Deaths on Pleasant Street

The 1909 murder case surrounding the wealthy Swope family of Independence, Missouri, led to the trial of the century in the gothic-era Midwest. This book gathers the facts behind the suspicious fates of the eccentric Colonel, who was the millionaire donor of Kansas Citys Swope Park, as well as his affable cousin, and a young nephew and heir. National media relished the drama as the Swope matriarch accused her disfavored son-in-law, Dr. Bennett Clark Hyde, of triple homicide, plus the spreading of deadly disease germs throughout the household. The author delivers an engaging and accurate retelling of these century-old mysteries by analyzing court transcripts, newspaper accounts, and personal memoirs. Readers also get a new scenario based on modern science for what may have happened in the dark hallways of the mansion on Pleasant Street.