The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-14
MURDER PLOT.
Effort to Kill Off Whole Swope
Family Is Alleged.
Typhoid Germs Said to Have
Been the Means Employed.
SUCCESS IN 8 CASES.
Two Died in October and One in
December.
Five Members of the Family
Brought Down by Disease.

Kansas City, Mo, Jan. 14.-"An ar
rest probably will be made in a few
days" said John H. Atwood. an at
torney for the Swope family today,
when asked as to the steps that will
be taken in connection with the ex-
animation of the vital organs of Col
Thomas H. Swope, the aged philan
thropist, who died suddenly Octo-
ber 3.
Death was at first attributed to apo
plexy, but quick succession of deaths
and illness among heirs of the Swope
estate led to an investigation, culmin
ating in the exhuming of the body of
Colonel Swope and the removal of his
stomach for purposes of an autopsy.
There is not a particle of doubt in
my mind" continued Mr.. Atwood,
that both Thomas and Chrisman
Swope were poisoned"
1t is understood that no warrant will
be asked until the examination of the
stomach of Colonel Swope, which is in
progress at Rush Medical college in
Chicago under the direction of HEX
poem of that institution, is completed.
The alleged murder plot, said to
have been planned with great deliber
alton, had for its supposed end the ex-
termination of all the Swope heirs. 1t
is stated that shortly before Chrisman
Swope's DEATH which occurred on De-
cember 2, just one month later than
that of his uncle, Colonel Swope, a
man visited the office of a well known
bacteriologist in Kansas City and Sc
cured some typhoid germs. With
these dead bacilli it is asserted the
man hoped to inocculate the members
of the SWope family.
And credence is given this hypothe-
sis by the fact that during the month
of December six members of the
Swope household became i'll with ty-
phoid fever. That the typhoid epi-
demic was not due to unsanitary con-
ditions about the Swope residence was
shown by the report of two physi-
clans who made thorough investiga-
tions of the premises assisted by
plumbers.
The Swope Mystery to Date.
October 1so9mDsath ef James Moss
October g. 1S0S-Death of Col. Thomas H.
October-9 1909-CoIonel Swope,s will. leav-
Ing Kansas City real estate valued at
s1,6O0.00o to members of the family, filed
for probate.
niece of Colonel Swope and legatee,
became i'll with 1o typhoid fever;
| nephew of Colonel Swope, became ill
with typhoid fever.
cousin of Colonel SWope an % Executor
| and legatee, became ill with typhoid
December (abouD 6, 19O9-Miss Dixon. a
| cousin and legatee of Colonel Swope.
became i'll with typhoid fever
| December 6. 1909-Chrisman Swope, 1egatee,
| died in Independence.
| December 9, 19O9-Niss Sarah Swope, niece
| of Colonel Swope and legatee, be-
came Ill with typhoid fever
| December 81 1909-Miss Lucy Lee Swope,
niece and legatee of Colonel Swope.
January (about) s-Autopsy on the body of
| Chrisman Swope in Independence.
January 12-Autopsy on the body of Col.
Thomas H Swope.
] To i'm,
! Kansas City, Mo-, Jan. IA theory
| that the late Colonel Thomas w. Swope,
| the millionaire pl.ilanthrop;st. was given
a capsule containing poison an hour
! before his death. is being run down by
| the prosecutors office today.
! One basis for this theory is that CO..
| Swope died in commissions. His death
| at the time, it was announced, had re-
| suited from apoplexy. The prosecutor
quoted physicians as saying death from
apoplexy is not accompanied by con-
vulsions.
No arrests will be attempted until
a. report has been made on the ex-
animation of the stomach of Colonel
| Swope by the Chicago physicians. This
| was announced this afternoon follow
ing a conference between Virgi, Conk-
| ling, the prosecuting attorney, and
| Judge Paxton. executor of the Swope
! estate.
Meanwhile Mr.. Paxton and the pros
ecutor are straining every point to
trace the purchase of the poison which
/ tkey profess to believe ended the lives
I of both Colonel Swope and his nephew,
Crismar, and tc account for the i'll
ness of seven other Swope heirs.