The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-11
MYSTERY SOLVED.
Body of Dead Woman Found in
Lake Como
Has Been Identified as That of
Mrs. Charlton.
MARRIED THIS YEAR.
Was Formerly Mrs. II. N. Castle
of San Francisco.
Attained NOtOriety by Shooting
a Man in New York.
THIS YEAR.

Washington, June 11.-That one OF
her former admirers may have been
at the bottom of the mystery involving
the finding of a trunk containing the
body of Mrs. Mary Scott Castle Charl-
ton in Lake Como. Italy. yesterday, is
suspected by Paul Charlton, father-in-
law of the unfortunate woman.
Mr.. Charlton, who is law clerk of
insular affairs in the war department,
returned late last night from Atlantic
City Speaking of the tragedy, Mr..
Charlton said:
From the few details available l
believe that Porter, my son, is dead
also. From the cheerful tone of his
last letter, 1 am inclined to believe
someone. possibly one of her former
admirers who followed them to Italy
is at the bottom of the tragedy.
My son is about 20 years of age
and for sometime had been suffering
from tuberculosis. He left Washing
ton in December, 1908, and went to
New York, where he obtained employ
ment in the foreign department OF the
National City bank.
Early in 1910, he met Mrs. Mary
Scott Castle, the divorced wife or Ne
vile Castle, an attorney of San fran
cisco. She was about 40 years of age.
I knew nothing of her antecedents
and did not even know that Porter in
tended to marry her until after he
had done so. They were married in
Wilmington, Del, March II, last, and
several days later sailed from New
York for Genoa. Only last Monday L
received a letter from him telling me
of his plans. His letter was full of
endearing references to his WIFE.
Overcome by the news of the death
of his daughter-in-law and the infor-
nation that his son, Porter Charlton
was missing which led him to believe
the
fate as the murdered woman, Paul
Charlton was confined to his home this
morning. Mr.. Charlton asked Secre-
tary Knox to have the state depart
nfent through its representatives in
Italy make an investigation into the
Lake Como mystery and also to try to
learn the whereabouts of his son. The
department has taken the matter up
with the American embassy by cable.
Husband Is Missing.
Como. Italy June 1.-THE ter
ribiy mutilated body of the woman
found in a trunk yesterday submerged
in a lake near the village of Moltrasio
has proven to be that of her who was
formerly Mrs. H. n. Castle.
The police, basing their opinion on
wounds on the head. evidently made
by a blunt instrument, believe. the
woman was murdered. and have taken
into custody a Russian named Con-
stantine Ispolatof, fifty years old.
whom they suspect of having some
knowledge of how the woman met her
death.
Several persons who had known the
woman in life and viewed her body de-
clared she had told them she had been
married to Porter Charlton, the son Cf
an American naval officer Charlton is
desc ibed as being % years old and is
said to have been a student at the
University of Pennsylvania. The wo-
man apparently was about 80 years old
When the body was found it was re-
called that recently a young couple had
occupied a villa on the shore of the
lake. Three days ago they disappear
ed and have not since been seen by the
people of the neighhorhood.
1t is said the police believe the death
of this woman is in way connected
with the mystery surrounding the find
ing last April of the body of Miss
Estella Reid of New York on the beach
near Naples, where it had been washed
in from the bay. No reason for such a
suspicion is apparent, however. The
cause of Miss Reid's death has
never been explained.
When She Shot Craig.
New York, June 11.-Mary Scott Cas-
tie was an emotional woman with a
spectacular career. She startled New
York on August 81, last, by shooting
William B. Craig, New York lawyer
as he stood on Peacock alley" at the
Waldorf-Astoria. But her revolver was
pathetically small, the bullet was de-
flected by a fountain pen in CFaigs
pocket and he was uninjured.
Mrs. Castle, trembling and hysterical
was taken to a police station, where,
between sobs she said that she had not
meant to kill Craig, but that he had
done her great wrong. Craig, though
inclined to reticence, said the woman
was in love with and had pursued him.
He is married and lives in New York,
but could not be found.
Mrs. Castle dropped from public view
until dispatches from the west told of
the granting of a decree of divorce at
Nome, Alaska, to her husband, Melville
H. Castle, a San Francisco lawyer.
Mrs. Castle was a pretty woman and
a brief stage career in New York inter-
sPersed her life of accomplishment. This
was after marriage to Castle which took
place in San Francisco more than ten
years ago. She was 81 years old and
the daughter of H. H. Scott of San
Francisco.
Was of Good Family.
San Francisco June 11.-Mrs. Castle,
whose body was found in Lake Como,
was formerly Miss Mary Crittendon
Scott, daughter of the late II. H. Scott,
at one time the leading coal merchant
of this city. She was the sister of Lieu
tenant Harrison Scott, u. S. A, who
married a daughter of Admiral William
4. Sampson, of the u. S. navy. About
ten years ago she went on the stage
and although she never reached prom
lnent place as an actress she came be-
fore the public in a heated controversy
with Mary Van Buren,, then leading
woman for Daniel Frawley, which con-
cerned the relative prominence of their
grandfathers.
On April of this year, Mrs. Castle
married Porter Charlton. New York
attorney, at Wilmington, Del. 1t was
the intention of the couple to sail for
Europe after the ceremony.
DIED IN THE TRUNK.
Mrs CharltOn'S Death Was Dine TO