The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-12
Police Force and Fifteen
Deputies Search for
Him in Vain.
SUICIDE THEORY
GIVEN CREDENCE
Driven Desperate by Hornesick-
ness After Seeing His Children,
Juror in Hyde Case Leaves
Hotel Quarters Through
Transom and Disappears.
Mistrial Is Likely.

Kansas City, Mo. December IA
mlstrial of tho second hearInS of DR..
u. Clarke Hyde. charged with killing
Colonel Thomas IL. Swope. appears
probable Tonight
Made desperate by the sight OF two
of his children, from whom he had
been. separated for six weeks, in the
courtroom last Saturday, Harry Wal
dron. one of the jurors, escaped from
the jury's hotel quarters carly to-
day While Frank Jasper a deputy
county murshal. who was on guard,
slept. Waldron pricd open II nailed
transom, crawled through the open
Ing, tlptoed to q fire escape and leap
ed fifteen feet to freedom. The entire
city police force and fifteen deputies
from the county marshal's Office have
searched in vain for him since his alb
sence was noted near daylight
Fear of Suicide.
If Waldron is not located by to-
morrow night the eleven remaining
jurors Will be discharged, Judge Por
terfeld said to-day. Or. IL tho miss
ing man is found and he cannot prove
chat he has not discussed the case
during hts absence. the same action
Will be taken. Should he return In
good health and swear that he has
mentioned the trial to no one, und the
court is satisfied with his story, the
trial Will proceed Fear that Waidron
mas killed himself is growing. He was
II u highly agitated state when last
seen on Sunday night, as indeed, he
Aad been almost every day since he
was chosen juror. nc objected to
<erving when he was first selected.
saying his dairy interests would not
permit his absence. Later he was
taken Ill and begged piteiously for his
wife and children After that his wife
wrote him daily. and he seemed better
contented
On Saturday his children went In
| to the court room to see him. From
his seat in-the jury box he smiled and
nodded. When court adjourned he
grasped them In his arms and kissed
and fondled them. Yesterday was
Sunday and dull day for the jury:
Some of tho jurors played games and
others read, but Waldron sat alone
playing on his old and battered violin,
Home. Sweet Home" his favorite
tune. He played 1t repeatedly. 1t
was on his lips when he retired, ear
ly this morning.
BE Il ever so humble,
There Is no place like home"
Those were the words he hummed
when he got into bed. But he did not
81 " oieep-ne escaped at the earliest
opportunity. He took nouhing but the
clothes he was wearing.
Puninhnient Would He Light.
Even IL Waldron's escape should re-
suit in a mistrial. which would mean
loss of thousands of dollars to the
county. no severe punishment could
be inflicted upon him. He L. In con-
tempt of court, but the maximum pen
atty for this offense is but fine OF
$50 or ten days jail sentence The
suggestion that Waldron committed
suicide was most generally accepted.
Officers think worry about his family
may have temporarily deranged him
Prosecutor Conkling issued n state
ment intimating that Waldron had
been induced to escape. Attorneys for
the defense gave out written state
ment deploring the incident and set
ting forth that they had always urged
speedy trial for their client They
! were especially emphatic In denying
the prosecutors insinuations