The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-09
MORE SENSATIONS
IN sWOPE INQUEST
Testimony of Pearl KelIar, a
Nurse, Draws Aside Veil
Covering Mystery.
DR.. HYDE WANTED TO
ADMINISTER THE ESTATE
intimatiOn of WOman's COnyic-
tlon That Physician Poi
SOned His Patient.

KANSAS ITY. Feb. s.-NIth ths
testimony Of Miss Pearl Kellar. nurse;
OF DR.. Ludwig Hektoen of Mrs Logan
ri. Swope and of DR.. Frank Hall in the
inquest over the body of the late Col
lhomss Swopc. in Independence today
came developments In the mystery OF the
mlllionsire's death more startling than
any facts heretofore adduced.
Miss kellar.s detailed story OF the last
with startling features OF happenings in
The Swopc household. produced sensa-
Ton. SO carefully had her story been
written and rhmored about the case. not
until today had any one outside tho i'm
mediate circle Interested in the inquiry
heard her narrative.
Details Of Evidrrce.
Miss kellar testified that Immediately
Moss Hunton. DR. Is. c. Hyde asked her
70 use her influence with Colonel Swope
TO haNe> him appointed administrators OF
ne SWopc estate Nh, Ilunton had been
on the morning OF Colonel swope's
de1th, she gave him threc-graiu cap
sule. supposed TO contain dyspepsia Tncdi-
cine. This she did al the direction OF
l?r. Hyde. Twenty minutes later Colonel
swope Vas IN a conyulsion. His death
Five minutes after Colonel Swopc's
death. pr. HYDE appeared and. with Al
torpey John e. Paxton took Colonel
SWoop WI from his vest pocket.
Dr. Hektoen testified that sixth
OF grain OF strychnine was found in
one-sevcntieth part OF Colonel Swopcs
liver He believed there might bc q
grain In the entire organ. Half a grain
would cause death Traces OF strychninc
were found in the stomach
Strychnine might have been injected
! lRto the body after death.
Scouts Former Theory
| cine containing strychnne would leave
liver.
| Mrs Swope testifed that DR. HYDE
knew OF Colonel swope's intention to give
| = .o1o. 900 TO charity and OF his plan TO
change his will to this effect. She also
said that Colonel Swope had told Dr.
hyde he bad planned 10 give Thomas
Swope the largest part OF his estate. She
denied she entertained any i'll feeling
against pr Hyde
| " certain Colonel Swopc did not die
from cerebral hn'1crrhasc OF apoplexy.
| O. II. Gentry. druggist OF lndepcnd-
ence. said he prepared the medicine for
! Colonel Swope that contained elixir OF
iron, quiuine and strychnne, The
stryGnuinc in tesspoonful amounted to
only lS0ih al a grain. lie s3iG.
| Or. Hyde was again present at the in
quest today and heard every word OF the
testimony Especially did he follow the
| testimony OF Miss Eeilar closely. Bui he
|
| him in the least.
Dramatic Scene in Court.
In the tense moments. when Miss
l<elar described thc dying actions OF
Colonel Swope; Jurors and spectators
every word She told IN detail how sh-
! gave the man u capsule and how lie
passed Into copvulsions. While un"on-
had not taken that medicine. l Wish that
were dead
Miss Kellar also said that DR.. Hyds
suggested 20 her that she ought 70 charge
| s3a, instead Of S25, a week for her Serv
After she had given most OF her tes-
timony. and the room was quiet, Coroner
| L. II. Iwart asked her;
DC ycu Know Of anything that might
have caused colonel Swopes death other
| than that capsule
4 do no.. she replied firmly.
The report made by Dr. Hektoen on
the liver was supported by affidsvits
from Drs. Walter :. Haines and Victor
c. Vaughn, The report on the condition
He suid tho examination OF The organs
Of the body had not been completed,
Juror Raises Issue.
\ question that may have great e.,.,,,l hesr-
Could The body absorb strychninc
that had been injected after DEATH" ,
"Yss," Or. Hektoen replied, III
! StTvchnne had hcsn injected after 6ea ib
and the body had lain for a long time.
! the poison could hove found its way 10
other parts O; the body through diffusion.
Strychninc would have to he in solution
for that and il would spread through the
tissues.
Mrs, SwopN told OF the many ecccn-
friCItiCS OF Colonel Swopc. she said lac
had thought for twenty five years that
his death was imminent
II am the Same as dead man. she
testified that he had once said TO a rela-
i've I'm Just walking around TO save
funeral expenses.