Thomas H. Swope
Encyclopedia
Thomas Hunton Swope was a real estate magnate and philanthropist in Kansas City, Missouri
, His death in 1909 became the focus of one of the most publicized murder trials in the early 20th century.
, Swope was a Yale
graduate with money to invest. After living in several states, he eventually made his way to Missouri when he moved to St. Louis and began working in real estate. He came west in 1855 as the Kansas Territory
opened and settled in Kansas City in 1857. Swope began purchasing property here and would later go on to become the largest individual land owner in Kansas City. Mr. Swope was called "Colonel" Swope, but the title was honorary and not from military service.
.
Swope as well as seven nieces and nephews. The frugal millionaire commuted daily by streetcar to his downtown Kansas City office in the New England Life Building
until the month before his death.
Swope’s last days were preoccupied with how best to bestow his wealth. His real estate alone was worth three and a half million dollars. Usually given to self-doctoring, in his last days Swope allowed himself to be treated by Dr. Bennett Clark Hyde, who had married one of his nieces (Logan and Margaret Swope's daughter, Frances). On October 3, 1909, just 18 days short of his 82nd birthday, Col. Swope died suddenly in his sister-in-law’s home with Dr. Hyde in attendance, the aftermath of a perplexing, brief and violent illness. Swope's body lay in state at the Kansas City Public Library
where thousands of mourners paid their respects. Until a tomb could be prepared in Swope Park where he had requested burial, he lay in a holding vault.
Three months after Swope's death, Dr. Hyde came under suspicion and was charged with murder by strychnine poisoning in “a plot for money.” Swope’s body was exhumed and an autopsy performed. Three trials, seven years and a quarter of a million dollars later, Hyde was freed, his suspected guilt never proven.
Eight and a half years after his death, Col. Thomas Swope was laid to rest in Swope Park. On April 8, 1918 he was buried high on a hill amid a forest of trees, overlooking his gift to Kansas City. His remains lie beneath a Greek temple of white granite, guarded by a pair of stone lions.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, His death in 1909 became the focus of one of the most publicized murder trials in the early 20th century.
Career
Born in Lincoln County, KentuckyLincoln County, Kentucky
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 24,742 in the 2010 Cesus. Its county seat is Stanford. Lincoln is a prohibition or "dry county" and is part of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Swope was a Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
graduate with money to invest. After living in several states, he eventually made his way to Missouri when he moved to St. Louis and began working in real estate. He came west in 1855 as the Kansas Territory
Kansas Territory
The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Kansas....
opened and settled in Kansas City in 1857. Swope began purchasing property here and would later go on to become the largest individual land owner in Kansas City. Mr. Swope was called "Colonel" Swope, but the title was honorary and not from military service.
Swope Park
In 1896, the seventy year old Swope donated 1334 acres (5.4 km²) of land to be used as a public park. The land lay four miles (6 km) southeast of town and was used to create Swope ParkSwope Park
Swope Park is an 1805-acre city park within the city of Kansas City, Missouri. It is the 29th-largest municipal park in the United States , and the largest park in Kansas City. It is named in honor of Colonel Thomas H. Swope, a philanthropist who donated the land to the city in 1896...
.
Death
Swope's sudden illness and demise happened under mysterious circumstances. Swope was known to be mild-mannered and self-conscious, and was a lifelong bachelor. He lived alone until later in life when he moved into the turreted red brick mansion of his late brother Logan Swope, home of his sister-in-law Margaret "Maggie" ChrismanWilliam Chrisman
William Chrisman was born to Joseph and Eleanor Chrisman. He attended Georgetown College and Center College in Kentucky where he received his degree in Law...
Swope as well as seven nieces and nephews. The frugal millionaire commuted daily by streetcar to his downtown Kansas City office in the New England Life Building
Old New England Building
The Old New England Building in Kansas City, Missouri is a building from 1886. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973....
until the month before his death.
Swope’s last days were preoccupied with how best to bestow his wealth. His real estate alone was worth three and a half million dollars. Usually given to self-doctoring, in his last days Swope allowed himself to be treated by Dr. Bennett Clark Hyde, who had married one of his nieces (Logan and Margaret Swope's daughter, Frances). On October 3, 1909, just 18 days short of his 82nd birthday, Col. Swope died suddenly in his sister-in-law’s home with Dr. Hyde in attendance, the aftermath of a perplexing, brief and violent illness. Swope's body lay in state at the Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City Public Library
The Kansas City Public Library is a public system headquartered in the Central Library in Kansas City, Missouri.The system operates its Central Branch and neighborhood branches located in Kansas City, Independence, and Sugar Creek...
where thousands of mourners paid their respects. Until a tomb could be prepared in Swope Park where he had requested burial, he lay in a holding vault.
Three months after Swope's death, Dr. Hyde came under suspicion and was charged with murder by strychnine poisoning in “a plot for money.” Swope’s body was exhumed and an autopsy performed. Three trials, seven years and a quarter of a million dollars later, Hyde was freed, his suspected guilt never proven.
Eight and a half years after his death, Col. Thomas Swope was laid to rest in Swope Park. On April 8, 1918 he was buried high on a hill amid a forest of trees, overlooking his gift to Kansas City. His remains lie beneath a Greek temple of white granite, guarded by a pair of stone lions.
External Links
- Dr. Hyde (Swope Murder) Trial (1910): Selected Links & Bibliography compiled by by Douglas O. Linder, University of Missouri, Kansas City.
- Active link, Kansas City Public Library website's section about the Hyde-Swope Murder Trial
- "Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde" St. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg TimesThe St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
- Oct 29, 1950. - "Colonel Swope's Nephew by Marriage Formally Accused and Arrested" Vintagekansascity.com section on the Swope-Hyde case.
- A 1928 Photograph of the "Swope Mansion" in Independence, Missouri. The building was razed in 1960, having been purchased by the RLDSRLDSThe initials RLDS can refer to:*Community of Christ, from 1872 to 2001 known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or RLDS Church*A number of more conservative churches that broke with the RLDS Church, including:...
church in 1923.