Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-07
Coroner's Jury Investigates
the Death Of Col. Swope.
RELATIVES ARE PRESENT
DR.. Hyde Files Another Libel
Suit.
IANY WITNESSES {
CALLED
Indictments Expected to Follow
Unnatural Circumstances.

hANSAS I'll MO-, FeDTudIN =
After an interval of almost month the
jury called by Coroner B. H. Zwart to
determine the cause of the death of Col.
Thomas Fl. Swope resumed its sessions
at Independence, Mo-, today.
January - a jury was summoned to
view the body of Col. Swope. At that
time Coroner Zwart said to ,the jurors:
This is the body of Col. Thomas H.
Swope; look at it well, for I may call
upon you later"
Today the coroner told the jurors to
listen to a mass of testimony given by
a score or more of witnesses who have
knowledge of the case. The six jurors
all live in Independence, and most of
them were personally acquainted with
Col. Swope.
1t is believed the inquest will do mucn
to straighten out the legal tangie which
has developed since the investigation OF
Col Swopes death began Ii verolct
declaring that death came under I'M
natural circumstances is returned, II Is
said indictments will follow. II an OPP
posite verdict is reached the criminal as
pect of the case will vanish and only the
civil suit will be heard.
j. E.. Trogden, an attorney and deputy
coroner, examined the witnesses. The
attorneys who have been prominent In
the case as counsel for the various in
terested parties we're present. but they
took no part in the proceedings.
Today's Testimony.
tend the burial and disinterment of Col
Swope's body consumed the morning SEES
sion.
James Craig, city clerk OF Independence
the first witness. identified the death GER
tifcate of Thomas II. Swope. He could
not identify the signature of DIR. b. Z.
Hyde, but believed it was genuine. The
certificate read by the witness gave the
death as October 2, 1909, but did not sho"
the hour There was nothing to snow
when the certificate was filed in the
clerks office.
The Embalmer's Testimony.
r. b. Mitchell, an empoye of an un-
dertaking company, told of preparing the
body for burial His testimony was par
ticularly interesting. as it bordered on
the assertions previously made that the
embaIming fluid might have contained
poison.
Mitchell said he had been called to the
Svope home, and had been conducted
Immediately to the room where the body
lay: a. -. ,a,,
in?" asked Attorney Trogden.
81 saw nothing strange about it, re-
piled Mitchell.
Were the muscles contracted, or any
thing of that kind?"
Nothing that 1 noticed particularly.
wasn't looking for anything of that
kind
Mitchell said the nurse and Judson
Mann. an assistant. were the only per-
sons present. He had. he said. begun
embalming the body at once in the room
where he had found 1t. 1t took an hour
and a half to do the work.
Did you notice anything unusual?
again asked the attorney.
II could not say that l did, repeated
Mitchell. because l wasn't expecting
anything"
With the afternoon the testimony Of the
members of the Swope family began. All
the members of the family were among
the witnesses.
Dr. Ludwig Hektoon of Chicago, the
toxicologist who had charge Of the exam
nation of the stomachs of Col. Swope and
the latter's nephew, Chrisman Swope. was
subpoenaed to testify before the coroner
Dr. Hektoon will arrive from Chicago
probably tomorrow.
All the witnesses who last week SO Wig
orously resisted the efforts of subpoena
servers desiring their dispositions in civil
suits growing out of the Swope mystery
ready accepted service when subpoenaeo
by the coroner and all were present al
the hearing today.
DR.. Hyde Files Another Suit.
A suit demanding 100000 for alleged
libel was filed today by attorneys repre-
senting DIR. B. C. Hyde against John G.
Paxton. executor OF the estate of Col
Thomas II. Swope.
The charge of libel is based upon let
ter written by Mr.. Paxton to Stewart r.
Fleming of Columbia, Tenn, also an ex-
ecutor of the Swope estate and read last
Thursday by Mr.. Paxton in his deposition
given in another suit brought by DR.
Hyde demanding 100000 from Mr.. Pax
ton and other defendants for alleged libel
This makes three damage suits DIR.
Hyde has filed as result of the Swope
mystery. The first suit. which demanded
500, 600 from Mr.. Paxton for alleged
Islander, was dismissed by the court when
DIR. Hyde's attorneys applied for an or
der of dismissal to prevent Mr.. Paxton
attorneys from taking the dispositions OF
important witnesses in the case