Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-07-16
SLAIN man MARTYR
BANKER sAYLER OVERLOOKED
WlFE's MISCONDUCT TO
SHIELD DAUGHTER.
SHE DEFENDS THE SLAYER
Papers May Reveal Secret Of His suf-
fsrins-Woman Discusses Tragedy
and Attempts to Shield Doctor
Who Killed Her Husband.

Who Killed her hu3Nand.
Watseka, lll.--The funeral of j, E
Sayler, the Crescent City banker, whit
was slain by DR.. w. r. Miller, was at
tended Wednesday afternoon by {
great crowd of friends. Investigation
OF the murder shows that Sayler fo1
two years bore the intimate relations
between his wife and Miller to shielt
his beautiful 17.year.old daughter
Goldie
On this theory alone are they able
to account for the country bankers
accomplishing silence during the las
two years during which 1t is said thai
DR.. Miller has, with growing frequen
cy. been Mrs. Sayler's guest at hel
home, and her companion on long
drives, rambles through the woods
and on hunting expeditions.
Mr.. Sayler idolized his daughter
Goldie, whose luxuriant tresses sug
gested the name by which she Is
known. Two years ago he sent heI
to the neighboring town of Onarga
to attend a seminary. in order. It is
now said, that she might not witness
the domestic tangle which was com
ing into general notice.
According to w. r. Nightingale
cashier of the bank Of which Mr.. Say
Ter was vice-president, the devoted
father determined to suffer in silence
rather than take any action which
would involve his child in notoriety.
HE seemed to fear some tragic
solution of the situation" said Mr.,
Nightingale. Whenever he left the
city during the last year or SO, It was
his habit to seek privacy, after which
he would reappear with a bulky en-.
velope containing papers. Should
anything happen to him, he always
told me. was to open the packet and
to follow to the letter the instructions.
After each trip but the last he de-.
stroyed the papers upon his return
He was away little while ago. but
when he came back, he failed to fol
low this practice. That packet | be.
lieve is locked in his private box
in the banks vault Whether it will
shed any light on the tragedy which
ended his life | cannot say. The cor
oner has the key, and will open the
box after the funeral.
That DR.. Miller stood in real dan.
ger of being lynched Is asserted by
Mr.. Nightingale and many others.
In the county jail now are DR.. Mil.
Ter, the murderer, the Sayler woman.
her father, John Grunden, and broth.
er, Ira Grunden. 1t is not claimed
that Ira Grunden had anything to dc
with the murder.
DIR. Miller and I have been much
in each others company for the last
two years, and my husband seemed to
approve, :" said Mrs. tSayler. He al
ways knew where and when we went
together and never objected. He and
I never had quarrel on the subject.
Sunday night Ira went to bed
leaving DR.. Miller, father and me in
the parlor. We drank q bottle OF
some malt preparation-not alcoholic
When Mr.. Sayler came
in, we were all at small card table
and saw him snatch Ratchet from
under the couch. 1t was one we had
about the house, but | had not seen
It for two or three weeks. He
yelled at DR.. Miller saying that he
had Ratchet that he had put away
'or him. He was standing over the |
ioctor with the weapon when ] ran i
rom the house. hid across the
street in an alley by a barn. After
he shooting, returned and lit q
amp. Mr.. Sayler was dead on the
1oor. Ira and the doctor were out
tide on the porch. Then went and
made cup Of coffee for DR.. Miller"
DR.. Miller was less communicative
he said the whole thing was some
What hazy to him and did not care to
liscuss the case further than to say
hat he shot in self-defense.
Watseka, Ill.-The county jail is
till under strong guard to prevent
n attack on Dr. William L. Miller,
layer of J. B. Sayler, the Crescent
lily banker, whose funeral Wednes.
ay was attended by thousands. Mil
er has written to his wife urging
er to come to him at once and she
, expected Friday.
A dispatch from Blairsville, Pa,
uoting Mrs. Miller as having for.
iven her husband and only awaiting
is summons to fly to his aid was re.
eived simultaneously with a private
lessage from Mrs. Miller to Sheriff
[eikes of the same import.