Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-12
Has Been Nearly Year In County
Jail at Kansas City.
Evidence Of Chicago and Michi.
gan Psychologists Attacked.
History Of the SensatI Trial and
circumstances Leading Up to II.


Kansas City. NO., April 11.-Action
in the B. Clark Hyde murder case,
which the supreme court Of Missouri
today reversed and remanded to this
county for new trial, tonight awaits
the arrival of the official mandate
from Jefferson City. shi.-
Attorneys for both the state and
the defense will make no definite
plans for the future until they have
read this document.
That DR.. Hyde will be retired is
certain. according to Prosecutor Vir-
gil Conilling. 1t is probable. too, that
he will again be tried on the. charge
of numbering Colonel Thomas H.
Swope, although it was on this case
that the higher court granted the
reversal. The physician IL also un-
der indictment for the murder of
other members of the Swope family.
Attorney Frank P. Walsh. chief
counsel for Di. Hyde, said tonight
that il the case Is retired. It will
be before Judge E. E. PorterAeId who
presides over the second division of
the criminal court. DR.. Hyde's at
torneys have the privilege of taking
field if they desire Judge Latschaw
says he VIII not be able to pass on
the question of bail until the man.
date arrives. sh- .s
Both sides are anxious for an early
re-trial. The beginning of the trial,
however. depends largely upon the
condition of Mrs. Logan o. Swope,
who is now said to be seriously i'll
in Los Angeles.
Kansas City, April 11.-Dr. B. Clark
Hyde, convicted after sensational
trial. of the murder of Colonel Thorn
as II. Swope, q millionaire phiian-
thropst, was today granted a new
trial by the Missouri supreme court,
sitting at Jefferson City Mr.. Hyde
has been in the county Jail at Kan
sas city nearly year, following q
sentence to life Imprisonment.
The Missouri supreme courts de-
cisiou today was on an appeal OF
Hyde's attorney for a new trial. He
was sentenced July s, 1910. to life i'm
prisonment by Judge LAtshaw.
September %, 1910, his attorneys
asked the highest court IL the state
fer pew hearins, charging error in
255 points. go
The chief evidence STACKED was
that OF the Chicago and Michigan
toXicoiosists, who examined the Wis
cera of the dead Swope. 5tsf
DIR. Hyde was found guilty OF MUIR
der May 16. 1910. His inability prop
erly to explain the purchase of cap
sules of potassium cyanide was chief
ly responsible for his conviction. Tho
first of series of deaths mi the Swope
family WIS the death of James Moss
Hunton, on Oct. 1, 1909. The prpsecu-
ton charged that Hyde purposely
bled the patient beyond the limit OF
recovery.
Two days later Colonel Swope was
stricken with commissions and died.
Witnesses testified that a few min
utes before the convulsion DIR. Hyde
had given Colonel Swope capsule,
similar to the cyanide capsules it was
shown lie had bought. The coloners
will, leaving s1,600,O00 to relatives,
was filed, and then Miss Margaret
Swope, a niece Of Col. Swope became
i'll with typhoid fever. Then Chris
man Swope and two. other relatives
mentioned in the win became Ill OF
typhoid. Dec. 6, Chrisman Swope died
having commissions similar to those
of his uncle. the colonel.
Two days later two more 'girls--leg-
atees under the will, became III with
typhoid fever. and nurses at the trial
! testified that Hyde had inoculated the
sick persons with the fever germs.
The repeated and continued illness and
the two sudden deaths aroused suspi-
cion. and secret autopsy was made
! OF the exhumed body Of Colonel Swope
and later of that Of Chrisman Swope.
On the PSYCHOLOGISTS reports and the
testimony of druggist who sold Hyde
the potassium. as well as that Of
nurses in the Swope home and of the
typhoid patients, Hyde was convicted.
Mrs Hyde, a niece OF Colonel Hyde.
stuck by her husband and against her
relatives. and went on the stand in his
behalf. Hyde claimed the men had
died of natural causes. said the cya-
nile was to extermine verfnin and said
ne had purchased the typhoid fever
cultures to expefinent with.
When news I'd the courts decision
4, reached the coun<y Jail today. Mr..
Hyde was taking his usual promenade
A., In front of his cell on the third foar.
His lawyerR sshouted up to him:
"You haze been. GRANTED q new trial"
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