Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1900 — FIND JESTER NOT GUILTY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FIND JESTER NOT GUILTY.

Jury Acquit* Aged Prisoner of tbs Charge of Murder. Alexander Jester is free. “Not guilty,” is the verdict brought in at New London, Mo., by the twelve jurors upon whose de-

cision hung the fate of the aged pioneer. W. 8. Forrest of Chicago, employed by John W. Gates, brother of the dead or missing boy, to aid in the prosecution of the aged prisoner, closed his speech at noon Wednesday. Half an hour later the jurors retired to consider the evi-

dence. Their deliberations ended at 8:30 p. m. in the formally expressed opinion that Jester is innocent. Thia famous trial, which has now been brought to a close, is perhaps without a parallel Alexander Jester was charged with the murder of a boy companion, Gilbert Gates, near Paris, Mo., in 1871. In the testimony given by Azel A. Gates, father of the murdered boy, were the allegations upon which the State depended for conviction. Briefly, they were these: Early in the fall of 1870 Gilbert Gates left bis home in West Chicago upon a hunting trip through Missouri. While traveling he was met by Jester. The pair were seen together, and then Jester appeared alone with two teams—one of them his own and the other that belonging to the missitg boy. Mr. Gates traced Jester and his son through Missouri until all track of the boy vanished. Then he followed Jester into Illinois, and satisfied himself that young Gates had been foully dealt with. A few weeks later Jester was arrested in Kansas, and young Gates’ property was found upon him. He was taken tn

Mexico, Mo., where he escaped from jail while awaiting hia trial. That was early in 1871. . Nothing more was heard of him until he was arrested in Oklahoma last summet on the complaint of bla sister, Mrs. Cor 1 nclia Street. A total of 200 witnesses appeared for the prosecution. Most of them were quite old, a fact not to be won derpd at when it is remembered that the crime for which Jester has been tried was committed thirty years ago. .

GILBERT GATES.

ALEXANDER JESTER.