The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-08-22
AUiatrix's Romance Ends in Traqedu

Smith Reynolds-"Ab" Walker
tragedy in North Carolina. The
remaining five stories will follow
daily.
Copyright, 1882, NEA Service, Inc.
Five years ago tall young aviato
who had been a World war pilot IL
the British army and a diminutive
. but nervy, young woman who hat
been In an airplane only once befor,
in her life, took off from London or
a l3,O00-mile flight across open sea
and burning deserts to Australia
halfway around the world.
In the same year a young newspa.
perman, whose mother was a profes.
sor of journalism in Miami, Fla.
reached the aged of 81 and turned
to broader fields of writing.
Last February, fate-or some mys-
terious and inscrutable destiny-drew
these three lives together. A sinister
love triangle developed, soon to be
followed by grim tragedy. Ten weeks
after their meeting the young Jour-
nalist was dead, the aviator was
charged with his murder and half
hysterical woman was trying to ex-
plain to police how she had loved
both men but had found it difficult
to choose between the two.
So runs the thread of Florida's most
sensational love triangle which was
brought to a climax at Miami with
the trial of Captain William N. Lam
caster, "a, former British fighting pi-
lot, on charges of numbering Haden
Clark. 26-year-old Miami journalist,
for the love of Mrs. Jessie Keith
Miller, world-famous Australian avia-
trix, his flying companion for five
years.
Captain Lancaster's defense was
that Clarke had committed suicide.
The jury returned verdict of not
guilty.
Florida's sensational love triangle
closely resembles the Libby Holman
Smith Reynolds-"Ab" Walker tragedy
in North Carolina. A man died,
shot through the head in the middle
Of the night. the friend accused OF
numbering him claims it was case
Of suicide and the whole thing turns
on the alleged love of two men for
the same woman.
X X X
Haden Clarke, the journalist, had
been commissioned by Captain Lam
caster and Mrs. keith-Miller, famed
fliers, to write the story of their adj
venturous lives in book form. He was
working on the first chapter, their
daring flight from England to Aus
tralia he never lived to write the
last, for which his own mysterious
death would have provided a sensa-
tional climax.
With all the keen imagination of
novelist, Clarke perhaps could not
have contrived fictional murder
mystery" stranger than his own.
Here are circumstances adduced in
court:
During Captain Lancaster's alb
sence, Clarke and Mrs. Keith-Miller
had fallen in love while working on
their book.
Lancaster, hearing of their plans
for marriage. wired them his best
wishes and asked the couple to defer
the ceremony until he could return
and serve as best man.
Next day Lancaster flew in from
st. Louis, they met him at the Miami
airport and drove him to Mrs. Keith
Miller's house where all three lived.
At 8 o'clock the following morning,
Clarke was mysteriously shot through
the head-with a pistol that Lancas-
ter had bought in st. Louis. Lam
caster, whose bed was in the same
room, declared it was suicide, that he
had been awakened by the shot.
Nearby were found two typewriter
notes, signed in pencil with Haden
name. The notes said he
was respondent, that he was commit
ting suicide.
Lancaster and Mrs. Keith-Miller
we're arrested, questioned and re-
leased. She declared that Clarke had
several times threatened to kill him.
self and that once they had discussed
q suicide pact.
Eleven days later Lancaster was
again In jail, this time on charge
Of murder.
A handwriting expert, employed by
the local prosecutor, had pronounced
the notes forgeries. They had not
been written by Clarke.
Lancaster then admitted he forged
The death notes. He explained that
he had realized quickly that the cir
evidence was against him,
that he had to do something. So, he
said, he wrote the two notes on
Clarkes typewriter, tried to rouse the
dying suicide victim so he could sign |
hem and, failing in this, forged |
Clarke's name. He said he was sure
Clarke would have signed the suicide |
notes, had he been able.
Lancaster explained he had bought |
he fatal pistol in st. Louis to give |
10 a Miami friend in return for a |
weapon that he had pawned
n Ell Paso. He denied that his bed
vas unrumpled as though he had not |
,een in 1t that night.
Mrs. Keith-Miller said Lancaster |
had come to her room, awakened her
md informed her that Clarke had
Tiled himself.
4 4 X !
BY means Of Captain Lancaster's
liary, introduced at the trial, the
unfolded a story of the |
British war flier's burning love for
he chubby little Australian aviatrix |
who weighs only 80 pounds and so |
mall that she has to be propped into |
yer seat with cushions in order to
each the plane controls.
Samples Of entries Captain Lam
aster made during his western busi-
less trip-while Clarke and Mrs.
Keith Miller remained in Miami to |
rite the book-are as follows:
Thursday, March 10, San Angelo.
from Chubbie. God bless |
Ter. How dear she is to mel"
Thursday, March "a. Ell Paso, Tex. |
mo news from Chubbie. She has