Evening star., 1932-08-03
mrs. KE|TH-M|LLER
/ TELLS OF TRIANGLE
Lancaster Planned Suicide
/ for Benefit of Her and
Clarke, Jury Told.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MIAMI, Fla, August 3-Mrs. J. M
Keith-Miller, Australian flyer and for
n1er aviation partner of Capt. w. N
Lancaster, testified at the former British
Army aviator's murder trial today that
Lancaster had contemplated suicide In
order that she and Haden Clarke, heI
Gance, might receive $1,000 from his
Insurance policy on their wedding day
j Called as a witness for the prosecu-
tlon in its efforts to prove Capt. Lam
caster killed Clarke, young writer,
in love triangle. the avatrix said the
men quarreled over her affections at
dinner the night before Clarke was shot
at her home. They settled their diff
ferences, however, she said. after Clarke
admitted I,ancaSter'S accusation that he
had been unfaithful to the former Army
flyer In making love to her.
Door Of Room Locked.
Her voice broke as she spoke Of lock-
ing the door Of her room upon retir-
ing that night.
why did you lock the door?" State
Attorney N. Vernon Hawalcrne asked.
Because Haden told me he did not
want that Uancasterl to come to my
room and talk me out of our marriage
plans" she responded.
Mrs. Keith-Miller said Lancaster hur-
ried home from a business trip to st.
Louis after learning she and Clarke had
become betrothed, as the youth wrote
her memoirs which she hoped to sell.
Mrs. Miller, were you engaged to
Capt lancaster" Hawthorne asked
"You can't be engaged to q person
who is married" she replied spiritedly
II always intended to marry him-for
almost five years"
Were you infatuated with Haden
when Lancaster left here on March 50"
Hawthorne inquired.
No, changed my mind later. I ad-
vised Bill Lancaster by letter sent to
st. Louis and so did Haden. We read
each others letters before they were
mailed"
Told of Suicide Plan.
She said Lancaster was sad upon his
return from st. Louis, because Of her
engagement to Clarke and told her he
planned to kill himself in an airplane
so she would benefit from his insur-
ance.
Later, he learned the insurance COM
pany had failed and he abandoned the
plan, she added.
As, she testified, Mrs. Keith-Miller
frequently glanced at Lancaster and
smiled, and he responded in kind.
Judge H. F. Atkinson recessed court
at 1905 until 2 o'clock, with the avia-
trix still on the stand.
Another witness, Policeman Earl Hud-
son, quoted Lancaster as saying on one
occasion that Clarke had contracted a
disease and 1t was preying heavily upon
his mind.
The officer recalled Lancaster insisted
that Clarke committed suicide and siig-
gested the disease might have led him.
to it.
Tells of Revolver.
E. H. Huston, Miami, attorney, testi-
fed today that the British aviator tried
to persuade him to say he owned a
revolver found under the body of Clarke.
Huston was the first witness of the
day. He said Lancaster called him
to Mrs. Keith-Miller'S home about
3 am. April 81, advising him of the
shooting. He said Lancaster gave him
two notes with the explanation Clarke
wrote them before he was found fatally
wounded in a room he shared with
the flyer.
They were couched In terms OF de-
spondency and mentioned contempla-
ton of suicide. Huston said Lancas-
ter and Mrs. Keith-Miller suggested
destroying them, but he dissuaded
them. ......
These were the notes Lancaster later
admitted he forged with hopes of re-
moving any suspicion that might be
cast at Mrs. Keith Miller.
Ownership Of Pistol
After he refused to claim ownership
of the pistol, Huston said Lancaster
begged him to say it belonged to the
Latin American Airways, a company
in which Huston was interested and
with which Lancaster had dealt in re-
gard to proposal for commercial fly
ing between Mexico and the United
States.
Again he refused, Huston told the
court.
Under cross examination by James
Carson, chief Of defense counsel,
Huston testified Lancaster and Mrs.
Keith-Miller talked to him at various
times about the captains desire to
divorce his wife.