Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-02-09
Says Doctor Asked Her to Speak to
Colonel About It.
SCENES IN DEATH CHAMBER
Patient Violently III After Taking
Capsule Prescribed by Hyde.
CHEMISTS ON THE STAND
Dr. HocLtOen Tells of Finding Poison
in Viscera-snys IL is Not Result
of Accumulation from
Small Doses.

KANSAS CITY, Feb. S-Sensation fol-
lowed sensation at the inquest at Inde-
pendence into the death of Colonel Thomas
II. Swope.
few days before Colonel swope died
DR.. b. c. Hyde asked the millionaire's
nurse to try and persuade the patient to
name him CHyde) as one OF his executors,
according to the testimony given by Miss
Pearl Keller.
Then she told Of the happenings on the
morning that Colonel Swope died; OF the
giving of a capsule that apparently was a
digestive tablet, the following of convul-
sion within twenty minutes, e symptoms
of the attack the diagnosis by Or, Hyde
apopiexy, the treatment and finally
death
Told In quiet, unassuming manner, Miss
Keiler's testimony produced a sensation in
the crowded court room,
Dr. Hyde, his lips tigntiy set. watched
the nurse closely as she told her story,
while Mrs Logan o. swope, his mother
in-law, heavily veed listened attentively
from another part Of the room.
Hyde's Mysterlous Actions.
Within five minutes after Miss Keller
went on the stand this morning there be-
gan a recital of incidents that caused the
crowded court room to become silent. For
Miss Keller after the few preliminary
questions had been asked, began to pull
aside the curtains that have so long
shielded the mystery OF the swope home.
First of all Miss Keller told of an inter
view sne had with Or. b. c. Hyde on the
night that Miss Hunton, Colonel Swopes
administrator, died.
II was passing in and out of Colonel
Hunton's room just about twenty minutes
after Colonel Hunton died" Miss Keller
said, when Hyde met me in the hall and
said that he wanted a private Interview
with me. / said that / would see him
later and so DR.. Hyde went to the car
line and came back in about an hour and
half. When he got back to- the house
he went into the parlor and dismissed a
nurse who had come to nurse Colonel Hun
ton. The nurse left and then just Dr.
Hyde and Mrs. Hyde, the undertaken and
myself were awake in the house, and soon
the sitting room was empty. l went in
there and DIR. Hyde came in and sat, too"
wanted Job of Administrator.
Miss Keller stopped for a moment and
her hands pulled at a handkerchief they
held. The book nurses chart lay in her
lap, unnotlced
And then?" Attorney Trogdon suggested
well, then DR.. Hyde spoke about how
good a man Colonel Hunton had been and
said how awful 1t was that he died Then
he said that he had something to ask me.
I am not a business man. he told me, but
then / can care for things pretty well.
Colonel Hunton is gone now and in few
days he'll make a new will and put a
new man in the place of Colonel Hunton
as administrator. Now you have Influence
with the old man and l want you to sug-
gest me as his administrator You see.'
he said Colonel Swope intends to put
another man in the place Of Colonel Hun
ton and he is not good man for the
place and / want you to suggest me-"
"And your answer was?" Trogdon asked.
II told DR.. Hyde that could not do that
that / would be overstepping my bonds.
Then DR.. Hyde tried to persuade me that
it would be all right for me to talk to
Colonel Swope about the matter and that
could no it very nicely, But l would not
consent to this. The next day. DR. and
Mrs, Hyde went into the city and did not
get back until $3.50 When he met me in the
hall he asked mo IL l had spoken to Mr.
Swope about that matter. I told him that
had not and there wasn't anything more
said about it,"
Sitting close behind his attorneys today
Or. Hyde listened to the testimony. At
first his eyes were half closed and his head
bowed. Later he raised his head and
watched the nurse closely. The court room
was quiet, more quiet than at any other
time during the inquest
In the crowded benches, not a person
moved. The heads of the attorneys were
turned so that they might not miss a bit
Of testimony.
Hyde Gives Digestive Tablet.
Then Miss Keller told OF the scenes at
the Swope home on the morning that
Colonel Swope died.
IT was seated at the breakfast table
when DR.. Hyde came in" Miss Keller
said "He asked me II Colonel swOpe had
eaten and told him that he had.
Then come with me- DR.. Hyde said,
and / left the table. The doctor told me
then he had brought out some digestive
tablets and that he wanted Colonel swope
TO have one,
I want him to have It right now he
told me. l got fresh glass OF water and
took It upstairs with me. When we got
there DR.. Hyde stood near the foot Of
the bed and took capsule out of a small
pink box he haid in his hand. He was
standing at the foot OF the bed as / have
said, but he was near Colonel swope's
head, because Colonel Swope always laid
in bed upside down
Miss Keller waved her hand in a queer
little way that made every one In the
court room laugh-every one except DR.. d.
c. Hyde. Not a change came over his
face.
Il believe It was a three-grain capsule"
the nurse continued "and I don't remem-
Der whether II was gray or white, but l
do remember that it was not brownsh in
color.
swODe Refused Medicine.
Now. give this 10 him. DR.. Hyde told
me, and 50 l tried TO persuade Colonel
swOpe to take tho medicine. But he would
not do IT, / nodded my head 10 Or. Hyde,
as II to tell him that Colonel swope would
take the medicine after a while ana 40 I