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


Kansas City, Mo-, found guilty of mur-
deriug Col. Thomas q. S#ope By poison
and sentenced to life imprisonment yes
t.rdsy, owes bis conviction to his own
testimony on the witness stand, accord
ing to statement made BY W. O. Crone,
the Juror Who decided the physician
fate after nearly three days of ballot
ing.
Until Saturday night, Orope and B.
johnson, q farmer, held ont for acquit.sl
agsinst the rest OF the jury. Remember
ing DR.. Hyde's demesnor on the stand
Nj. Orone finally decided the physi-
clans fato BY voting for conviction
and psrsusding johnson to do the
came.
"Dr Hyde was his own worst enemy
in the trial." said Mr.. Crone
lss.nishs. ''Hls Own testimony convicted
him.
"Whsn DE-. Hyde said he had brought
cyanide for ten years and yet could not
remember where he btught it, he
damued himself as witness. II
he had not testified IS he did l
think he would not be in the position
be Is.
.sAt irst believed hyde innocent,
aud until Sunday night voted to acquit
him. Then I recalled bis testimony
sbou. his cyauide purchase and | decided
he Was guilty. I told Mr.. johnson /
had changed my vote, and l talked
about nv decision. think nv reasoning
had 40 effect on him.
Dr.. Hyde has been under suspicion 10
connection With the mysterious illaeSs
and deaths in the Scope family ever
since the death Of Oolo,el SWope, Octo.
ber 8, 1909. 1t csme soon after he auf.
fersd severe conVulsiou, and this cou-
vulsiou, It was charged by other MEM
bers OF the Swope family, followed Inn
mediately the administering of capsule
given by direction of DR.. Hyde. DR.,
HIDE said 1t vas a digestive tablet. 1t
was proved at the trial that Dr.. Hyde
had purchased cyanide Of potassium In
five-grain capsules, and be was prosecut-
ed 10 the belief that he gave one OF these
camu'es to Ool. Saope. Dr.. Hyde said
he bought the cyanide csp:ules to kill
reaches 10 his Office.
Two days before the death of Colonel
swope, Moss HuDton, a cousin of the
millionaire philanthropist, died at the
Swope home, following stroke of
spoplexy. Dr.. Hyde and DR.. G. I.
Twymsn, of Independence, treated Hun
ton. The patient vas bled profusely, it
is charged, at the suggestion of DR.. Hyde.
After six pints OF blood was taken from
Hun,ou the bleeding process vas stop
ped, but not until Dr.. Twymau had re-
pestedly protested that too much blood
was being taken from the old man.
Beginning early fn December an cpl.
demic of typhoid fever broke cut In the
swope household aud 10 members of the
family we're stricken. Ohrisman Scope,
brother of Dr.. Hydes wife, died.
Chrisman died after taking capsule
given at Dr. Hyde's direction and after
suffering cons ulsion similar to the one
that attacked Colonel S Hope.
Margaret Swope, Chrlsman's sister,
Who also vas treated by Dr.. hyde, had
convnlsion after taking capsule. but
she VAS given an emetio at once by DR..
Twyman aud recovered.
Janusry 5, 1910, the body Of Ohrisman
sHope WAS .secretlY exhumed, and four
days after the body Of Colonel SHope
was removed from Its tomb.
The analysis of the liver of Colonel
Swope resulted In The fading of 52.66
OF a grain OF strychnine by Chicago
chemists.