MIAMI SHOOTING CASE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21253, 5 August 1932, Page 11

MIAMI SHOOTING CASE

MRS. MILLER'S EVIDENCE EVENTS BEFORE THE TRAGEDY MIAMI, Aug. 3 Tiie trial was continued to-day of Captain W. N. Lancaster on a charge of murdering Haden Clarke, an American airman. Mrs. Keith Miller was called by tho prosecutor,- State-Attorney N. V. Hawthorn. She said the two men had quarrelled over her affection at dinner the evening before Clarke was found shot. They settled their differences, however. She had locked tho door of her room when Clarke said he did not want Lancaster to go there to talk her out of their marriage plans. Witness said that Lancaster had hurried home from a business trip to St. Louis after learning that she and Clarke had become engaged when deceased was writing her memoirs which she had hoped to sell. Accused Upset by Engagement The Prosecutor: Were you engaged to Lancaster ? Mrs. Miller: You cannot be engaged to a person who is married. I always intended to marry him for almost five years. Were you infatuated with Clarke when Lancaster left here in March ?—No. I changed my mind later. I advised Bill in a letter I sent to St. Louis. So did Haden. We read each other's letters before they •were mailed. Witness said Lancaster was sad upon his return from St. Louis because of the engagement. Ho told her he planned to kill himself in an aeroplane so that she would benefit from the insurance money (£200). Later ho learned that the insurance company; had failed and abandoned tho plan. Previous Talks of Suicide The Prosecutor: Do you know who killed Haden Clarke 1 Witness: I am convinced ho killed himself. He had often talked of committing suicide, particularly when ho was in a violent rage or in tho dumps. Continuing, witness stated that Lancaster awakened her about two o'clock in the morning on April 21 and informed her that Clarke had been shot. She denied having heard tho shot. Lancaster made no attempt to offer an explanation. Mrs. Miller said sho and Clarke had talked of committing suicide togethor because of their position so far as Lancaster was concerned. Tho Prosecutor: Did Clarke discuss suicide the night before he was shot ? Witness: No. Effort to Save tho Accused Mrs. Miller said sho came to tho United States with Lancaster. Tho Prosecutor: And you heave been his flying companion and his companion in other ways since then ? Witness: Yes. In trying to save Lancaster and impress the public with his innocence did you not say you would issue a statement to the newspapers to the effect that you killed Clarke if Lancaster were arrested ? Witness (after hesitating): It sounds radical, but I did say that. A policeman, Earl Hudson, quoted Lancaster as having said on one occasion that Clarke was ill and that the fact was preying heavily upon his mind.