The Washington times., 1932-08-04
By CAPT. WILLIAM N.
LANCASTER
Copyright. 1882, by International News
SerViCe)

Copyright 1882 by International News
Service).
MIAMI, Fla, Aug. 4 IN.S.).
I have been asked to outline
for International News Service
my feelings as my trial for the
alleged murder of Haden
Clarke begins. | have also
been asked to outline what my
testimony in my own defense
will be.
My defense will be that l
did not kill Haden Clarke
that he killed himself with a
pistol | had purchased.
I loved Mrs. Keith-Miller; she
loved me. Haden Clarke won her
love from me. But I did not kill
Haden Clarke.
Jail Found IrksOme
have been in Jail now for three
months, and, naturally, the con-
finement has irked me, especially
since I have always led a very
active life and have never been
deprived of my exercise before.
I am glad that the period of
suspense awaiting my trial is over.
I am particularly glad because
I shall have an opportunity to
tell from the witness stand my
own story in my own language.
Upon advice of counsel, / have
been silent and have not dis
cussed in the press the evidence
which 1 expect to give. Like
limitations have not been observed
by some of those who would like
to see me convicted.
The story 1 shall tell will be
the whole truth and. therefore,
it will include the deep devotion
which I have had and now have
for Mrs. Jessie NJ Keith-Miller,
whom l have known and loved
for more than five years.
Met Her in 1927
We met in London in 1927 and
became partners in an enterprise
which led to the first airplane
flight from England to Australia
When We left England We were
only friends When we arrived
in Australia some week. later my
love for her was such thai our
lives have run together ever since
Since those days we have flown
all over the world together. Mrs.
Keith-Miller. who was not a pilot
on the first flight, has since be-
come a thoroughlyqualified Eiiot
and one of the leading women
flierS of the world.
Last winter we found or II.
nancial situation not so good sad
we came to Miami, hoping to find
some way out of our financial
difficulties. l may say here that
when either of us had money we
both had it.
Mrs. Keith-Miller and l arranged
in February that Haden Clarke
should do the writing for a book
which Mrs. Keith-Miller should
sign and which she hoped TO
have published We had no
money to pay Haden, = but we
offered to provide him room and
board in the house we occupied
in Miami in lieu OF financial
compensation, with the under
standing that he should receive
percentage of the royalties OF
the book.
We were still desperate about
money matters, so I took an
opportunity which seemed to pre-
sent itself to fly in Mexico for
a new enterprise known as Latin
American Always.
I felt safe in leaving Mrs.
Keith-Miller in care of Haden
Clarke, whom I had come to
admire and trust. So, in March
1 flew away on this enterprise
and came back to Miami on
April 20.
Talked Matters Over
While 1 was away, Haden
Clarke and Mrs. Keith-Miller had
become engaged to be married.
I had wired them as soon as l
had learned of it from their own
letters and told them that 1
would be no dog in the manger
and that wanted to be best
man at the wedding.
l flew from st. Louis to Miami.
They met me at the airport. We
went out to the house which all
three of us had occupied, talked
until after midnight, and then
went to bed. Mrs. Keith-Miller in
her room and Clarke and l on
the sleeping porch.
I went to sleep to be awakened,
I suppose, by the sound of a
pistol shot which ended Haden
Clarke's life. My defense is sim
ply that I am not guilty, but
that Haden Clarke committed