Forrest of Chi
cago, and several others. Jester had as
counsel L. II. Cullen of Mexico Mo. J.
A. Allison of New London, and J. :. Nc
Intyre of St. Louis. and after five weeks
of trial was acquitted. the state being
bile TO prove that Gilbert Gates was