Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1910 — SAYLER TRIAL NEAR END. [ARTICLE]

SAYLER TRIAL NEAR END.

Case Likely Will Reach Jury Today Or Monday. Watseka, 111., April 7.—Presentation of evidence closed today in tha s Sayler murder trial. Arguments for the state and defense are to begin to-morrow and the Court expects the case to be in the hands of the jury by Saturday night. The last principal witness was John Grunden, who, with his. daughter, Mrs. J. B. Saylor, and Dr. W. R. Miller, is accused of the murder of J. B. Sayler last July. Grunden’s description of the struggle lacked, the dramatic force of the recital of Dr. Miller, but was filled with greater detail. ? Grunden described how the two came together, his son-in-law, Sayler brandishing a hand ax, and Dr. Miller, seated in his rocjking chair, with an automatic pistol in his pocket. “The lapip was overturned and the light was so dim that I could only see them as they moved,” said Grunden. “When I saw the flash of the first shot I stepped back into the doorway.” . Golda Sayler, daughter of the slain man and the woman on trial, testified that her father had bought a revolver two years ago and that it was kept in a drawer in her room, explaining the third revolver which was found after the murder, but was not admitted in evidence. Erington Miller, son of Dr. W. R. Miller, also testified in contradiction to some of the testimony of state’s witnesses. On? rebuttal, the state summoned witnesses who testified the morning following the shooting blood spots were not dry on furniture in the parlor where the body lay. The defense failed to'shake the witnesses and the state btelieved it had overcome the effort! of the blood drying experiment, offered by the defense. . —•—— —- A mdti n to instruct the jury to return i verdict of not guilty for Mrs. payler and John Grunden was denied by Judge Dibell.