Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-11
ANOTHER SENSATIONAL EPISODE
DELAYS JUSTICE IN KANSAS
CITY COURT.
JUROR wALDRoN ESCAPES
FROM ROOM AND DISAPPEARS
State to Start Rigid Investigation and
Intimatss That Inducements Had
Been Offered Juror to Lose Himself
Domestic Troubles and Homesiek-
ness Given as Possible Reason.

DrlnSln8 TO a StanOStlll the SeCOHu tI1di
of DR.. B. Clarke Hyde, charged with
the murder of Col. Thomas H. Swope,
Harry Waldron, a juror in the case.
broke out Of his room in hotel here
early today. eluded the deputy mar'
shals set to guard the jurors, and es-
caped.
The first hint of the jurors escape
came when T. Holloway and Frank
Jasper, deputy marshals. found the
transom torn away from the door Of
the room Waidron had occupied. The
deputies carried the keys to all of the
rooms occupied by the jury. Waldron
was nowhere to be seen. A force OF
deputies was sent Immediately in pur-
suit
When the news Of Waldron's disap-
pearance was carried to the court room
attorneys for both sides Immediately
went into conference to determine the
effect Of the incident upon the case.
Prosecutor Conkling said the state
would at once start an investigation
t. determine whether Waldr6n had
been induced to escape
Domestic Trouble Cause.
Attorney Walsh, for the defense,
said he would ask that elisors be ap-
pointed to take charge Of the jury until
Waldron could be found. Asked as to
whether the matter would result In a
mistrial. Judge Porterfield said that
would depend upon Waldron's course
during his period of liberty should he
be captured.
S Domestic trouble is said to have
caused Waldron to grow restless under
confinement as juror. He owned and
conducted a dairy farm, on the out
skirts Of the city. On Nov. %. his
sudden illness caused an adjournment
Of court. December I his physician
pronounced him able to serve and the
trial was resumed. Waldron's indis-
position was at that time pronounced
due to his worry over home affairs.
Constructed a Dummy.
To prevent his room mate and fell
low juror G. w. Palmer. from upset
ting his plans. Waldron constructed a
dummy man Of bed quilts and slipped
it into his place in the bed. The room
was in the rear of the hotel next to a
bath room. Waldron removed staple
from the transom in the door in the
bath room and climbed over. When
Palmer arose this morning he nudged
his dummy bedfellow to arouse him
and then spread the alarm.
State 10 Suspicious.
In a written statement Prosecutor
Conkling said:
"The action Of Juror Waldron will
be rigidly investigated by the state un-
der the orders Of Judge Porterfeld.
not only to ascertain Of the misconduct
but also who. II any one. induced 1t.
"As for the state we are indignant
at these distractions to the admini.A .
tration Of Justice. For an innocent
man DIR. Hyde seems to have phenome-
nal luck. First, some mysteriously
found grand jury notes get into the
hands of his counsel; second, at the
second trial a Juror mysteriously dis
appears just at the time his cross ex-
animation story at the first trial Is be-
ing read against him bw the state.
II wonder why the defendant is SO
'tickled?'
"signed VIRGIL CONKL1NG."
Hyde Says Hes Disappointed.
DIR. Hyde's statement concerning the
lost juror was brief.
"The occurrence caused me the deep
est disappointment" he said. Il have
hoped the case might proceed without
further interruption"
Counsel for the accused physician
refused to make formal statement.
The jurors today recalled that all
day yesterday Waldron, who was born
in Germany sat about the hotel lean
ing back against the wall playing old
German songs on his violin, which he
claimed was hundreds Of years old
They said he gave every evidence OF
being extremely homesick. Mrs. VALID
ron told the police and deputy mar
shals todav that she had neither seen
nor heard from him for days. She said
she had no intimation Of an attempted