Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-02-12
SWOPE POISONED
CORONER DECIDES
Physician Stands Accused Of Hav-
ing Caused Death.
ELMER SWOPE MAY BE SON

Colonel Swope Never Married and
Was Regarded as Woman Halter
People of Kansas City Inclined to
Give Claimant Hearing-No coun-
sci Employed There-swope's Let
ter of Inquiry the Only Thing That
is Known Concerning His Claim.
Kansas City, Feb 10.-"Col. Thomas
II. Swope came to his death by reason
OF strychnine administered in cap
sule by direction of DR.. B. G. Hyde,
but whether by felonious intent or not
we, the jury, are unable to say
This decision, reached at l pm. yes
terday, brought to close the Coro-
ner's inquest in the case that has at
tanned national interest.
Three persons who would have
shared in the distribution of Colonel
Swope's estate, estimated at $4,000
900, have died and illness has attack
ed six others.
Those who died were Col. Thos. H.
Swope, James M. Hunton, a cousin;
Chisman Swope, a nephew. Those
who were i'll of typhoid fever were
Margaret Swope, niece; Lucy Swope
a niece; Mrs. Margaret Swope, a sis
ter-in-law; Stuart S. Fleming, neph-
ew; Sarah Swope, niece; Miss Dix
on, cousin.
A determined effort on the part of
the Coroner and the prosecuting al
torney to procure testimony from DR..
B. c. Hyde, upon whose shoulders the
jury placed the responsibility for Colo.
mel Swope's death. was the climax of
the days proceeding
Hyde Refuses to Testify.
When Coroner Zwart arose and call
ed for DR.. Hyde there was a hush in
the court room. 1t lasted only a Sec
ond, however. for instead of the phys
ician getting up. and going toward the
witness chair, his attorney, Frank p.
Walsh, announced that his client
would not testify.
ct must respectfully insist that DR..
Hyde will not testify" said Attorney
Walsh. 1--WE have advised him not to
take the witness stand under the cir
cumstances."
81 can't help that" replied Coroner
Zwart. I'VE want DR.. Hyde to take
the stand at this inquest, to be sworn
and to testify"
At this point of the wrangling Virgil
Conkling. Prosecuting Attorney of
Jackson County, arose and addressed
the Coroner. Conkling was excited,
and 1t was evident that the move of
DR.. Hyde's attorneys had come to him
as surprise.
~ have clipping here from an eff
ternoon newspaper of last Tuesday a
week ago." he said, Gin which DR. Hyde
made statement. In view of this he
should testify"
Coroner Zwart called Mr.. Conkling
out for conference. When they re-
turned minute later the Coroner
again demanded that DR.. Hyde testify.
Mr.. Walsh again refused to allow
his client to go upon the stand.
That's enough for my case" said
Mr. Conkling, and he sat down.
BY this time Coroner Zwart had be-
come excited himself and was frantic
ally pulling at Mr.. Conkling's sleeve.
Mr.. Conkling, the Coroner and Deo-
uty Coroner Trogden retired to a pri-
vate office, where they whispered ex-
citedly for several minutes. They re-
turned with determined looks upon
their faces.
Insists on Hyde Testifying.
II must insist that DR.. Hyde>take
the stand and be sworn" declared the
Coroner. "He has been regularly sub
poenaed and he should testify"
Prosecuting Attorney Conkling look
ed across the table and there was a
dark scowl on his usually placid face.
"All right" said he: "If that's
the stand he takes it's enough for my
purpose"
The face of DR.. Hyde flushed deep
ly and he looked sharply at the pros.
ecuting attorney.
After the jury had returned its vef.
dict DR.. Hyde refused to make any
comment Speaking for his client.
Frank P. Walsh issued the following
statement:
Hyde's Lawyer Talks.
1.-THE evidence in the investigation
by the State before the coroner's jury
as to the death OF Col. Swope was not
such as to impress counsel for DR.
Hyde with the belief that anything Of