River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-02-17
GAVE SWOPE POISON
CORONER's JURY DECLARES
HYDE ADMINISTERED STRYCH-
NINE TO WIFE'S UNCLE.
DOCTOR WILL NOT TESTIFY
Verdict Unable to State Whether Cap.
sule Was Given with FeIonious In.
tent-Dr. Hyde Arrested, Gives
$4,000 Bond.

Kansas City, Mo-"Col. swope
came to his death by reason of strych-
nine administered in capsule by DR..
B. c. Hyde, but whether by felonious
intent or not we, the jury, are unable
to say"
This was the verdict reached by the
coroner's jury at Independence, Mo-,
that has been investigating into the
death of Col. Thomas H. Swope, the
millionaire philanthropist The YER
dict was reached after the jury had
been out an hour, and it's reading
caused DR.. Hyde to start forward in
his chair.
Dramatic intensity had been added
to mystery in the inquest when DR..
Hyde, prescriber of digestive cap
sule which preceded death only a
short while, refused to testify to the
coroner's jury and refused even to be
sworn.
The scene in the courtroom precipi-
tated by the Hyde incident lasted only
few moments. Even the stenograph-
ers forgot everything else except to
direct their attention to the three fig
ures who may determine an arrest in
the case of the death Of Col Swope-
Frank P. Walsh, Hyde's attorney, DR..
B. F. Zwart. county coroner; Virgil
Conkling, prosecuting attorney of
Jackson county, and DR.. Hyde.
Immediately following DR.. Hyde's
refusal to testify, Prosecutor Conkl1ng
declared, that's enough for my case"
But he declined to explain what he
meant by the remark. The refusal
furnished the first real thrill of the
long drawn out inquest. All the seat
ed spectators rose to hear what was
going on. DR.. Hyde wrote the death
certificate Of Col. Swope, after attend
ing Col. Swope in his last illness, and
then DR.. Hyde refused to tell the
coroner's jury about it.
DR.. Hyde was arrested Thursday.
The complaint, which charged first
degree murder, was signed by John
son G. Paxton, one OF the executors OF
the Swope estate and also one OF its
attorneys.
DR.. Hyde's bond was fixed at $4,000
and it was furnished at his arraign-
ment before w. S. Loar, justice of the
peace in independence. The prelim-
mary hearing was set for Thursday,
February II.
When DR.. Hyde was arraigned, he
arose and pleaded not guilty to the
charge of murder.
The warrant charging murder was
served at four o'clock. Hyde's attor-
neys were notified at noon that war
rant for his arrest would be issued
and were told to have their client
at the criminal court building at four
o'clock to be arrested. During the
time elapsing between noon and four
o'clock Dr. Hyde sat in the Offices of
his attorney and read.
He did not seem to mind the
thought of being placed under arrest
placed against him. He chatted with
friends and attorneys and called up
his wife, who is niece Of Col.
Swope.
The conversation with Mrs. Hyde
was not long one. He simply told
her that he was to be placed under
arrest, but that he would be home for
supper.
All arrangements for the bond were
fixed earlier in the week.
A special grand jury has been called
to inquire into the death of Col
Swope 1t will be convened Saturday
It was made clear that the grand
jury was not to be called to consider
alone the death of Col. Thomas
Swope, but the death of Chrisman
Swope and all the other mysteries
which have puzzled the county prose
cutor's office and all others who have
been engaged in the investigation.
The coroner's inquest inquired only
into the death of Col Swope.