Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-08-26

tune, Oh Tragedy.
In the east the name of Swope
means not SO much; in the west it has
a ring such as the name of Aston or
Goelet has in New York, for Col
Thomas H. Swope, either through cal
culating shrewdness or ignorant luck,
sat himself down on cheap-bought
acres upon which Kansas City was to
rise.
The story of money-getting is al
ways more real than romantic. People
came and lifted Colonel Swope out of
his cowhide boots and stood him in
patent feathers; they touched his
hard-grubbed two-bit piece and it be-
came gold. There's a talisman in
gravel as well as in other things.
If you ask a grizzled pioneer of the
Sni Hills-river bluffs where Kansas
City rises-to tell the story of the
curse, he works back to it, noting the
incidents on knotted fingers And it
runs this way:
Roll of Death and Disaster.
Logan o. Swope, only brother of the
millionaire, died in Independence, Mo-,
in the prime of life.
Moss Hunton. confidential agent and
adviser of Colonel Swope, died mys-
teriously two years ago.
Col. Thomas H. Swope, head of the
house, alleged to have been poisoned
with cyanide of potassium admins
tered by DR.. Bennett Clark Hyde, died
two weeks after Hunton's death.
Chrisman Swope, nephew, died of
typhoid fever contracted from germs
alleged to have been administered
hypodermically by DR.. Hyde.
Lucy Lee Swope, niece, was barely
saved from death by typhoid contract
ed, it is charged, while journeying
from New York to Kansas City with
DR.. Hyde. Hyde was accused of ad-
ministering germs in drinking water
on the train.
Thomas Swope. nephew, arm blown
off by accidental discharge of shotgun
while hunting.
Mrs. Margaret o. Swope, widow of
Logan o. Swope and sister-in-law of
Colonel Swope, now suffering from
nervous prostration and general break
down.
Dr. Bennett Clarke Hyde, husband
of Frances Swope, niece of dead mil
lionaire, indicted on eleven counts for
the murder of Moss Hunton, Col.
Thomas H. Swope and Christmas
Swope and for administering typhoid
germs to Lucy Lee Swope and other
members of the Swope family; once
found guilty and sentenced to life i'm
prisonment on the Colonel Swope in
dictment; in Jail for one year; YER
dict reversed and case remanded for
new trial; now out on $4,000 bail.
Frances Swope, wife of DR.. Hyde.
estranged from her family because she
has stood steadfast for her husband
and has spent much of her share of
the Swope millions in trying to prove
his innocence.
Son of DR.. and Mrs. Hyde and grand
nephew of Colonel Swope died a few
hours after birth while Hyde was in
Jail. The doctor was permitted to
visit mis- wife during her sickness
but arrived some time after the child
had died
Foundation of Swope Fortunes.
Elmer Swope of Virginia, who
claims to be a son of Col. Thomas H.
>Swope by marriage contracted while
is suing for the bulk OF what is left
of the Swope fortune. The case goes
to trial in a few weeks.
In the fifties Tom Swope came to
Kansas City, then a dot on the Mis-
| ing. Reared on a farm in the east
he soon, for a few dollars, acquired
one of his own in the new country
He bought with no eye to the future
great city. He planned only for q
farm, but he wanted big one Hav
ing laid out homestead he began
looking about for multiples of his orig
| inal 160 acres Ready money was
scarce in that country to all save
Swope- Waist-high prairie grass
stretched for miles ard no one knew
the real value of the land. This gave
Swope the opportunity be wanted. He
bought on all sides unfit it was hal
an hours gallop across his holdings
Between his farm snd tract he has
| purchased lay many acres to which
an Indian girl held title, which haS
descended to her from ancestors
Young Swope coveted this ground ant
| finally secured it Whether a few
beads and blankets and gawdy shawl
We're the purchase price or whethe
the maid was induced by honeyes
words spoken while the loveligh
blinded her eyes to sign away he
rights is not so important. They di,
business both ways half a centur.
ago. Anyway, he got it. and bar
gain is a bargain
The Outraged Indian Maiden
Thus, according to the story which
is made authentic by many confirma
tory mods of heads. Tom Swope mad
the one real mistake of his life Red
skins were as numerous as paleface
in the border country when he Sc,