Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-06-24
GET CHARL TON:
admits MURDER
OF WIFE IN ITALY
THIRD DEGREE BRINGS TRUTH.
Staying Followed Violent Quarrel and
Body Was Concealed and Then
Thrown Into Lake.
DECLARES WOMAN CALLED HIM
VILE NAMES AND HE KILLED
HER WITH MALLET.
THIRD DEGREE BRINGS TRUTH
DETECTIVES WATCHED FOR BOAT

NEW YORK. June 23-Porter Charl-
ton. husband of Mrs. Mary Scott Castle
Charlton. whose body was found stuffed
in trunk which was taken from Lake
Como. Italy, recently, was arrested as
he stepped from the steamship Princess
Irene in Hoboken today.
Charlton at first denied 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, which
was a confession that he had slain his
wife.
Charlton said in his confession that he
and his wife had been having supper to-
gether at the villa on Lake Como, and
that they had engaged in a violent quar-
rel.
Murder Followed Quarrel.
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 he
could not stand her abuse any longer he
attacked her with a wooden mallet.
The young man said that he struck her
over the head three times, knocking her
unconscious and killing 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 in the steamer Prin-
Genoa and Naples The police were
watching for the arrival of the steamship
Deutschland this afternoon as it had
been reported that Charlton sailed on
that steamer. Some officers, however,
were sent to watch the docking of the
Princess Irene. Three of them took up
positions on the pier, where they could
watch everybody leaving the vessel.
Officers Pounce Upon Him.
The officers had a description of Charl-
ton and when they saw a man resem-
bling him leave the ship they bounced on
him and placed him under arrest. He
protested vigorously and seemed to in
cline to offer forcibly resistance but the
handouts were speedily applied to him
and he submitted.
Capt. Scott, the brother Of Mrs Charl-
ton who had come to HObOken today to
aid the Hoboken police in identifying the
suspect, was quickly summoned to the
pier when Charlton was arrested. Capt.
Scott took one glance at the prisoner
and said the man was Charlton.
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 headquarters, where Capt. Hayes put
him through the third degree"
Makes Signed Statement
Within half an hour after his arrest
Charlton had signed the following state
ment:
My wife and I lived happily together. She
was the best woman in the world to me- but
she had an ungovernable temper. So had I.
We frequently quarreled over the most
trivial matters and her language to me was
frequently so foul that I know she did not
know the meaning of 1t.
The night | struck her she had been
quarreling with me. She was in the worst
temper | had ever seen her in. l told her
if she did not cease | would leave her and
put stop to it. She stopped for a little
while and started again.
l took a mallet which I had used to do
household repairs and struck her three
times. [ thought she dead. / put the
body in a trunk in which l also threw the
mallet.
to my house and dragged it down to a
small pier and threw it over board l
left the following night and went to Como,
and from there to Genoa, where l took the
steamer Irene three days later
The room where | killed her out
door sleeping apartment.
PORTER CHARLTON
;. Russian Is, Guiltless.
At the suggestion of an attorney whose
services he secured shortly after his ar
rival at the police alton, Charlton add
ed this postscript to his statement:
Il have been informed that c.. K
Ispolatoff has been implicated, and |
wish to state that this gentleman is abb
solutely guiltless. / have no defense to
make and don't wish to-
Charlton was given the third degree
by Chief Of Police Hayes of Hoboken
and several detectives. Before the con
fession was obtained. it was stated by
II, eli hot
rated by the gruelling to which he was
being subjected and springing to his feet
drew a revolver and tried to shoot Chief
Hayes.
Charlton was instantly disarmed by
the detectives before he could accom-
piish his purpose and after he had been
quoted down the young man, now pic
ture of abject despair, confessed to STAY
ing his wife
Taken Before Recorder.
After Charlton's confession he was
taken before Recorder McGovern and ar
raigned. AS the recorder finished read
ing Charlten's cold blooded confession
the prisoner said in a steady voice:
Il beg your honorS pardon but there
is a slight mistake. Where the document
reads 1 have no defense to make and
wish to make none it should read Or
wish none.
The mans tone was that of a careful.
clerkly person, anxious to have his man
uscript read smoothly. The recorder
looked at him in blank surprise. Sweat
was rolling down the recorders red face.
but Charlton was cold as ice outwardly
as we'll as inwardly. He wasn't even
perspirtng in the choking atmosphere of
the crowded room.
The c. X. Ispolatoff, to whom Charlton
referred as having been suspected by the