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The
Jester Case |
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This was
the case of Alexander Jester, who was tried at New London,
Ralls County, Missouri, in July, I900, for the murder of
Gilbert Gates. It excited a wide interest on account of the
age and character of the defendant, who was over
seventy-seven years old and had been a preacher or exhorter
of good reputation, and the fact that the alleged murder had
been committed more than twenty-nine years before, and the
circumstances that the friends and relatives of the alleged
murderer and his victim lived in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,
Texas and Oklahoma. The facts in the case were that, in
January, I871, Alexander Jester, living in Kansas, started
in a two-horse wagon for Indiana, for the purpose, as stated
by himself, of visiting his mother and sisters, and bringing
one of the latter, Mrs. Street, to his home in Kansas. After
passing through Fort Scott, a few miles out, he fell in with
a young man or boy, named Gilbert Gates, eighteen years old,
who also had a two horse team, and was traveling in the same
direction. The two teams stopped to water at the same
stream, and this, according to Jester's statement, was the
beginning of their acquaintance. In Jester's wagon was a
live buffalo calf, which he exhibited along the route, and
also had a sack of dried buffalo meat which he sold in small
quantities at various prices, thirty-five to eighty cents a
pound, to persons on the road who were curious to taste it.
The two teams crossed the Missouri river at Arrow Rock, and
journeyed
on until they came into Hulen's Lane in Monroe
County, ten miles from Paris, where they camped. This
was the last seen or heard of Gates. Jester's story was that
on their way through Missouri they had been talking and
bargaining about Gates' team which he wished to sell, and
Jester was willing to buy. At Hulen's Lane they finally came
to terms, $325 for the team and outfit, which amount Jester
paid to Gates. Next
day another man with a team overtook them, and Gates
concluded to join him, which he did, the new team driving
off in a trot before Jester on the same road he was
traveling. Gates' failure to arrive at his home in Illinois,
together with the absence of all tidings from him, excited
the anxiety of his father and friends, and a careful
investigation was made.
The track made by Jester and Gilbert Gates was easily traced
by the incident of the buffalo calf, from Kansas through
Missouri to Hulen's Lane in Monroe
County, and from there all trace of Gates
disappeared. In questioning persons living in Monroe County,
enough was discovered to direct suspicion to Jester, who,
after completing his trip to Indiana, had returned to
Kansas-and he was arrested in Sedgwick County of that State.
He had with him at the time the Gates' team, Gates' watch,
coat, vest and pants, wearing some of the garments when
arrested, al-
though they were too small for him. At the time of the
arrest, Azel A. Gates, the father of the missing boy,
claimed the team and took possession of it, without
opposition. Jester was brought to Paris, and, after a
preliminary examination sent to jail in Mexico, a change of
venue to Audrain County having been taken. Before the trial
came on the prisoners in the jail made their escape, Jester
with them. He went back to his home in Kansas, but remained
only one day, going off into Texas. No further trace of him
appeared until twenty-eight years afterward, when, upon
information given by his sister, Mrs. Street, he was
discovered in Oklahoma living under the name of W. A. Hill-a
fact
which he afterward explained by saying that Jester was his
stepfather's name, and he went by it until after the close
of the Civil War when he took his father's and his own real
name of William A. Hill. The case was transferred by change
of venue to New London, Ralls County. There were witnesses
from Kansas, Oklahoma, Indiana and Illinois; but the most
important evidence was that given by persons living in
Monroe County, Missouri, who saw Jester and Gates together
in the vicinity of Hulen's Lane, where Gates disappeared.
Several witnesses
testified to having seen the two teams approaching Hulen's
Lane on the 25th of January, I87I; others testified that,
next day, they passed or met the two teams with only Jester
in charge. There was snow on the ground, and several
witnesses swore that they saw drops of blood and a blood
spot as large as a plate in the road. One witness, a
neighbor woman, living near Hulen's Lane, testified that in
the night of January 25th, she was roused by cries as of a
person being killed; and others testified to 'seeing, next
day, the feet of a man lying in the rear wagon, as if
asleep, or drunk, or dead; and several testified to having
seen a dead body floating down the creek not far from
Hulen's Lane
when the ice broke up. The trial began on the 9th of July,
1900, and lasted until August 1, following, distinguished
counsel being en
gaged on, both sides, with over a hundred witnesses, and in
the presence of a crowd of spectators which not only 'filled
the court
room, but surrounded the building on the outside. At 9
o'clock at night on the 23d day of the trial the jury
brought in a verdict of "not guilty," and the aged
prisoner who had been attended throughout the trial by his
two sons and daughter was set free. He departed next day for
his home at Norman, Oklahoma. The circumstantial evidence in
the case was admitted to be strong against the prisoner; but
the failure to prove that Gates was dead, together with the
skillful presentation of authenticated cases of the
disappearance of persons and a reappearance after many
years, determined the jury in favor of the prisoner. The
case against the prisoner was worked up through Chicago
detectives employed by John W. Gates, of Illinois, a
millionaire, and brother of the missing boy, and this fact
also was used by the prisoner's counsel to influence the
jury in his favor. It may be added that the bearing of the
prisoner and his sons throughout the trial had a very
favorable impression, not only on the jury but on the
community, and when the verdict of acquittal came, it was
received with shouts of applause by the crowd.This was the
case of Alexander Jester, who was tried at New London, Ralls
County, Missouri, in July, I900, for the murder of Gilbert
Gates. It excited a wide interest on account of the age and
character of the defendant, who was over seventy-seven years
old and had been a preacher or exhorter of good reputation,
and the fact that the alleged murder had been committed more
than twenty-nine years before, and the circumstances that
the friends and relatives of the alleged murderer and his
victim lived in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Texas and
Oklahoma. The facts in the case were that, in January, I871,
Alexander Jester, living in Kansas, started in a two-horse
wagon for Indiana, for the purpose, as stated by himself, of
visiting his mother and sisters, and bringing one of the
latter, Mrs. Street, to his home in Kansas. After passing
through Fort Scott, a few miles out, he fell in with a young
man or boy, named Gilbert Gates, eighteen years old, who
also had a two horse team, and was traveling in the same
direction. The two teams stopped to water at the same
stream, and this, according to Jester's statement, was the
beginning of their acquaintance. In Jester's wagon was a
live buffalo calf, which he exhibited along the route, and
also had a sack of dried buffalo meat which he sold in small
quantities at various prices, thirty-five to eighty cents a
pound, to persons on the road who were curious to taste it.
