EYLER, Guy Wm. (1882-1909)

EYLER, CONNOR, HAYDEN

Posted By: Elaine Harrington (email)
Date: 5/21/2006 at 22:09:46

Mills County Tribune
March 1909

Guy Eyler, a young man residing at Bartlett, committed suicide there Friday by shooting himself. Family trouble is said to be responsible, his wife having left him some time ago.

Eyler was 25 years of age. About two months ago, because of alleged interference with his affairs, he shot at his father-in-law W. H. Connor. Since then matters have gone from bad to worse in his domestic affairs.

The wife took their small child with her to the home of her parents.

Young Eyler left three letters, one to his parents, one to his wife and one to the public. In the letter to his parents he spoke of killing his little child just before taking his own life. It appears that the couple had been at Thurman the day before, Eyler having complained in a justice court that his wife had kidnapped their child. When the couple separated that day the wife permitted her husband to take the child, expecting that he would return it to her at her father's house. Instead, he took the child, a babe of only 4 months, to the house of his parents.

It was 8:30 Friday night (February 26, 1909) when he killed himself. The funeral was held from the Eyler home at 11 o'clock Sunday morning and was conducted by Elder Hayden of the Latter Day Saints church. Burial was made in the Thurman cemetery. The wife was prostrated with Grief and unable to attend the funeral.

Mills County Tribune
March 2, 1909

Last week's Tribune told of the suicide of Guy Eyler at Bartlett. As will be noted in the following he desired that this letter be printed in the local papers:

"Bartlett, Iowa, February 25, 1909, To the Public: I wish to make this statement. You all know that I have tried to do what is right for the last two years, and Min Conner has been trying to raise trouble with me by lawing, and has failed, and now she has tried to ruin me by taking and forcing my darling wife and child from me, the only woman and child that I have ever loved.

And, gentlemen and friends, it has ruined my life and I can't stand it any longer.

Now, I have taken my darling child from his mother because she didn't take him to a decent place. And friends it is hard for me to take the life of my child and myself, but I would rather take his life and my own then to give hime up to his mother and have him grow up and live with Min Conner.

Please publish this statement in all my home papers. Please do this for me for I want the public to know just how it is. Yours truly, Guy W. Eyler."

(Note: Guy DID NOT kill his baby son. Ironically, two weeks later his wife died and seven months later the baby died.)