The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-02-08
SWOPE TOOK
POISON TONIC
INQUEST CAUSE OF DEATH OF
MILLIONAIRE SHOWS PAT
EMIT MEDICINE USED
sWoPE's NURSE TEsTIFIEs TO
THIS EFFEcT-PRINCiPALS
WILL NOT SPEAK


KANSAS CITY, Mo, Feb. THAT
Colonel Thomas H. Swope, the mill
lionaire whose death, on October 3,
has been the subject of diligent
inquiry for the last month to determ-
inc if he died from poisoning took
a patent medicine containing tonic
of iron, quinine and strychnine up to
a few days of his death, developed
at the inquest over his body in In
dependence, Mo-, today.
This testimony was given by Miss
Pearl Keller, Colonel Swope's nurse.
1t was the most significant piece of
evidence brought out in the inquest,
which opened today.
Miss Keller cared for Colonel Swope
from September % until the day of
his death. She testified that the mil
dition to the treatment given him by
DR.. B. c. Hyde.
in a damage suit of DR.. B. c. Hyde,
against an attorney and two physi-
clans who are interested in the Swope
investigation. s. WI Spangler, Office
partner of Colonel Swope, testified
that Colonel Swope took a patent
medicine containing strychnine while
at his office. 1t is supposed that this
is the same mixture to which Miss
Keller referred in her testimony Mr..
Spangler said Colonel Swope took
large quantities of the medicine
daily
Poison is Explained.
Physicians say that the fact of
Colonel Swope having taken much of
this concoction would explain the
presence of poison in his vital organs.
1t is also pointed out that Colonel
Swope was in weakened condition
when he last took the medicine.
Eight witnesses besides Miss Keller
testified during the day. They were:
DR.. Edward L. Stewart, DIR. c. T.
Twyman, who testified regarding the
autopsy; and James Craig, w. B. Nit
chell, w. F. Slime, H. S. Cowan and
Thomas l.. Nicholas, all of whom told
of the burial III Colonel swopes body.
DR.. Stewart said that while he had no
part in the autopsy other than writ
ing down the record, he knew that no
hemorrhage of the brain, visible to
the naked eye was found.
Colonel Swope was supposed to have
died of apoplexy.
Principals Will Not Speak
The calling of the inquest today
brought together for the first time in
several weeks members of the Swope
household and Dr. B. c. Hyde. Mrs
Logan Swope and her daughters, Miss
Lucy Lee Swope, Miss Sarah Swope
and Miss Margaret Swope sat on one
side of the room with their attor-
neys while DIR. Hyde and his attorneys
were on the other. There was no sign
of recognition between the two par
ties. Mrs. Hyde was not present Her
husband explained that she was too
ill to attend
During the day Mrs Swope and
Miss Keller were served with sub
poenas by an attorney from the office
of Frank P Walsh, DR.. Hyde's coun-
sci. to appear and give their deposit
tions in the libed suits brought by Dr.
Hyde against Attorney John G. Pax
ton and Doctors Frank Hall and Ed
ward L. Stewart. Attorneys have been
attempting to serve the subpoenas
for week.
Suits are Filed.
The women readily accepted SER
vice
DR.. Hyde filed suit for 100000 for
alleged SANDER against Attorney John
G. Paxton today and service was OBJ
tanned upon the attorney at the in
quest
A similar suit against Mr.. Paxton