Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-08
According to Nurses Story, Dr..
Hyde Asked Her to Get Him
Named as Executor.
WHAT DID CAPSULE CONTAIN?
Twenty Minutes After Taking II, Colo
ncI Went Into ConvuIsions- Doc
tor Called IL Apoplcxy.


Thomas II. Swope.
A few days before Col. Swope died.
DR.. B. C. Hyde asked the nurse to try
to persuade the patient to name him
(Hyde) as one of his executors. ac-
cordlng to the testimony given by
Miss Pearl Kellar
Then she told of the happenings on
the morning that Col. Swope died; OF
the giving of capsule that apparent
ly was a digestive tablet. the follow
ing CONFUSION within 20 minutes the
symptoms of the attack, the diagnosis
by DR. Hyde as apoplexy. the treat
ment and finally death.
Told in quiet. unassuming manner,
Miss Kellar's testimony produced a
sensation in the crowded courtroom.
DR.. Hyde, his lips tightly set. t.watched
the nurse closely as she told her story.
while Mrs Logan .. Swope. his moth
er-ln-law, heavily yelled. listened at
tentively from another part of the
room.
Witnesses were heard today at tho
inquest at Independence, Mo, by the
coroner's jury that Is finally 10 de-
Thomas II. Swope, Kansas City's late
millionaire philanthropist.
Vital interest attached to the testi-
mony OF Dr. Ludwig Hektoen. the
toxicologist. who had arrived from
Chicago during the morning. The
specialist, 1t was expected, would give
the first complete and official report
of the three chemists who examined
the viscera of Col Swope. Upon this
report alone might ultimately be de-
termined the question as TO whether
the philanthropist had died from nat
ural causes or as the result of poison
administered with criminal intent
Among the other witnesses TO be eX-
aminod today were Mrs. Logan II.
Swope and her daughters. The latter
expected to tell of their illness while
suffering from typhoid fever during
the siege following Col. Swope's death
and during which nine members of
the family were stricken
Mrs Swope. the sister-in-law of Col.
Swope and mother OF Chrsman Swope
and Mrs. B. c. Hyde. has kept In Sc
clusion since the Swope mystery be-
came a sensation. She was an object
of great interest as she testified re-
garding Col. Swope's illness and death
In her house.
Mrs. Hyde was again absent and 1t
was announced that she was still sick
aoed.
DR.. Hyde and the other principals
were on hand early and occupied their
usual chairs. and another expectant
audience completely filled the court
room.
NURSE TAKES STAND.
When the inquest was resumed to-
day Miss Pearl Keller, a nurse. who
attended Col. Swopo in his last illness.
again took the stand. Late yesterday
this witness had given the significant
evidence that her patient had, up to
within a few days of his death
taken a self-prescribed tonic that
contained strychnine. Today she told
the more important details of Col
Swopes symptoms and actions on the
day of his death.
j. p. Trogdon. the deputy coroner.
who is interrogating the witnesses, is
going into the minutest details. This
carries out the ooroner's promise that
the investigation would be most
searching.
Miss Kellar told of an interview she
had with DIR. g. C. Hyde on the night
Moss Hunton. Col. Swope's adminIs-
traitor. died.
II was passing in and out OF Col. !
Hunton's room just about 20 minutes |
lltci 1OlOueI I1u1iOH uleu, MlbS hei- |
ar said, when DR.. Hyde met me in !,
he hall and sald he wanted n private |
interview with me. / said that l would |
see him later and so DR.. Hyde went |
o the car line and came back in about |
IN hour and half. When he got back |
% the house he went into the parlor
Ind dismissed a nurse who had come
o nurse Colonel Hunton. The nurse
eft. and then Just DR.. Hyde and Mrs.
Iyde, the undertaken and myself were
wake In the house and soon the sit
Ing room was empty. / went In there
md DR.. Hyde came In and sat too"
Miss Kellar stopped for a moment
nd her hands pulled at a handkerchief
hey held.
And then-" Atty. Trosdon sug-
,ested.
DR. HYDE'S AMBITION.
,"Well. then DIR. Hyde spoke about
low good a man Colonel Hunton had
een and said how awful II was that
le died. Then he said that he had
to ask me. I am not n bus
ness man, he remarked, but then I
an care for things pretty we'll Col
mel Hunton is gone now and in a few
ays he'll make a new will and put O.
ew man In the place OF Colonel Hun
on as administrator Now. you have
influence with the old man and / want
ou TO suggest me as his administrator. |
-ou see, Colonel Swope intends to put
mother man In the place OF Colonel
Iunton and he Isn't a good man for
he place and | want you to suggest
,e'"
And your answer wase" Trogdon
sked
II told DIR. HYDE that could not do
hat: that | would be ovcrstepping my
ounds. Then DIR. Hyde tried to per-
uade me that II would be all right
)r me TO talk to Colonel Swopc about
1e matter and that / could do 1t very
icely. But / wouldn't consent to this
he next day, DR. and Mrs. Hyde went
Ito the city and did not get bnck until
30 When he met me in the hall he
sked me II had spoken to Mr. Swope
bout that matter. i told him that
ad not, and there wasn't anything
lore said about IT,"
Sitting close behind his attorneys to-
~. DR.. Hyde listened to the testimony.
[ first his eyes We're half closed and
u head was bowed. Later he raised
IS head and watched the nurse close
:. The courtroom was quiet. more
liet than at any other time ,dur-
e the inquest In the closely crowd
benches, not person moved. so in
mt were they not to miss BIT of the I
encs at the Swope home on the morn
g that Col Swopc died: =
II was seated at tho breakfast table q