Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-23
QUARRELED AT VILLA,
HIT HER WITH MALLET
Stuffed Body in Trunk and Dumped
It in Lake Como.
DENIED HE WAS CHARLTON
After Identification by Victims
Brother Breaks Down and Makes
Complete Confession-Sus-
tains Theory of the
Italian Police.

italian Police.
NEW YORK, June 23.-Porter Charlton,
husband of Mrs. Mary Scott Castle Charl-
ton, whose body was found stuffed in a
trunk, which was taken from Lake Como,
Italy. recently. arrested as he step
ped from the steamship Princess Irene
in Hoboken today. Charlton at first de-
MED his identity. but after being given
the third degree he admitted that he
was the husband of Mrs. Charlton.
Charlton made a signed statement to
the Hoboken police. The police later
Charlton was a confession that he had
slain his wife.
Had Violent Quarrel.
Charlton said in his confession that he
and his wife had been having supper
together at the villa on Lake Como. and
that they had engaged in a violent quar-
rel
Charlton said his wife, who was one
of the best women in the world. but had
an ungovernable temper, called him
some vile names, and that finally when
Re could not stand her abuse any longer.
he attacked her with a wooden malIet
The young man said that he struck
her over the head three times, knocking
her unconscious, and killed her as far as
he knew
Charlton told the police that he then
stuck the body of his wife in a trunk
and carried it down to the lake. where he
threw the trunk in the water.
Charlton arrived on the steamer Prin-
zess Irene which came in today from
Genoa and Naples.
Watching Another Steamer.
The police were watching the arrival
of the steamer Deutschland this after
noon. as IL had been reported that Charl-
ton sailed on that steamer, Some off,
GERS. however. were sent to watch the
docking OF the Princess Irene Three of
them took positions OH the pier where
they could watch everybody leaving the
vessel
The officers had a description of Charl-
ton. and when they saw a man resem-
bling him leave the ship they pounced
on him and placed him under arrest. He
protested vigorously, and seemed inclined
TO offer forcible resistance. but the hand
cuffs were speedily applied to him. and
he subsided.
Identified by Capt. Scott.
Capt Scott. the brother of Mrs Charl-
ton. who had come to Hoboken today to
aid the Hoboken police in identifying the
suspect from the Deutschland, was sum-
moned to the pier when Charlton was ar
rested. Capt. Scott took one glance at
the prisoner and said the man was Charl-
ton.
In the meantime the patrol wagon had
been summoned from the station house
and the prisoner with the three detectives
and Capt Scott was hurried to headquar-
ters. where Chief Hayes put him through
the third degree
Body Found in Lake
The body of Mrs. Mary Scott Castle
Charlton was found packed in a trunk
which was taken from Lake Como.
near the village Of Moltrasic. by fisher
men June 10. The woman, with her
husband. Porter Charlton had occu-
pied villa on the lake front leased by
them some time before. AT the time
the woman's body was recovered Porter
Charlton could not be found
The Italian police have insisted that
Porter Charlton was alive. and have
directed their energies to locating the
young man.
Believed in Double Tragedy.
American Consul Caughy. on the other
murder had been committed and IL was
through his representations that the Ital-
ian authorities engaged divers TO make a
search OF the lake bottom near where
the trunk had been submerged This
work was but recently abandoned.
Meantime the detectives followed up
their own theory. and their most recent
conclusion was that Charlton was q
passenger upon some steamer which had
sailed from Genoa or other Italian port
tor New York
The only arrest made in Italy in con-
nection with the case was the detention
OF Constantine Ispolatoff. a Russian who
can and his wife He was examined re-
peatedly. but satisfied the police that he
had not figured in the tragedy. and was
released.
Father Leaves the City.
Judge Paul Charlton. law officer of the
bureau OF insular, affairs of the War De-
partment. as soon he heard that a
man said TO be his son. Porter Charlton.
mad been arrested. left his ONCE In the
War Department and departed from the
city, presumably for Hoboken-
Tries to Shoot Police Chief.
While Charlton. the Como wife slayer,
arrested here, was being sweated under
the third degree he became infur-
lated. and drawing a revolver, tried to
shoot Chief of Police Hayes He was
quickly disarmed, and few minutes