MURDER CHARGE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20550, 19 May 1932, Page 9

MURDER CHARGE.

* AIR PILOT'S DEATH. TRIAL OF CAPTAIN LANCASTER POSTPONED. 1 (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BS ELECTRIC TF.LKGRA.rII —COrKRIGHT.) (Received May 18th, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 17. A Miami report states that the airman, Captain W. N. Lancaster, appeared before the Circuit Court on a charge of having murdered Hayden Claris, the fiance of Mrs Keith Miller. He pleaded not guilty, and the Judge granted the application of counsel for the defence Tor a postponement of the trial to permit the .character ot a witness to be brought from England. The date of tho next hearing was fixed tentatively for July sth. [A message from Miami on 21st reported that Mrs Keith Miller (formerly Miss Jessie Bevcridge, of Timaru) and' Captain W. N. Lanenster (who flew with Mrs Miller from England to Australia in 1928), had been detained in gaol for investigation luto the shooting of Haden Clark, a 1 c_ • aeroplane pilot, to whom Mrs Keitn Miller was engaged. Clark, with a bullet wound in his head, was f°u' lcl dying in the sleeping porch at Jms Keith Miller's house, where lie antl Captain Lancaster slept. It was reported that the circumstances suggested suicide. One note contained ,tho following message: "I cal }| 7 L ? 1 , stand the Qconomic pressure. _ *> ill vou please sustain my mother in her deep grief." Another, addressed to Captain Lancaster, read: "Bui, I can't make the grade. Tell Chubbie about our talk. My advice is, never leave her again." It was subsequently reported that Captain Lancaster confessed that he wrote and signed the "suicide notes" in order to save himself from being implicated m Clark's death. Mrs Keith Miller was released, the State Attorney making a statement that completely absolved her from any knowledge of or part in the shooting of Clark.]