DEFENCE RESTED

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 274, 15 August 1932, Page 9

DEFENCE RESTED

Miami Murder Trial GRUESOME EVIDENCE Support for Suicide Theory (By Telegraph.—Pre»s —Copyright.) (Rec. August 14, 5.5 p.m.) Miami, August 18. The defence tested to-day in the trial of Captain W. N. Lancaster on a charge of murdering Haden Clarke at Miami on April2l, and rebuttal of testimony started. Lancaster denied that he had ever told Mrs. Ida Clarke, mother of Haden Clarke, after the shooting that sometimes he was so confused he did not know whether he killed Clarke or not. * Gruesome evidence for the defence was produced yesterday when the bul-let-pierced skull of Clarke was brought into court along with slides, showing parts of the head, by Dr. M. H. Tailman, witness for the defence, and one of the commission of four specialists who conducted an autopsy. Two bullet holes marking the entrance and exit were pointed out by Dr. Tailman. As the jurors leaned forward with expressions varying from acute interest to horror, accused peered intently at the skull. Using the skull and the fatal pistol to illustrate the testimony, Arthur Hamilton, a criminologist, of Auburn, New York, told the jury that he was absolutely convinced that Clarke committed suicide. There was not a scintilla of evidence to show that Clarke was murdered, and there was every indication of suicide. Mr. Hamilton added that a microscopic examination of the pistol showed blood tissue on the front sight, indicating that it was pressed firmly against Clarke when he was shot. Taking the skull in his hands, Mr. Hamilton stepped down before the jurv, eventually passing the skull to each talesman (member of the jury). “The skull,” witness observed, “shows five radial fractures, made, not by the bullet, but by the exploding gases that followed the bullet. The ballooning of the flesh around the wound and the discoloration of the skull bones show conclusively that the pistol was held firmly against the head when the bullet was fired.” Witness held the death pistol against his own head and snapped the trigger to demonstrate the point showing the position in which the pistol was held when the bullet entered Clarke’s head. The jury was then taken to the former home of Mrs. Miller to inspect the scene of the shooting.