The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-11-28
STANDS BY THE
CYANIDE LETTER
Edgerton Tells Why He With.
held and Then Disclosed
the Information

EdgertOn, q widely known Helena
mining man and member Of the last
legislative assembly. told the Asso-
ciated Press last night the full story
or how he sent Hyde q box Of cyanide.
estimated at two pounds, and how,
more than seventeen years later, he
came to let Hyde's attorneys know OF
that fact.
Edgerton's statement is important
because Hyde. in his trial. could not
explain to the satisfaction Of the jury
where he had procured cyanide, which
he admitted he had used many years.
Two Pounds In Q Chalk Box.
Edgerton's statement follows in
part:
In April or May. 1893. after having
lost my health in Montana. I was on q
crowded train between Cherryvale
-kas., and Kansas. City. NY sssat mate
was q young man whom 1t Afterwards
developed was Hyde. was Just able
to be about. and our talk naturally
hinged about my illness, and from
that we got to talking about cyanide.
Hyde appeared to be interested In cy-
anide and. as I had been using the
stuff in mining operations, I promised
to send him some.
I'm July Of that year I was in Hill
City, 8. D., in charge Of a mining
property. One day when the mine
closed down. filled chalk box with
cyanide and rode into town and mail
It to the young doctor. wrote him
q note on the letterhead of banking
house, explaining that had sent the
stuff. I thought no more about It for
many years, but when Hyde's trial
came on, followed It closely.
Dreaded the Publicity.
Desiring to avoid publicity. could
not make up my mind to let Hyde
know that recalled the incident. One
day last summer, was on train in
northern Montana, when I became en-
gagged in conversation with two wo-
men from Kansas City, and we talked
about the Hyde case. From them I
obtained the name of Hyde's attorney.
About six weeks ago, while exam
lining q college fraternity directory, I
found the name of the Kansas City
doctor, and then it was that l wrote
to him. in care Of his attorney. and
recalled having sent him the cyanide
seventeen years ago."
Mr.. Edgerton has heard nothing
from his letter, aside from the story
of the Associated Press. which was
shown him last night.
May Be Used.
Kansas City, Nov. 28.-No effort
will be made by Frank Walsh, attor-
ney for B. Clark Hyde. to insert into
the record now before the Missouri
supreme court on appeal, anything
relating to the statement Of Joseph
Edgerton of Helena. Mont, that he
sent DIR. Hyde two pounds Of cyanide
seventeen years ago.
In the event of q new trial, the
Edgerton statements will be, investi-
gated closely and may have an i'm
portant bearing on the case. At least,
that's the way Mr.. Walsh put It this
morning.
II doubt whether we could put this
new feature into the records now"
Mr.. Walsh said this morning. eat
any rate, we shall not make any at
tempt. as we feel secure on the record
as It now is. More than one hundred
errors, were committed by the trial
court"
Coming at this late day. the state
ment of Mr.. Edgerton was received
not without slight skepticism by many
who had followed closely the develop
ments in the Hyde case. In fact,
many branded It at once as q fake.
Then 1t became known Mr.. Edger-
ton was a successful business man
and mine operator. had held respon-
sible positions by appointment from
the federal government, was elected
by large plurality as member Of
the Montana legislature and was a
man whose statements inspired abso-
lutte confidence among those who
knew him. That caused many skep-
tics to pause. Those who at first
were certain 1t was fake admit now
they are puzzled.