Walbash, Indiana, February 2nd, 1934.

The Reverend Gaylord v. Saunders, for five years, had been the pastor of the Walbash Street

M.E. Church here and one of the best-like ministers in the city.

About six weeks ago, following a nervous breakdown, he submitted his resignation to the church

congregation, announcing he had enrolled in an embalming school in Indianapolis and intended to

devote his time in the future to that work. The congregation accepted his resignation Sunday night,

and named the Reverend Claude Garrison of Fairmount as his successor. The Reverend Mr. Saunders,

36 years old, was assigned to the local church after having served in Eaton and was one of the

youngest ministers ever assigned to a Methodist church here. Following the acceptance of his

resignation Sunday night, he announced that he would move his family, his wife and two

small sons, as soon as the children, who have been ill the last week, recovered.

Mr. Saunders had served two years as secretary of the Wabash Ministerial Association and had been

active in many branches of church work. Last year, when the annual Methodist conference was held in Huntington,

the congregation of the local church petitioned that the Reverend Mr. Saunders be returned to the church

here for a period of five years, the first time such a request ever had been made by a Walbash

Methodist Church. Two years ago, the Reverend Mr. Saunders was involved in rumors which circulated over the county,

in which it was asserted that telephone operators in the local exchange had tapped the wire

while he was in conversation with a young lady at various times.

The rumor became so general that he called a special meeting of his congregation

and placed the entire matter before the members. He offered to resign at that time, but members

of the congregation refused to accept it. They adopted a resolution stating that a thorough

investigation had been made of the rumor and that the charges were found to be false. Telephone operators who were involved in the rumor also signed statements

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