The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-03-11
dep FEELING Is SHOWN
IN SAYltR MURDER TRIAL
One of Most Sensational Cases
Ever Tried in Illinois to
Open Monday.
THE ACCUSED ARE WEALTHY

w Ndlctkds ILL., AhhAlAll hpiiN
terest in the Sayler murder trial is
growing more intense ds the time for
the opening of the trial approaches
which is set for next Monday. The
case, undoubtedly the most sensation
al ever known in this section Of the
state, will be heard before the District
Court and promises to be the 'cause
celebre" OF Iroquois county. The in
tensity of the interest taken by the
community in the case is due not only
to the sensational details of the crime
and of the conditions which led to 1t,
but also to the fact that the murder
ed man and those accused of being his
slayers and theirfrespective relatives
are known to everybody throughout
the county and even beyond its linn
it's.
Immediately after the crime was
committed on July IL, 1903, popular
feeling in the county was so strong,
that it would have been practically
impossible to obtain jury of twelve
unbiased men to try the three per-
sons charged with the murder. But
since then the excitement has cooled
down considerably and IL is believed
that the selection of the jury will not
be exceedingly difficult The accused,
having wealthy family connections,
will be represented by the ablest coun-
sci that money could procure and no
effort will be spared to save them from
conviction, which would mean hang
ing or lifelong Imprisonment.
The persons to be tried for the muir
der Of John Byron Sayler. the Crescent
City banker and live stock broker. are
DIR. William f. Miller. Mrs. Lucy Say
Ter, the widow of the murdered man
and her father, John Grunder. Ira
Grunder, brother of Mrs. Sayler, Is
also under Indictment but merely as
an accessory after the fact. States
attorney John c. Pallissard will con-
duct the prosecution and he processes
to feel sure of the conviction of the
accused.
John Byron Saylor was killed in his
own house by Dr. William r. Miller
about ten o'coclcs on the night of July
IL. 1909. The defence will claim that
the deed was an act of self-defence
and that DIR. Miller did not fire the
fatal shots until after Sayler had
attacked him with q hatchet. The pro-
secution, however. will try to prove
that the act was premeditated murder
and was the reseult of a conspiracy
between DIR. Miller. Mrs. Sayler and
her father. II appears that for many
years DIR. Miller and Mrs. Sayler en-
tertained intimate relations which
were the talk of the town and caused
the community socially to ostracize
both the doctor and his affinity. II
is known that Sayler. the victim of
the murder, had knowledge of the re-
latiors existing between his wife ana
DIR. Miller for many years. but that
for the sake of his daughter he re-
Trained from taking legal steps TO OBJ
! tain a divorce. DR.. Miller's wife,
lovable and highly respected woman,
also knew of the scandalous relations
of her husband. but would not seek
separation, fearing that the scahdal
connected with a divorce suit would
blight the life of her boy.
II Is said that DR.. Miller and his at
hnity made several attempts to ria
Themselves of their respective legal
mariners and even tried to inveigle
Sayler into the appearance of an en-
aanglement with Mrs. Miller, but
failed i'm every instance. IL is believ-
ed and will be charged by the pros
ecution that becoming desperate the
doctor and his affinity resorted to
the extreme remedy of killing the man
who stood i'm their way What hap
pened at the Sayler residence on the
might of the murder only the persons
charged with the murder know. They
claim that Sayler came into the room
Tin which Mrs. Sayler, her father and
DIR. Miller were about to play a game
of cards. that they urged him to join
the game. but that he refused and,
without further provocation attacked
lDr. Miller with a hatchet. They in
sist that DIR. Miller merely acted In
self defence when he shot Sayler.
witnesses who entered the room of the
murder shortly after the shooting as
sert that there was not hatchet i'm the
, room at that time and If one was
found there. IL must have been placed
, there later in an attempt to manu-
, facture evidence.