The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-19
JESTER IS DEAD.
Man Whom Gates Hunted for so
Years Expires at Age of 30.

Shawnee, Okla, Aug. 19.-Alexan-
der Jester, who a few years ago was
indicted, tried and acquitted of the
murder of William Gates, brother of
John w. Gates, is dead at the home of
his sister near here aged 80 years.
John w. Gates hunted Jester for 80
years.
The murder of William Gates,
which occurred near Nevada, Mo-,
more than thirty years ago, is still
fresh in the minds of the old inhabi-
tants of that section. Gates was
travelling in a wagon over the route to
California for the purpose of benefit
ing his health. He was we'll equipped,
having a fine team of horses and
plenty of provisions. Jester and Gates
met on the road and shortly afterward
Gates body was found in the river
with the head severed entirely from
the body. Jester had Gates team and
suspicion naturally fell upon him.
Jester was arrested and imprisoned In
the county Jail at Nevada, Mo-, but he
escaped before the time of the trial
arrived. For nearly thirty years J. W.
Gates, brother of the murdered man.
and now millionaire president of the
American Steel and Wire company
searched with untiring effort for the
man whom he believed to be the muir
derer of his brother. During all that
time, however, he found no trace of
Jester.
In 1897 Charles Simmons. sheriff of
Sedgwick county. Kansas, received
letter purporting to be from TESTERS
sister, which read: II am living at
Shawnee. Okla, with my brother.
Alexander Jester. who is a murderer.
He is guilty of numbering William
Gates almost thirty years ago"
Jester had assumed the name OF
Hill after escaping from the Nevada
jail and was living at Shawnee. No
one there knew him but he lived in
constant dread of being brought to
trial for the murder of Gates Hill
had married and had a family of sew
eral children but when arrested at
Shawnee he was a widower and living
with his sister 1t is said that Jester,
alias Hill. was about to be married
again and that he notified his sister
that she would have to get out of the
house, which led her to notify Sheriff
Simmons.
Sheriff Simmons gave the informa-
ton to H c. Lockwood, who notified
John w. Gates of Chicago and steps
were taken by the latter to have Jes-
ter arrested Without waiting for
the officer Millionaire Gates went to
Shawnee and. with the aid of Pinker-
erton detectives, took Jester to Ne
vada without even applying for extra
d1tion papers. When Jester came to
trial his attorney made the plea that
the defendant was a poor man who
had lived an upright life with his
family for nearly thirty years and was
now being prosecuted by a man who
was fourteen times a millionaire The
jury, after being out only a few min
utes, returned a verdict of not guilty
In the early '70s Jester was a resi-
dent of Sedgwick county, Kansas, and
toured the country with freak calf
which he exhibited at county fairs and
picnics- 1t was on trip like this that
Jester met William Gates. Jester was
an old soldier and got a pension of
$40 a month.
When John W. Gates few months
ago visited the Indian territory oil
fields. the report was started that Jes-
ter had fed to New Mexico, fearing
the vengeance of the millionaire. This
story seemed more credible because |
he had a son in Morariaty, N. M, who
had advised him to come there and |
settle upon a claim which the young |
man had taken for his father.
1t seems, however, that this story
was mistake and that after leaving |
Wichita in May he returned to the !
home of his sister at Shawnee.