Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-26
CAN HYDE PROVE
To THE JURY THAT
He IS INNOCENT?
Young Kansas City Physician
Has One of the Most Serious
Fights on That Ever Man
Was Called on to Face

criminal court of Jackson county. MIS-
souri,, promptly on the stroke of noon
today face to face with one of the most
perplexing problems, in many respects,
that human being was ever called upon
to solve.
The problem comforting this young, APP
parently unruffled, grim, determined
man OF science and medicine is this:
How best can l convince those II
men in the jury box that l am innocent
of these awful charges that are hanging
over my head like the sword of Damo-
Giles; how may / best convince them of
my innocence in the face Of the most
damaging array Of circumstancial evi-
dence that has been woven around me,
that has enmeshed me and that has left
me struggling for my very life by the
testimony of the last few days.
A hand lightly touched his arm. The
doctor looked down into the smiling, up
turned face OF a little woman by his
side And in that face and in that visit
full, grave little smile of hope and en-
couragement and of good cheer the ac-
cused man read the answer to his prob
lem.
For after the last shred of the masses
of testimony shall have been threshed
out to the last degree, after the final
words for and against the man accused
of an almost unparalleled series of crimes
shall have been spoken and long after
the jury shall have retired to it's room
10 ponder upon its verdict it will be
the face of Mrs. Frances Swope Hyde
that will linger longest in the memory of
every man of the 10, and it will be her
testimony that will have the greatest eff
feet upon the doctors case
GOOD LEGAL ADVICE
1t is very easy, as one sits in the
crowd in. the court room day after day
watching the ever changing KALEIDOSCOPE
ic events that will mean either life or
igpominous death to the prisoner at the
bar--it is very easy to observe the trend
of things and II is easy to see in what
direction the clever resourceful attor-
neys for DR.. Hyde are attempting to
turn the thoughts of the inscrutable men
In the jury box. DR.. Hyde's name is
spoken by these lawyers in their cross
examination of witnesses only when alb
solutely necessary. But the name of Mrs.
Hyde is almost continually on the lips
of the lawyers for the defense.
WAS Mrs. Frances Hyde in the room
at the timer" or What did Mrs Hyde
do or say to you at such and such a
timer" are the questions asked mos.
frequently and at every mention of the
little womans name the voice of the
lawyer is always lowered perceptibly;
there comes a tender tone-and the
glances of the jurors involuntarily turn
toward the woman who sits at her hus-
bands side.
Tragedy is written on every line of her
face
There she sits all through the dreary
hours of the day close by the side of her
husband. Her face is deadly white a.
pallor that women know and will tell
you comes with approaching mother
hood. Today there were cruel lines in
the face: there were dark rings under
the eyes; there were deep ridges ex-
tending from the corners Of the mouth
down toward the chin. The suffering
is telling on the little woman.
She smiles, not continually, but fire.
quently; at times her black-gloved hand
Is placed upon her husbands arm or
about his neck.
She is always the trustful, loving wife
and her devotion to the man on trial
is most marked.
Her own mother, her sisters and her
only living brother will take the stand
proba bly, before the present week has
ended-and will by their testimony do
their best toward starting Bennett Clark
Hyde on the walk that shall end at the
scaffolds top.
Then Mrs. Frances Swope HYDE will
take the stand and will, by her testi-
mony, do her best to have restored to
her and to the child that soon will
be hers, the husband and father.
One week has been taken in the pre-
sentation of the testimony of the states
case against DR.. Hyde. Half q dozen wit
nesses have been on the stand The state
will put 40 or so men and women on the
stand before they announce to Judge
Latshaw that. I'VE rest. your honor
Two witnesses only-both of them wo-
rNnn-IhaUn
These witnesses have been Pearl v
kellar and Anna Houlehon, both trained
nurses. These are the most important
points that have been brought out
r POINTS BOUGHT OUT
l. That Col. Thomas H. Swope died
following a CONFUSION, and that the con-
vulsion followed within Is or 20 minutes
OF the time that a capsule given to
Nurse Kellar by DR.. Hyde was taken by
the old millionaire.
2. That Moss Hunton had something
closely resembling & CONFUSION before
he died.
the road to recovery was seized with a
convulsion soon after DR.. Hyde announ-
ced that he had given the patient a cap
sule.
4 That some hours later another cap
sule was given Chrisman Swope at Dr.
Hydes orders; that within Is or 20 min
utes later Chrisman Swope was seized
with a CONFUSION in all respects similar
to that suffered by Colonel Swope and
that Chrisman Swope died within a Pc
Rod of few hours.
g. That Margaret Swope, i'll with ty-
phoid fever, took a capsule at DIR. Hyde's
order and that she, too, had a convui-
sion, that while not as severe as those
suffered by the colonel and Chrisman.
was in all respects very like them.
g. That Stella Swope, then in perfect
health. was given a box of candy by
DR.. Hyde. that exactly seven days later
she was stricken with typhoid fever, the
contention of the state being that the
candy was inoculated with typhoid fever
germs.
Z. That DR.. HYDE was active in his
n.inistrations upon the patients although
he was not the doctor in charge.
g. That as soon as DIR. Hyde left the
Swope home there were no more of thess
mysterious commissions and that all of
the sick persons speedily recovered their
health.
So absorbed have the spectators and the
jury been during the week that has just
passed in the unfolding of this tale, the
like of which was never put on the pages
OF a novel that the motive that is al
legged to have inspi ed this series of cum
ming crimes, has been lost sight of for the