Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-05-17
HYDE CONVICTED HIMSELF.

Ofs ID. Olhtk hyuSt WYNN lNS
Kansas CITY, Mo-, found guilty of mur-
derlpg Col. Thomas Fl. STope BY poison
and sentenced to life imprisonment yes
tsrdsy, owes bis conviction to his Own
testimony on the witness stand, accord
Ing to q statement made by W. O. Orone,
the iuror who decided the physicians
fate after nearly three days OF ballot
ing.
Until Saturday night, Orope aud R.
johnson, q farmer, held out for seqult.al
aQsinst the rest OF the jury. Remember
ing DR.. Hyde's demesnor on the stand
MI. Orone finally decided the phySi-
clans fate by voting for conviction
aud psrsuading johnson to do the
same.
"Dr Hyde was his own worst enemy
in the trial." said Mr.. Orone
lestnipht. "Hs own st.mopy convicted
him.
"When De. hyde said he had brought
cyanide for ten years and yet could not
remember where be bought 1t, be
damned himself ss witness. II
he had not testified IS he did l
think he would not be in the position
be Is.
SAT fret l believed hyde innocent,
aud until Sunday night voted to aequit
him. Then l recalled bis testimony
sbout his cyanide purchase and decided
he was guilty. / told Mr.. johnson l
had changed my vote, and | talked
about nv decision. think nv reasoning
had 40 tffsct on him.
Dr. Hyde hiss been under suspicion 10
connection with the mysterious iilneSs
and deaths In the SSope family ever
sipce the death Of Colonel Swope, Osto'
ber 8, 1909. 1t csme soon after he suf-
fersd a severe convulsiou, snd this con-
yuIsiop, 1t was charged BY other mem
bers Of the Swope family, followed i'm
media,ely the administering of capsule
given by direction Of DR.. Hyde. Dr.
Fl ,de said II was q digestive tablet. II
was proved at the trial thst DR.. Hyde
had purchased cyanide Of potassium In
Eve grain capsules, and be Wss prosecut-
ed 10 the belief that he gave one OF these
capu' 'es to Col. SSope. DR.. Hyde said
be bought the cyanide c'psules to kill
reaches 10 bis Office.
Two days before the death of Colonel
Swope, Moss Hunton, a cousin OF the
millionaire phiIsnthroplst, died at the
Sgope home, following q stroke Of
spopIexy. DR.. Hyde and DR.. 6. [.
Twymsn, of Independence, treated Hun.
ton. The patient was bled profusely, II
is charged, at the suggestion Of Dr. Hyde
After six pints OF blood was taken from
Hunton the bleeding process was stop.
ed, hut not until Dr.. Twymau had re-
pestedly protested that too much blood
was being taken from the old man.
Beginning early 10 December an cpl
demic OF typhoid fever broke cut In th'
Swope household aud 10 members OF The
family we're stricken. OhrIsman ) Sope
a brother of DR.. Hyde's wife, died.
Chrisman died afIer taxing c'psul'
given at DR. Hyde's direction and afte
suffering a CONFUSION similar to the OBJ
that attacked Colonel SaOpe.
Margaret Swope, Ohrlsmsn's sister
Who also was treated by DR.. Hyde, bs'
a convulsion after taking a capsule. bu
she was given an emetlc at once By DR.
TWyman and recovered.
Jsuusry 5, 1910, the body Of OhrismaI
swcpe was secretly exhumed, and fou
days after the body Of Colonel SHop
was removed from its tomb.
The analysis Of the liver of Coloue
Swope re,ulted In the 6nding Of 52.6
of q grain OF strychnlne by Chicsg
chemists.