INTENT TO KILL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 304, 18 August 1932, Page 5

INTENT TO KILL

(Press. Assn.-

QPPOSING COUNSEL SUM UP IN MIAMI CASE

-By Telegraph — Oopyrlglit).

Rec. Aug. 17, 7.5 p.m. Miami, August 17. Assertions that the personal diary of Captain Lancaster day after day carried threats to the man who stole the love of Mrs. Keith Miller, were made by the State Attorney, Mr. Hawthorne, to the jury, who are hearing the trial of Captain Lancaster, for the alleged murder of Hadyn Clarke. "The defence tells you that this man committed suieide," he said. "Witnesses, who are not contradicted, show that murder was contemplated by a man, capable, cold and calculating. His diary day after day shows this intent to kill Hadyn Clarke." Mr. Hawthorne's arguments were followed by a four hours' plea by Mr. Carson, counsel for the defence. Mr. Carson, pleading for the life of Lancaster, criticised the State's case as a sum of five disconnected and sketchy circumstances, in no way sufficient to give any reason for believing that Lancaster killed Clarke. Mr. Carson praised the bravery of Mrs. Miller in baring her tangled love affairs to aid Lancaster. Mr. Carson closed his argument with the assertion that Clarke's was "honour suieide." There was nothing else for him to do. "My client did not shoot him. Clarke was broke; he wqs a drinker, who had tried to leave liquor alone; he was a narcotie addlct; he had trouble with women; and he had a recurring illness to tear down his stamina. Was not that enough to make any man commit suieide,' Carson asked.