The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-22
WOMAN FL|ER'S
LOVE FOR GUN
VICTIM Barred
Mother. of Slain Man Re-
fuses to Believe Suicide
Theory.
MURDER HINT PR0BED
Mrs. Keith Miller and Other
Point of Possible
Triangle Held.
MURDER HINT PROBED
By United Press

MIAMI, Fla, April 22.-The
mother of Haden Clarke does not
believe he killed himself although
his death is under investigation as
a love triangle murder or suicide"
in which Mrs. j. M. Keith Miller
and her flying partner manager,
Captain w. N. Lancaster, were held
for questioning.
The young writer, who was help
ing the woman aviator to prepare a
story of her flying adventures, was
found dead in bed Thursday in the
home occupied here by Mrs. Keith
Miller and Lancaster. He and Lam
caster slept on the porch. Lancaster's
gun was found under the body.
Il will believe he committed sui
eide if the authorities so decide, but
I find such theory Incompetent
Sible," Mrs. Ida Clarke, Women'S
magazine editor and journalism in
structor here said.
Aversion to Suicides
"Haden always had an aversion to
suicides. Even as a small boy he
would not play with toy pistols"
There was some evidence to sup
port her belief.
Notes were found which indicated
suicide. Stories told by Lancaster
and Mrs. Keith Miller, which were
in practical agreement. also indi-
Gated suicide.
A doctor and funeral director
declared, however, that there were
no powder burns or marks on young
Clarke's head or body, indicating he
was shot from a short distance.
they said. A blood-stained pencil
was found on the sleeping porch.
It was admitted by all that Mrs.
Keith-Miller and Clarke were in
love, a love that developed within
recent months.
It was denied that she and Lam
caster were anything but pals
during an association in many years
of flying adventures.
Trio Lived Together
Mrs Clarke, who comforted Mrs.
Keith Miller during funeral services
for her own son and the second
woman's lover, said afterward that
IF Haden loved Mrs. Keith Miller.
I never knew anything about it. I
knew they were good friends"
The story told States Attorney
Hawthorne by Mrs. Keith-M Miller.
was as follows:
She and Lancaster had been Iiv-
ing in her bungalow mere some
time. The depression hit them:
they found difficulty even in find
ing money to pay light and water
bills.
A Latin-American airline venture
was suggested. Lancaster went west
IN nlidwinter to investigate.
During LancaSter's absence. Mrs.
Keith-Miller and young Clarke
started work on her biography.
Found Selves in Love
Suddenly we found ourselves in
love" Mrs. Keith-Miller explained.
I'VE were sort of conscience
stricken and surprised, so we wrote
Captain Lancaster a letter, telling
him we intended to marry"
Lancaster sent a wire. wishing
luck. and offering to be best man
If they would defer the wedding
until he arrived, she said. He didn't
want to be dog in the manger.0
she quoted him as saying. That
was Sunday.
Lancaster arrived here Wednes-
day. About midnight Mrs. Keith
Miller retired. Lancaster and
Clarke talked, the captain said. of
their home troubles, and economic
difficulties, quite jovially.
COmf0rted by Mother
About 3 a. m, he said, he was
awakened by a shot. Clarke was
lying on the floor, gun under his
leg.
Clarke's mother was among those
VINO comforted the woman fiier
after Clarke's funeral. Mrs. Keith
Miller had cried out:
I'm alone in the world, and have
nothing to eat, and there's no place
for me to co.
Miami citizens offered to help her.
but she and Lancaster we're held
all night incommunicado pending
completion Of the Investigation be-
fore they parted.
Mrs. Clarke, former associate ed
itor of Pictorial Review, and a writer
for other magazines, now is instruc-
TOR In Journalism in Miami univer-