Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-02-17
ARREST MADE IN
THE SWOPE CASE:
Physician Of millionaire Is Charg-
ed with Murder in the
First Degree.
HYDE SURRENDERS QUIETLY
Proves the Calmest Man in JUS
tees Office, Furnishes $780,
600 bail and Hastens
to His Home.
HYDE SURRENDERS QUIETLY

on October ,. 1909, DR.. p. c. Hyde, hus-
band of the late mllionaire's niece. was
arrested here to-day charged with his
murder in the first degree.
The warrant was issued at the request
CT Attorney John O. Paxton. executor OF
the Swope estate, and charges that Dr.
Hyde, with felonious intent, administer
cd strychnine TO Colonel Swope on the
day of his death.
Across the back Of the complaint filed
Ivy Mr.. Paxton, Prosecutor Conkling
wrote:
II hereby endorse this complaint"
Or. Hyde surrendered quietly He
learned that n warrant was being sought
and with his attorneys went to the pro-
secutors office to await the return OF
Mr.. Conliling. He submitted to arrest
without demanding to hear the warrant
read From here the party went To In
dependence. Mo. where DR.. Hyde was
arraigned before Justice Loar. The
physician pleaded not guilty and was
released on a bond OF $4,000 His pre-
iminary hearing was set for February
H.
Prosecutor Conkling originally planned
80, 900 bail but Hyde's attorneys had ar
ranged for a $4,000 surety and as they ex-
pressed willingness to give this amount
it was accepted
The oalmost man in the Justices office
in Independence was DR.. Hyde. While
attorneys busted themselves making out
the papers. he sat near County Marshal
Mays reading a paper that told Of the
Developments in the Swope investigation.
by the way. Mr.. Mays" he said fold
II sh
up my house and have my wife informed
that l will be home for dinner. She will
be worrying about me-
Just as soon as the bond was accepted.
DR. Hyde hurried to his home in an auto
mobile.
HISTORY OF THE CASE.
Kansas City, Mo-, Feb, 10.--The death
Of Col. Thomas II. Swope on October
last was attended by circumstances
which mystifed the millonaire's fam
lily and close friends DR. Hyde had
treated Colonei Swope and In signing
the death certificate gave apoplexy as
the cause of death
When in December an epidemic Of
typhoid fever ragged in the Swope
household during which eight persons
We're stricken ana one. Chrisman
Swope died, under conditions that
caused much apprehen sion among the
attending nurses. John G. Paxton. the
executor, and Mrs. Logan swope,
mother of Chvisman, instituted a Wig
Gus investiga ton,
DR.. Edward l.. stewart stated that
on November 10, Or. Hyde had secured
from him test tube which contained
1 ,,T
ute typhoid bacteria Thenceforth
Hyde was under the surveillance OF
detectives.
December 20 DR.. Hyde himself was
! taken i'll with what was said to be
typhoid fever. DR.. Stewart later gave
the prosecuting attorney statement
bearing on Hydes illness. saying Hyde
asked that he make the Vida test
for typhoid in the blood. This will
show typhoid fever even II the sub
; jcct whose blood is examined suffered
from the disease several years before"
the statement said. AN examination
Of the blood of DR.. Hyde showed a
faint trace of typhoid" He also made
a culture test, but said the blood re-
NAMED absolutely sterile of typhoid
and conta med no typhoid germs. The
| bodies Of Colonel Swope ana Chrisman
! SWopc then were disnterred. An an
aly,ia OF tho organs is said to have
disclosed poison.
DIR. Hyde had prescribed for Colonel
Swope during the latters illness. The
patient was given digestive capsule
| on October 3. Twenty minutes later
while reading a newspaper he went
| into commissions and died few min
utes later.
DIED or LIKE COMMISSIONS
| On December . the nurses attending
Chrisnan SWope, who was being treated
| for typhoid fever. were surprised when
| he also had commissions and became I'M
conscious, exactly as his uncle had done
two months before and died December G.
| Miss Margaret Swope Chrisman's sis
ter, also had commissions in milder
form. Her illness WAS diagnosed as
| typhoid fever.
On December Miss Cora Dixon, gov
| erness in tho Swopc home, and Miss Cop
| poSe, negro servant. were both stricken
with typhoid fever. and successfully on
December 5. Steward s. Fleming. nephew
| OF Colonel Swope, December 0, Miss Sara
Swope. "A yes old niece Of Colonel
Swcpe, December II, Miss Stella Swope.
another niece and December lS>. Miss
| Lucy Lee, daughter of Mrs. Logan
Swope, all We're afflicted with typhoid.
| Shortly thereafter Dr Hyde himself
was stricken
When bodies of Colonel Swopc and
| Chrisman Swope were eXhumed for OK
animation. DR., Hyde in statement
| said:
| Colonel Swope died OF apoplexy.
| There is no doubt about it. 1t was az
PLAIN case Of apopleXy as have ever
seen, Colonel Swope was getting old and
Feeble. lie had been sick FOR more than
| three months of old age, lack OF ap-
petite and senlity Only II few weeks
before his death, he had had severe
| fall
| CHARGED WITH GRAVE ROBBING.
| DE- Bennet Clarke Hyde is the son
u the Key, DR. c. W. Hyde, a retired
4"p'iS' minister OF Lexington. Missouri.
lie is 40 wears old.
| !" A"SuSt' 1897, Dr. Hyde, then police
surgeon of Kansas city, was ousted
rom oftiee because of alleged inhuInan
| 'eaihent OF Annie Clements. q negiess
mo had attempted to commit suicide
MA VINO had come under his care at
! lac police station