MIAMI TRIAL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 301, 15 August 1932, Page 5

MIAMI TRIAL

(Press Assn.-

JURY PASSES GRUESOME EXHIBIT FROM HAND TO HAND LANCASTER ON TRIAL

— By Telegraph — Copyrlght)

MIAMI, Saturday. The bullet-pierced skull of Hadyn Clarke, alleged to have been murdiered by Captain W. N. Lancaster, the British airmjan, was brought into the Court to-day at the trial, along with slides showing parts of the head of the dead man. They were shown by Dr. M. H. Tallman, a defence witness and one of a commission of four specialists who conducted an autopsy. Tv;o hullet holes, marking the entrance and exit, were pointed out by Dr. Tallman as the jurors leaned forward with expressions varying from acute interest to horror. Lancaster peered intently at the skull. Using the skull and the fatal pistol to illustrate his testimony, Arthur Hamilton, criminologist, Auburn, New York, told the jury that he was absolutely convinced that Clarke committed suicide. There was not a scintilla of evidence here to show that Clarke was murdered, and there was every indication of suicide. Witness added that a mieroscopic examination of the pistol showed blood tissue on the front sight, indicating that the weapon had been pressed firmly against Clarke when he shot. Taking the skull in his hands Hamilton stepped down before the jury, eventually passing the grisly exhibit to each. The skull shows five radial fractures made, not by a bullet but by exploding gasnes that followed the bullet, Hamilton said. Stating that the ballooning of the flesh around the wound and th ; discolouration of the skull bones showed conclusively that the pistol was held firmly against his head when the hullet was fired, witness held the death pistol against his own head and snapped the trigger to demonstrate the point, showing the position in which the pistol was held when the hullet entered Clarke's head. The jury was taken to the former home of Mrs. Keith Miller to inspect the scene of the shooting.