The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-02-03
ISLANDER SUIT IS
FILED BY sWoPE
MURDER SUSPECT
Chemists Find That Death Of
Two Men Was Due to I'm.
natural Causes.
DEATH QUE TO POISON,
DECLARE THE CHEMISTS
Chicago, Feb. 2.-col. Thomas
n. Swope died from the effects
of poison. according 20 the find:
inps Of Doctors Hekotsn, Haines
and Vaughn, announced here to-
day.

Kansas City. Feb. "A sensational
phase in The Swope poisoning case de-
veloped this afternoon, when DIR. Ben
nett Clarke Hyde. highly connected
professionally and socially, filed a suit
at Independence, No., against John H.
Paxton, an executor OF the SWOpe es-
tate, to recover 800. 900 for alleged
Islander.
Thu petition. which was filed in the
circuit court by Frank p. Walsh. n
well known attorney OF Kansas City,
alleges that on about January it Mr..
ciously and intending to vex, Cypress,
i%mpoveItsh and wholly ruin" DR.. Hyde.
made statements that DR.. Hyde was
guilty Of poisoning Chrisman Swope
and Thomas H, Swope.
Mr.. Paxton. who for many years has
been the Swope counsellor, is now in
Chicago with attorneys for the Swope
interest and the coroner and prosecutor
Of this county, comforting with the
three chemists who recently have been
examining the organs Of the two dead
Swope men.
Related by Marriage.
DIR. Hyde is related by marriage to
the Swopes. having married the daugh-
ter of Mrs. Logan o. Swope. mother Of
associated with some Of the leading
physicians of Kansas City. Formerly he
was city surgeon. assistant secretary OF
the Missouri State Medical society, and
a member OF the staff of the city hos
pita!.
The part Of the petition in which Mr..
Paxton's alleged statement is quoted fol-
lows:
IT believe that Colonel Thomas swope
and Chrisman Swope were poisoned and
did not die from natural causes, and ] be-
lteve that DIR. Hyde %(nieaning the PLAINTIFF
poisoned or caused them to be poisoned.
and thereby caused their deaths. And ]
believe he dneaning the ~plaintiff) inocu-
fever germs and caused several members
OF said family, including Margaret Swope
said family, including Margaret Swope
and Lucy Lee Swope, to contract typhoid
fever.
Accused Of Other Attempts.
And that he (meaEtng this plaintiff) at
tempted to poison said Margaret Swope
and Lucy Lee Swope, meaning thereby
and intending to mean and charge, and
being understood by him who heard such
statements to mean and charge tbs
plaintiff had murdered Thomas H. 6wope.
and Chrsman swope, and had attempted
to kill and murder Margaret 8wope and
Lucy Lee swope and. was therefore guilty
of IN crime Of murder, and was liable
for capital punishment therefor, and also
guilty OF the crime Of assault with intent
to kill and liable to conviction m pun
ishment therefor in the penitentiary.'
Sides Against Mother.
An interesting chapter in the case
became known this afternoon. following
the filing OF the suit. Mrs. Hyde stated
positively that she would stand by her
husband. She, therefore. In effect, ar
rayed herself against her mother, who
has pushed the investigation, and the
other Swope heirs.
Mrs. Hyde is wealthy in her own
right. She received $500. 900 from the
swope estate and previously possessed
considerable valuable property. Be-
cause he had secretly married Mrs.
Hyde against the wishes OF her family.
DR.. Hyde's relations with the Swopes
have been strained for years.