LANCASTER’S TRIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1932, Page 7

LANCASTER’S TRIAL

EXPERT AND SUICIDE STORY [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Received August 13, 9 a.m.) MIAMI, August 12. The bullet-pierced -skull of Clarke was brought into the Court, to-day, along with slides, showing parts of the head, by Dr. M. •H. Tallman, a defence witness, one of the commission of four specialists who conducted the autopsy. The two bullet holes marking the entrance and exit,'were pointed out by Dr Tallman, as the jurors leaned forward with expressions varying from acute interest to horror. Lancaster peered intently at the skull. Using the skull and the fatal pistol to illustrate his testimony, Arthur 'Hamilton, criminologist, of Auburn, New York, told the jury he was absolutely convinced that Clarke committed suicide. “There' is not a scin-, tilla of evidence here to show that Clarke was murdered. There is every indication of suicide,” Hamilton added. He said that a microscopic examination of the pistol showed blood tissue on the front sight, indicating it was pressed firmly against Clarke when the shot was fired.

Taking the skull in his hands, Hamilton stepped down before the jury, eventually passing the skull to each member of the jury., “The skull shows five radical fractures made not by a bullet but by exploding gases that followed the bullet,” Hamilton said. He added’ that the ballooning of flesh around the wound and the discolouration of the skullbones showed conclusively the pistol was held firmly against the head when the bullet was fired. He held the 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 were taken to the former home of Mrs Miller, to inspect the scene of the shooting.