Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-29

rs wife's first and unchangeabl duty to
her husbandf
Does she, when she plights her troth
at the marriage altar, make an unbreak
able vow to say until death do us part
my husband can do no wrong7"
Or is her first and Interchangeable duty to
the community-to the upholdng. of the lawf
Shall she cast her husband aside if society
says he is a criminal, if jury convcts him,
If the weight Of the evidence is against him,
and accept the verdict of the majority?
Should she say:
ct is wife s duty not to question her
husband, but to believe what he says do
not ask If he is murderer have no right
TO ask that question. No matter what he is
he is my husband, and whatever | have
life or monev-belongs TO him.
These are the exact words Of the wife Of
DR.. B. Clark Hyde. of Kansas City, accused
of three murders and on trial for his life
for seven years. The State has just dis
missed the indictments against him. unable
to convict him because of the loyalty, money
and efforts Of this woman, his wife, who
said:
III is not question with me as to his
guilt or innocence 1t is just the question
were made one on our wedding day."
= In living up to her creed Mrs Hyde sacri-
feed her fortune and the affection Of her
relatives and friends
In October, 1909, James Moss Huntop, a
brother OF Colonel Thomas II. Swope, multi
millionaire philanthropist Of Kansas City
and one Of the heirs to the vast Swope for
tune. died suddenly. His physician was Dr.
B Clark Hyde, who had married the daugh-
ter Of Logan Swope brother of Colonel
Swope
This death was the first in series which
caused the prosecution of DR.. Hyde OH
many indictments for murder during a
period of seven years at cost of million
dollars. The State of Missouri through the
District Attorney of Kansas City accused
DR. Hyde OF numbering members of the
STope family so that the Swope mil
Lions would fall to his wife. the only heir
left
Within month after the death Of Hun
ton. Colonel Swope himself was stricken
suddenly and died. Within another month
Chrisman Swope. son of Colonel Swope,
died mysterlGusly., In both cases DR.. Hyde
was the phTsiclan. permanent guest with
his wife in the Swopc home Then in quick
succession. all the other heirs of the great
Swope estate became victims of typhoid
Suspicion was directed at DR.. HYDE when
Mrs. Logan Swope. mother Of his wife and
one of the principal heirs 10 the Swopc mil
lions, was stricken over night and in another
residence. Secretly the bodies of the three
VINO had died We're eXhumed and their
examination caused coroner's Jury TO de
clare that DR.. Hyde had been guilty Of de
liberate murder
Then the West was startled by the mag
nitnde Of the charges hurled against the
young physician. Nurses. attendant phvsi-
clans. servants-ail added bits Of narrative
from which 'hc State pieced its declaration
that Dr.. Hyde had planned TO remove every
heir to the Swope fortune, after disposing
of Colonel Swope himself so that his young
wife, the millonaires favorite niece might
inherit the major portion of the estate He
plotted, said the State to remove not ONLY
the sisters and brothers of his wife, but her
mother as well
30 seemingly incontestsble was the chain