The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-29
To Testify at DR.. Hyde's Trial
for Murder.
TRIED TO SAVE HIM.
Paxton Says He Hoped Defen-
dant Would Be Purged
OF Suspicion in Connection With
the SWOpe Deaths.

outset of the Hyde murder trial this
morning it was expected the contest OF
medical experts in the case would be
on before the days session was over.
DR.. Ludwig Hektoen, the first scient-
list called into the case by Mrs. Logan
o. Swope. and who made an autopsy
on Colonel Thomas H. Swope's body,
was summoned from his home in Chi
cago Thursday. He was told he prob
ably would De called as a witness to-
day.
Announcement was made at the
same time that DR.. Walter S. Haines
and DR.. Victor c. Vaughn other sci
entists in the employ of the prosecu-
ton, would testify before the end of
the week.
Advising DR. Hyde's attorneys in the
examination of the scientists will be
half dozen chemists and toxicol-
ogists. DR.. E. E. Smith OF New York
is chief of the defense's medical corps.
He has been here for several weeks,
making tests and comforting with the
defense
The defense's efforts viii be directed
mainly toward attempts to discredit
expert medical testimony One of the
salient questions asked veniremen be-
fore the jury was selected was: do
you believe expert medical testimony"
There are several men Oh the jury
who said they did not.
PaXton'S Testimony
1t was with the hope that DR.. Hyde
would be purged of all suspicion that
John c. Paxton as a personal repre-
gan the investigation of the Swope
tragedy, he testified in the criminal
court late yesterday.
4 knew the terrible scandal any
other report regarding the inquiry
would cause" he said when 1 en-
ployed DR.. Ludwig Hektoen to ex-
anime the visceras of Coz. T H and
Chrisman SWope, l told him I hoped
he would return to me a finding of in
nocence on the part of everyone
Almost the entire afternoon session
OF court was devoted ythe attorneys
to trying to prove whether Mr.. Pax
ton harbored any malice against DR.
Hyde when he began his Investigation.
Mr.. Paxton disclaimed that he did
When DIR. Hyde was ordered from the
Swope home on December IS, said
Mr. Paxton, he shook hands with the
physician.
DR.. and Mrs. Hyde laughed heartily
when Mr. Paxton told about his en-
ploying detectives to work on the case
Asked why he employed the sleuths
he said:
ITO shadow DR.. Hyde and prevent
him from esca ping"
Mr.. Paxton and Attorney Walsh ex-
changed warm comment during the
cross examination of the witness. Mr.
Walsh was insistent upon knowing
how much money the witnes got for
his work.
Mr.. Paxton charged Mr.. Walsh
with casting aspersions on his homes
ty.
"As an attorney is paid. so proper
tionately will he work on his case,''
was Mr.. Walsh's comment.
Calling attention to the fact that the
defense had served a subpoena duces
tecum on Mr.. Paxton ordering him to
produce the papers which passed be-
II A4-A,
made the autopsy on Colonel and
Chrisman Swope. Mr.. Walsh asked
the court to force the witness to give
the INTO DR.. Hyde's attorneys. Judge
Latshaw refused the request and re-
marked:
''If all of the states evidence were
turned over to the defense in criminal
cases you might as we'll lock the front
door of the iails and open the back"
Undertaken Is Called.
r. B. Mitchell. an undertaken. who
cared for the bodies of Col. Swope
and James Moss Hunton, was the first
witness today.
While he was at the Swope house. !
preparing for burial the body of Mr.. !
Hunton, a day before the death of
Colonel Swope. said Mr. Mitchell. he
met Mrs. Hyde and she spoke about !
getting a casket for the millionaire.
"She told me DR.. Hyde said Col |
Swope could not live be testified.
ed conversation stricken out
Upon taking the body of Colonel |
Swope from vault in Forest Hill cem- |
etery on January II, testified the un- |
dertaker, the casket was in good shape |
and the corpse had not been disturb
ed On cross examination he said the |
screws were not set as tightly as he /
had expected Them to be- His assump- |
ton was they had settled.
Mr.. Mitchell said he saw red spots on |
the limbs of Colonel Swope. The state
contends they are signs of cyanide !
poisoning.
Although Dr. Hyde signed the death
certificate of Chrisman Swope with the
names "Twyman and Hyde" he did not
enter the cause of death. testified |
Henry J. OFT an undertaken.
''Dr. Hyde also marked out line
reading Hyde treated the case and
made it we treated the CASE"
Mr.. OFT said he sent the certificate
to DR.. Twyman's office but the physi-
clan was not there. The "cause of
death" blank has never been filled in
He told me DR.. Twyman treated the
case and I should take the certificate
to him and have him give the cause
of DEATH sati Mr.. OFT.
Thomas Ravenscamp and Ira w
McPheters, policemen. and w. F. Stein
and F. l. Nichols. undertakers, testi-
fled the body IF Colonel Swope was not |
disturbed while it lay in the Kansas
City public library for two days.
1t was unusual, according to Mr.
Stein. for screws in a coffin to become
loose after setting for a few weeks
Harry s. Cook of Linwood Kan, for
meriy superintendent of Forest Hi,
cemetery. and Eugene Walters told ~
the removal of Col. Swope's body from
the vault. Both testified the door of
the vault was securely fastened with
three locks.
r. c. Fields an attache of Mount
Washington cemetery. said Chrisman