The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-10-03
mrs. HYDE BEGINS
SUIT FOR DIVORCE
Turns on Husband She Saved
In Swope Murder
Trials.
CONTINUED from First Page

CONTINUED from First Pase.)
murder in connection with the deaths
OF Colonel Swope and chrisman
swope. In which he was alleged to
have administered strychnine tablets
to them.
AT the conclusion of his second
trial In 1911. DIR. Hyde. In a tribute
to his wife. said:
WAS FAITHFUL AT TRIAL
~ have learned q ms. ca. sta.A
anything with q wife like nine BE-
iieviax in him sad sustsinisG Aia."
Another of the indictments accused
him of manslaughter by bleeding
James Moss Hunton, a cousin Of Colo
mel Swope. in a neglectful manner.
Perhaps the most surprising OF all
were the indictments charging alleged
poisoning Of the Swope family, visit
tors and servants at the Swope houss-
hold
In October, 1909. Hunton. multi
millionaire philanthropist OF Kansas
| City, and one OF the heirs OF the vast
| Swope estate. died suddenly. Doctor
Hyde was his physician. This death
\ was the first In series OF indict-
ments for murder and poisoning dur
|
OF more than $1.OOO.0OO. The State
accused Hyde OF numbering members
| OF the Swope family so that tho
Swope millions would fall to his
wife. the only heir left.
WHOLE FAMILY WIPED OUT.
Within a month after the death OF
Hunton, Colonel Swope was stricken
suddenly III and died. Within another
month Chrisman Swope. son. died
mysteriously. In both cases Doctor
Hyde was the attending physician
and a permanent guest with his wife
at the Swope home.
After this death, In quick success
sion all the other heirs OF the great
Swope estate became victims Of ty-
phoid fever. Doctor Hyde attended
| them all
Suspicion was directed at the doctor
when Mrs. Logan Swope, mother OF
his wife and one OF the principle
heirs to the Swope millions, was
striker overnight and in another resi-
dence. Secretly the bodies Of the
three who had died were eXhumed.
Their examination caused coroners
jury to declare that Doctor Hyde had
been guilty of deliberate murder.
Mrs. Hyde had inherited her portion
of the Swope estate 100000. The
whole of this she Immediately put at
the disposal of her husbands attor-
neys.
When her mother, sisters. brothers,
and girlhood chums sought to argue
| with her she closed her door on them.
| When her mother was turned away
from her home, she collapsed and was
near death for many weeks, but when
she recovered she announced that I'M
tH no
bands hand she could never take
hers.
NINE VICTIMS OF, TYPHOID.
On the witness stand it was shown
that, besides those who died, there
were nine victims of typhoid in the
Swope family and that Colonel Swope
and his brother had died from slow
cyanide poisoning. To the first jury
the proof of DR.. Hyde's guilt was
conclusive. 1t gave verdict of
guilty, and sentence to serve nine
ty-nine years in the penitentiary was
pronounced.
The supreme court reversed the
lower court and granted another trial,
but this was interrupted by juror
who fled. When he was captured he
was disqualified and a new trial was
ordered At the third trial the jury
disagreed.
When Missouri sent to New York
for Psychologists it found that sixty
seven of the foremost poison experts
had been engaged by Mrs. Hyde.
| When the State of Missouri dis
missed the case against DIR. Hyde the
district attorney stood up in cours
and said:
ave cannot keep mp this AEht
agninst this woman. Her faith has
tied our hands, despite our evidence
against her husband"