The two teams crossed the Missouri river at Arrow Rock, and
journeyed
on until they came into Hulen's Lane in Monroe
County, ten miles from Paris, where they camped. This
was the last seen or heard of Gates. Jester's story was that
on their way through Missouri they had been talking and
bargaining about Gates' team which he wished to sell, and
Jester was willing to buy. At Hulen's Lane they finally came
to terms, $325 for the team and outfit, which amount Jester
paid to Gates. Next
day another man with a team overtook them, and Gates
concluded to join him, which he did, the new team driving
off in a trot before Jester on the same road he was
traveling. Gates' failure to arrive at his home in Illinois,
together with the absence of all tidings from him, excited
the anxiety of his father and friends, and a careful
investigation was made.
The track made by Jester and Gilbert Gates was easily traced
by the incident of the buffalo calf, from Kansas through
Missouri to Hulen's Lane in Monroe
County, and from there all trace of Gates
disappeared. In questioning persons living in Monroe County,
enough was discovered to direct suspicion to Jester, who,
after completing his trip to Indiana, had returned to
Kansas-and he was arrested in Sedgwick County of that State.
He had with him at the time the Gates' team, Gates' watch,
coat, vest and pants, wearing some of the garments when
arrested, al-
though they were too small for him. At the time of the
arrest, Azel A. Gates, the father of the missing boy,
claimed the team and took possession of it, without
opposition. Jester was brought to Paris, and, after a
preliminary examination sent to jail in Mexico, a change of
venue to Audrain County having been taken. Before the trial
came on the prisoners in the jail made their escape, Jester
with them. He went back to his home in Kansas, but remained
only one day, going off into Texas. No further trace of him
appeared until twenty-eight years afterward, when, upon
information given by his sister, Mrs. Street, he was
discovered in Oklahoma living under the name of W. A. Hill-a
fact
which he afterward explained by saying that Jester was his
stepfather's name, and he went by it until after the close
of the Civil War when he took his father's and his own real
name of William A. Hill. The case was transferred by change
of venue to New London, Ralls County. There were witnesses
from Kansas, Oklahoma, Indiana and Illinois; but the most
important evidence was that given by persons living in
Monroe County, Missouri, who saw Jester and Gates together
in the vicinity of Hulen's Lane, where Gates disappeared.
Several witnesses
testified to having seen the two teams approaching Hulen's
Lane on the 25th of January, I87I; others testified that,
next day, they passed or met the two teams with only Jester
in charge. There was snow on the ground, and several
witnesses swore that they saw drops of blood and a blood
spot as large as a plate in the road. One witness, a
neighbor woman, living near Hulen's Lane, testified that in
the night of January 25th, she was roused by cries as of a
person being killed; and others testified to 'seeing, next
day, the feet of a man lying in the rear wagon, as if
asleep, or drunk, or dead; and several testified to having
seen a dead body floating down the creek not far from
Hulen's Lane
when the ice broke up. The trial began on the 9th of July,
1900, and lasted until August 1, following, distinguished
counsel being en
gaged on, both sides, with over a hundred witnesses, and in
the presence of a crowd of spectators which not only 'filled
the court
room, but surrounded the building on the outside. At 9
o'clock at night on the 23d day of the trial the jury
brought in a verdict of "not guilty," and the aged
prisoner who had been attended throughout the trial by his
two sons and daughter was set free. He departed next day for
his home at Norman, Oklahoma. The circumstantial evidence in
the case was admitted to be strong against the prisoner; but
the failure to prove that Gates was dead, together with the
skillful presentation of authenticated cases of the
disappearance of persons and a reappearance after many
years, determined the jury in favor of the prisoner. The
case against the prisoner was worked up through Chicago
detectives employed by John W. Gates, of Illinois, a
millionaire, and brother of the missing boy, and this fact
also was used by the prisoner's counsel to influence the
jury in his favor. It may be added that the bearing of the
prisoner and his sons throughout the trial had a very
favorable impression, not only on the jury but on the
community, and when the verdict of acquittal came, it was
received with shouts of applause by the crowd. |
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