Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-04-14
Sensational TaiaI in Kansas City is
Started.
DOCTOR HYDE is DEFENDANT
Physician Accused Of Poisoning Noted
Philanthropist and Under Indict-
msnt for Killing Other Mem
bers Of the Family.

l. Lulb morulnB IN Lne criminal court
8 Judge Ralph 8. Latshaw presiding, OF
D = charge Of FIRST degree murder for thu
7 alleged poisoning of Col. Thomas H
1 Swope, the noted philanthropist, sew
!. eral months ago.
) Probably the most talented array oil
, counsel ever gathered together In q
criminal trial In this part Of the coun.
t try is sitting In the court room, each
side in best condition for the fray,
which promises to be the most sensa-
tOnal murder trial known in the mid
die west.
On the side Of the prosecution arc
Virgil Conklin, prosecuting attorney;
John G. Paxton, executor for the
Bwope estate. and Assistant Prosecu-
tors Henry L. Jost and Edward P. Cur.
tin. The defense is represented by
Frank P. Walsh, Judge r. johnson,
John H. LOcas and John NJ. ClSary.
May De Hard to Get Jury.
Several days will Olapse before the
real taking Of testimony will begin, as
the securing OF Jury is considered .
hard proposition. Judge LatShaw had
double the usual panel drawn, and
with over $50 names to chose from, It
is hoped IL men who have not OF.
pressed opinion can be found. An
other great trouble is that the promi-
nence Of those in the trial will make
1t hard to find IL men who do not
know either the defendant or some Of
those on the other side. As soon
as the case was called, the examIna-
ton Of Jurors began, but little had
been accomplished when the noon re-
cess was taken. Each talesman is
given close examination by both
sides.
The Charges Against Hyde.
Doctor Hyde Is to be tried on the
charge Of killing Col. swope FIRST.
There are other charges against him
as follows:
First degree murder, for the killing
Of Chrisman Swope, Col. Swope's
nephew: manslaughter for the killing
Of Col. Moss Hunton, Coll Swope's
cousin; sir charges Of assault with
intent to Kill In connection with the
members Of the Bw0pe family and
servants being stricken with typhoid
ever, the germs alleged to have been
by DR.. Hyde. II
On the outcome OF the present trial
II DR.. Hyde probably will depend
he disposal Of the other charges
lgainst him. Ii
Strange and Dramatic story. {
The history Of the Swope case IL az {
lramatic as 1t Is uncanny. It was /
N October 9 last that Col. Thomas H. 4
lwope, q multi-millionaire, died very I
and under most mysterious c
following a brief ILL q
ess. The attending physician was
'r. Hyde, the husband Of the dead C
lan's niece, and he diagnosed the t
ause Of the cOloneps death as apo t
lexy. 1t developed. however, that on S
le fatal day Col. SWope was feeling t
good spirits, until after he had swal- h
WED capsule given him by DR.. "
Iyde. He was seized with conVul- v
Ions and one hour later was dead. 8
lst two days before the colonels
cath, James Moss Hunton, his cousin
nd an executor Of the Ewope will,
$50 died Of apoDle1y. {
Col. Swope left an estate esti-
ated at $4,000, 900, the principal bene-
,iarles being the unmarried children s.
his sister.in-law, Mrs. Logan o.
Wope. To the married daughter, Mrs. r
RANGES Hyde, wife of DR.. Hyde, he a
It t27S.OOO .
Epidemic Caused Suspicion. a
No suspicion was attached to the 81
lonel's death until December when IL
| epidemic Of typhoid broke out In Ii
. Swope household. 4
Chrisman gWope, q nephew Of Col. G
Eope, was one Of the first to fall in
victim. Possessing 4 strong consti- "
ton, however, be seemed on . CT
Ir road to recovery, when on De- 81
mber 2, he was suddenly attacked hI
tn commissions and became uncon-
lous exactly a. his uncle had done r
o months before. He died on De- y
mber .. -
Other cases in the SWope household u
GUIDED Miss Margaret Swope, Miss
"a Dickson, governess; Miss Cop
&C.. \ colorsd servant; Steward 8
sming, a nephew of Col Swope,
.. Sarah swope. q niece and Miss -
Ella swope, another niece. ~
Dr.. Hyde had been treating Chris ~
N sWope and on the sudden death ~ y
the latter, the nurses became 1s
irmed and refused to stay in the 20
use unless Mrs. Logan sWope would ~
nmon another physician. This she 'u
|, but the physician was unable TO
ate the cause OF the typhoid. On ~
esmber IS Miss Lucy Lee. 4 daugh- III
Of Mrs. Logan Swops, was
Ieksn with typhoid fever four days 7
or her arrival from Europe. DR.. =,
Dc had met the young lady In New -,
X and hRd treated her In The early ."
sss Of her Illness -.
stryehnln Found IN Beetles.
Gre. Logan sWoDe acquainted John es
Paxton. ne attorney for The sWope 80 80
ne, VIII Der suspicious. and as -