Evening star., 1932-08-11
THREAT Of SUICIDE
IS LAID TO CLARKE
Witness at Lancaster Trial
Also Says Young Writer
Was Drug Addict.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
MIAMI, Fla, August 11.-Testimony
that Haden Clarke, for whose staying
Capt. w. N Lancaster is on trial, was
a narcotic addict, that he frequently
discussed suicide and that he suffered
in New Orleans from an illness with
which he was afflicted at the time OF
his death, was given today by Dick
Lavender, former companion of Clarke
HE frequently discussed suicide with
me-" Lavender testified. He said they
Orleans, where Clarke was employed by
q newspaper.
Clarke thought 1 planned to COM
nit suicide and told me the way to
60 about it was to do it in a big way
He said pistol was the best method, '
Lavender said
The description of Clarke's habits
followed completion, for the time at
any rate, of examination of Capt. Lam
caster and injection into the case of
the attitude of spectators and one State
witness.
spectators Cautioned.
Judge H. F. Atkinson ordered the
jury from the court room while he de-
1lvered a warning against any further
demonstrations. His comment was the
result of applause and laughter yeSter-
day when James NJ. Carson, chief of
defense counsel, apparently won a
verbal tilt with States Attorney N.
Vernon Hawthorne.
Hawthorne at that time referred to
a statement by Lancaster that some OF
the letters from Clarke and Mrs. Keith
Miller to him had disappeared.
The State has been accused of con-
cealing those letters" the prosecutor
said THE State has never seen them"
THE defense has made no accusa-
ton" Carson retorted, but does the
State -rish to plead not guilty anyway?"
1t r 4uired threat by the judge to
clear the court room to restore order.
Officer Tells of Threat.
j. P. Moe, deputy United States mar
shal, testified that M. G. Tancrel, State
witness, had threatened to kill LancaS-
ter if they were placed in the same
cell
The conversation took place, Moe said
while Tancrel was in Federal custody
on charge of impersonating a naval
officer. Tancrel and Lancaster were
associates in an unsuccessful aviation
venture in the West.
III do everything I can to see that
Lancaster burns" Moe quoted Tancrel
as saying
Tancrel testified several days ago that
Lancaster threatened to get rid" of
Clarke when he heard rumors that
Clarke had replaced him in affections
of Mrs. Keith Miller. Lancaster, on the
witness stand, denied making the
threats, and Tancrel denied he held any
enimosity against Lancaster.
Examination of Lancaster today was
quite brief. Hawthorne announced as
the ninth day of the trial opened that
he had no further questions to ask at
this time, and Carson took up redirect
questions. He described the relative
positions of the beds in the room at
Mrs. Keith -Miller's home, where Clarke
was shot while, the flyer has testified, he
lay asleep near by.
Testifes 121s Hours.
Did Clarke ever discuss suicide with
you?" Carson asked.
No" said Lancaster.
Hawthorne questioned the defendant
closely regarding his financial affairs.
Lancaster some time ago signed an
afidavit that he was pauper. In to-
days testimony he said he had given
to Mrs. Keith Miller, whom he de-
scribed yesterday as "the woman loved
more than anything In the world" his
share of the $500 they received for writ
ing two statements for news service.
Lancaster was excused after 12R
hours on the stand.