Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-26
Drug Was Of insufficient Quantity
to Cause Death, He Says.
TAKES SOME OF IT INTO COURT
ATheory Does Not Explain Presence
of Poison in Body.
MARGARET swoPE ON tn EsTANI
Young Woman Tells story of Attack
of Typhoid, the Treatment from
DIR. Hyde aud ConvulsiOns
that Followed.

!, KANSAS CITY, No, April 25.-There
Ras nothing harmful about the strychnne
tonic which Colonel Swope was accustomed
TO taking testified .. II. Gentry, an In
dependence druggist in the Hyde murder
trial today. This druggist filled the pre-
scrlpuon for James Moss Hunton for many
years. Hunton induced Colonel Swope to
take the medicine.
This, said Mr.. Gentry, Is a general one
for building up the system and adding red
corpuscles to the blood. 1t contains a
small amount of strychnine, but is harm
less"
As he talked he held in his hand a six
ounce vial of the medicine. Proof that he
had faith in his own goods was not lack
ing, for occasionally, he uncoiked the bot
tie and took drink of the contents.
Hard blow for Defense.
Besides compoundlng the tonic, Mr.
Gentry said he sold Mr. Hunton many
other kinds of medicine which went into
the Swope house. None Of them contained
cyanide OF potassium or other poison in
dangerous quantities, he said. Or. Hyde
wrote some Of these prescriptions. On De-
cember Q, however, said the druggist, he
sold to some member OF the Swope family
two tubes Of hypodermic strychnine.
The testimony Of Mr. Gentry was gener.
ally conceded to be hard blow to the de-
fense. BY proving the colonels habit o
taking the tonic, the defense expected tC
explain the alleged presence of strychnin'
in the body.
Dr. HYDE faced the first of his alleged
victims shortly before noon today, whei
Miss Margaret Swope took the stand.
The physician is indicted on three counts
charging him with poisoning her.
No witness that has been before the jur!
has interested DR.. Hyde and his wife 81
much as this girl. Both followed the wit
ness closely and watched her carefully.
The testimony of Miss Swope this morn
ing was uninteresting in the main. She ha,
just begun to discuss her Illness when cour
adjourned for the noon recess.
Miss sweDe or stand.
Margaret Swope was slow in reaching tn
court room this afternoon. and as a resul
the trial was somewhat delayed in gettinl
started
Entering the court room, the girl walke
near to her sister. Mrs. Hyde, and locke
at her. Many thought the two would speak
as the younger girl gazed longlnGly at he
sister, but Mrs Hyde only bit her lip an
stared straight ahead
Miss Swope said DIR. Hyde was the firs
physician to diagnose her illness as typhoi
fever. The state attempted to show tina
this diagosis differed from that made b
DR. G. T, Twyman, but the court would nc
permit the witness to testify as to thi
phase OF the case
The witness then told of the giving of tn
hypodermlc injection to her by Dr. Hyde.
TT was almost dark in the room" st
said In a low and faltering voice. ''Thei
was but one light burning dimly. M
Nurse was out,
OR Hyde came into my room, and, con
Ing TO my bedside. said he was going
give me a hypodermic.
"IIe took my arm and rolled up N
sleeve.
II drew away soon as the needle e
tered my arm. He gave me the injectlC
and then left the ROOM
"Did he feel your pulse before he ga
you the hypodermic?' was asked.
mo" she answered.
Ibid he turn up the light before he ga,
you the hypodermic?'"
"He did not"