The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-04-14
DOCTOR HYDEis THE DEPENDENT
Physician Accused Of Poisoning Noted
PhiIanthropist and Under Indlct-
ment for Killing Other Members
of the Family.

oAACSoO pOASOulu6 VI COl. lOOmaS II,
swope, the noted philanthropist, sew
eral months ago.
Probably the most talented array OF
counsel ever gathered together in a
criminal trial in this part of the coun.
try is sitting in the court room, each
side in best condition for the fray,
which promises to be the most sensa.
tional murder trial known in the mid.
die west.
On the side Of the prosecution are
Virgil Conklin. prosecuting attorney;
John G. Paxton, executor for the
Swope estate, and Assistant Prosecu.
tors Henry l.. Jost and Edward P. Cur.
tin. The defense is represented by
Frank P. Walsh, Judge T. Johnson,
John H. Locas and John M. Cleary.
May Be Hard To Get Jury.
Several days will elapse before the
real taking of testimony will begin, al
the securing of a jury is considered a
hard proposition. Judge Latshaw had
double the usual panel down, and with
over ESQ names to choose from, it is
hoped II men who have not expressed
opinion can be found. Another great
trouble is that the prominence of those
in the trial will make it hard to find
IL men who do not know either the
defendant or some of those on the 9TH
err side. AS soon as the case was
called, the examination of jurors be.
gan, but little had been accomplished
when the noon recess was taken.
Each talesman is given a close exam
ination by both sides.
Interest in the Hyde trial is keen.
and long before the case was called
this morning the criminal court build.
ing was packed by a curious throng,
few Of whom could gain entrance to
the court room.
The Charges Against Hyde.
Doctor Hyde is to be tried on the
charge Of killing Colonel Swope first.
There are other charges against him
as follows:
First degree murder, for the killing
of Chrisman Swope, Colonel Swope's
nephew; manslaughter, for the killing
Of Col. Moss Hunton, Colonel Swope's
cousin; six charges of assault with in
tent to kill in connection with the
members of the Swope family and
servants being stricken with typhoid
fever, the germs alleged to have been
administered by Doctor Hyde.
On the outcome Of the present trial
OF Doctor Hyde probably will depend
the disposal Of the other charges
him.
Strange and Dramatic Story.
The history of the Swope case is as
dramatic as it is %uncanny. 1t was
on October 8 last that Col. Thomas H.
Swope, a multi-millionaire, died very
suddenly, and under most mysterious
circumstances following a brief illness.
The attending physician was Doctor
Hyde, the husband Of the dead mans
niece, and he diagnosed the cause of
the colonePs death as apoplexy. It
developed, however, that on the fatal
day Col. Swope vas feeling in good
spirits, until after he had swallowed
q capsule given him by DR.. Hyde. He
was seized with commissions and one
hour later was dead. Just two DAYS
before the colonel's death, James Moss
Hunton, his cousin and an executor of
the SWope will, also died of apoplexy.
Colonel Swope left and estate efsti-
mated at 81, 600, 900, the principal bene-
iciaries being the unmarried children
of his sister-in-law, Mrs. Logan O.
SWope. To the married daughter, Mrs.
Frances Hyde, wife Of DR.. HYDE. he
left s276, 900.
Epidemic Caused Suspicion.
No suspicion was attached to the
%colonels death until December. when
an epidemic. Of typhoid broke out in
the Swope household.
Chrisman Swope, a nephew of Col.
onel Swope, was one of the first to
fall a victim. Possessing a strong
constitution, however, he seemed on
a fair road to recovery, when, on De-
cember 2, he was suddenly attacked
with commissions and became uncon.
scious exactly as his uncle had done
two months before. He died on De.
cember 6.
~ ..Ft'fhr. c. s#.f f-fa.s"s = .'F-H ri H'H4t .lFh
Other cases in the Swope household
included Miss Margaret Swope, Miss
Cora Dickson governess; Miss COP.
page, a colored servant; Steward s..
Fleming. a nephew of Colonel swope:
Mrs. Sarah swope, a niece, and Miss
Stella Swope. another niece.
Doctor hyde had been treating
Chrisman Swope and on the sudden
death az the latter, the nurses became
alarmed and refused to stay in the
house unless Mrs. Logan Swope would
summon another physicion. This she
did, but the physician was unable to
locate the cause of the typhoid. on
December IS Miss Lucy Lee, a dait,eh-
ter Of Mrs. Logan Swope, was strick,
en- with typhoid fever four days after
her arrival from Europe. DR.. Hyde
had met the Young lady in New York