Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-11
HYDE SAYS QUAKE
LIBERATED GERMS
IN SWOPE HOUSE
Court ReprimandS, for Undue Fa-
CetiouSneSS, Physician on
Trial for Murder
DEFENSE RESTS ITS CASE
Doctor Claims He Used Cyanide
to Kill Vermin Bug Poison
Failing His Purpose
Associated Pressl


TANSAS CITY. May 1O.-At the
close of a long and arduous cross
IN examination of DR.. b. c. Hyde
by Prosecutor Virgil Conkling late to-
day. the defense in the Swope murder
trial rested. The case will be in the
hands of the jury by Saturday, it is
thought.
DR.. Hyde was on the witness stand
almost the entire day. That DR.. Hyde
could not name a druggist, other than
Hugo Brecklein, of whom he had pur-
chased cyanide in the ten years the
physician said he had used it, was re-
garded by the state as the most valu-
abue development of the interroga-
tion.
DR. Hyde began to purchase cyanide
| of Brecklein last fall.
1t was generally agreed in the Swope
| house, said Dr. Hyde. that he should
go to New York and meet Lucy Lee
Swope. The physician denied he ever
put any germs in drinking water he
is said to have given the girl, But DR..
Hyde said he did not recall having
given her a drink.
"On your return from New York did
you find anything missing from your
office?" queried Mr. Walsh.
Eyes, there were germs and poison
missing. Among other things gone
were some typhoid and diphtheria
germs and some cyanide of potassium
capsules" answered the witness.
Asked about cyanide DR.. Hyde ad-
mitted he bought it of a local drug
gist
What were you going to do with
the cyanide?" continued Mr.. Walsh.
DR.. Hyde explained: 81 was going
to kill vermin. The soiled towels in
my office attracted reaches, and bugs,
and as ! took the towels home every
Saturday night l wanted them as free
from insects as possible.
USED CYANIDE ON TOWELS
Il also used the dry cyanide to
sprinkle on towels when they were
spotted with blood and in cleaning
nitrate of silver stains.
THE reason l had the drug in cap
sules was because it is a volatile
poison. and this was a convenient form
in which to have it put up to keep
it from wasting"
The defense closed the direct exami-
nation after obtaining specific denials
from DR.. Hyde of the charges against
him and the statement he had thrown
away cyanide capsules.
Prosecutor Conkling introduced on
powders, and asked DR.. Hyde why he
did not use them. DR.. Hyde said he
used so much bug powder that proved
ineffective that he finally gave up eX-
perimenting with it and began the use
of cyanide. The examination had
not been completed when the noon re-
cess was taken.
EXPERDIENTED WITH GERMS
DR.. Hyde said in the afternoon that
he made several experiments with the
germs he obtained from DR.. Stewart.
While Mr.. Conkling was examining
DR.. Hyde the witness came near let
ting the jury know he was confined in
jail.
How many germs are there in your
office noW?" asked Conkling.
Il can't state just now. as" be-
gan the physician. Then he ceased
speaking, knitted his brow and ap-
peared to be striving for an answer
that would seal the secret of his i'm
prisonment. 8
Il know how many germs were in
my office when it was robbed" finally
explained the witness. But 1 can't
say how many are there now"
The physician said he had disturbed
some of the germs in every typhoid
tube Ire got from DR.. Stewart.
Never, said the Witness did he make
any experiment with the diphtheria
germs. These germs, DIR. Stewart had
testified. had been disturbed when he
found tube of them in DR.. Hyde's
office Mr.. Conkling called attention
to typhoid breaking out in the Swope
house within a few days after his pur-
chase of some of the culture tubes.
"Oh, there was an earthquake in the
West Indies about that time, too" an
sWered Dr. Hyde.
DIR Hyde, you are admonished to
answer the questions of the prose-
cutor,' said Judge LatshaW, sharply.