history behind HYDE & SEEK
The Murder of Thomas Swope
It's long been suspected that Swope's nephew-in-law murdered him and other members of his family as part of a plot to steal their fortune– but to some, the events remain unresolved more than 115 years later.
Elms Hotel & Spa in the 1920s
In the 1920s, the Elms Hotel and Spa in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, was a thriving national health resort and a center for illicit activities, with both organized crime figures like Al Capone and politicians frequenting its halls. The hotel operated as a speakeasy during Prohibition, featuring illegal gambling and "bathtub gin" parties in its basement, and faced numerous police raids, including one during a cocktail party attended by the Governor of Missouri.
Al Capone in the early '20s
In the early 1920s, Al Capone transitioned from Brooklyn to Chicago around 1920, becoming a key lieutenant under Johnny Torrio in the Colosimo mob, which was shifting its focus to the profitable racket of bootlegging due to Prohibition. By the mid-1920s, as Torrio's influence grew and eventually waned, Capone rose to become the Chicago Outfit's boss, ruling an empire of illegal alcohol, gambling, prostitution, and other criminal activities.
Dr. Hyde articles after the murder trials
The trials had ruined Hyde's career, and he eventually divorced Francis Hyde. In 1934, Dr. Hyde died without ever confessing to the crimes, leaving the people of Kansas City to wonder what really happened in the Swope mansion in 1909.