Herman Clifford "Cliff" Oyler (1892-1931)

OYLER, HALTERMAN, MILLER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/7/2021 at 18:48:25

From Nevada Evening Journal September 3, 1931 (page 1)

Man Killed Wife Then Put Bullet In Own Brain

Cliff Oyler of Maxwell Principal in Double Tragedy at Ames Late Wednesday Afternoon

A double tragedy on the streets of Ames late Wednesday afternoon snuffed out the lives of Cliff Oyler, 38, and his wife Ivy, of Maswell, and left their three children between the ages of 12 and 17, orphans.

The wife's note to her husband advising him of her intentions to secure a divorce was held responsible for the tragic event--the murder of the wife and the suicide of the husband.

Oyler, who had been employed on the construction work of the new schoolhouse at Maxwell, had left his children at home and driven to Nevada during the early afternoon and secured at 32-calibre self-action revolver.

He had then driven to Ames, where the wife had been employed for a few days caring for Mrs. Lye Allen, an invalid. Learning that the wife was downtown, he parked his car in front of the Allen home and waited her coming.

Wife Approached Unsuspecting

As she approached, thinking that he had but returned to beg her to give up her intentions of divorcing him and returning to her home, he stepped out of car and approached her, she stopped, apparently without fear.

After a few words he whipped out the gun and fired two shots at her, both taking effect in the breast, one to the right and the other to the left. As she sank down, then mortally wounded, he answered he plea of "My God, don't Cliff," by leaning over and shooting her the third time, the last ball entering the right temple, an inch above and just to the front of the ear.

Leaning over her lifeless bleeding body, he removed the three empty shells from the gun and replaced them, after which he placed it to his right temple and sent a ball into his own brain.

Neighbors who witnessed the tragedy at once called the Ames police department and within a short time officers were on the scene and had the unconscious man removed to Mary Greeley hospital. Dr. Bush who was called attended the man but it was evident that there was no chance for life.

Coroner Viewed Body

The body of the wife was covered and lay upon the parking in front of the Allen home, and when Sheriff Hattery, accompanied by Coroner Mills and Deputy Huddlestun arrived, the scene of the tragedy was surrounded by hundreds of people.

After viewing the remains and checking over the situation the boy was ordered removed to a funeral home after which the coroner and officers went to the hospital, where it was found that Oyler was near death.

The tragedy on the parking occurred at 5:20 and it was just an hour and a half later, at 6:50, that the man died.

The bodies were at once removed to the Cooper Funeral home at Maxwell, to prepare for burial. No inquest was necessary after the death of Oyler.

The Immediate Cause

The note from the wife, which as the immediate cause of the tragedy, was found in Oyler's pocket. Under date of September 1, she wrote:

"Well, Cliff, you do not need to come and get me, for I was to see a lawyer this morning and have made up my mind to get a divorce. You need not come back anymore."--Ivy.

Written on one side of the back of the folded note, penned by Oyler were the words:

"I and my wife must die together. This is the day." On the other side was written: "Please bury us both in one coffin." H. C. Oyler.

Receiving the letter during the forenoon Oyler had quit work and left home after noon. "I'll be back this evening and take you to Collins," he told Kathleen, 13, and Robert, 11. The eldest daughter Mrs. E. L. Miller, who was staying at home did not see the father leave.

Driving to Nevada he spent some time before driving on over to Ames, where he had made up his mind to meet his wife and the mother of his three children and take her life.

From here he drove to Ames and after locating his wife, lay in wait for her in front of the home where she had been employed and where he had called upon her before in an effort to get her to return home.

It was there that the tragedy occurred, in view of a number of neighbors who were out enjoying the late afternoon of a warm September day and others homeward bound from their day's work.

Was Maxwell Girl

The victim of the tragedy was before her marriage Ivy Halterman, daughter of Chris Halterman, one of the long-time residents of that neighborhood and she had many relatives in and around Maxwell, Iowa Center and Collins.

Officers at once notified the family at Maxwell and prepared them for coming of the lifeless bodies of their parents and relatives.

Oyler was not unknown in Nevada and Ames, where he had worked a various times and had been in more or less trouble. A few months ago he had served a sentence on a charge of operating a motor vehicle, while intoxicated.

There has been more or less trouble in the family for years, the neighbors said, but people generally spoke in the highest terms of the wife and the efforts to keep her family together and properly cared for.

Arrangements for the funeral of the Oylers had not been determined at noon today, it was said at the Maxwell undertaking parlor, where the bodies were taken Wednesday evening shortly after the death of Oyler.