Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-24

New York. June 2S.-Tne Lake Como
murder mystery is solved. Porter
Charlton. an American youth OF good
family. sought by the police of two
continents was arrested in Hoboken.
n. j. shortly before noon today as
he stepped from the North German
Lloyd Liner Princess Irene. In less
Than IN nour he had confessed without
tremcr that in a fl of temper he mad
beaten his wife into insensbility with
a rnallet, damned her body in a trunk
and sunk il in the silent waters Of the
italian lake
She vas Mary Scott Castle of San
FranCisto. woman 16 years his
sc ,ior. divorced wife of Neville FL
castle. j san Francisco lawyer. and a
tt2utl.
Charlton is only y and son OF Judge
Paul Charlton, law officer of the bu-
reau of insular affairs at Washingt on
and a classmate of President Taft at
Yale. The boy married Mrs Castle in
Wilmington. Del. last spring over his
parents protest Jll-mated and both of
erratic temperament they sailed for
italy for their honeymoon. Murder
brought i; to an end and her body was
louIiu III liiC ldhS ny llShclllltH vi
June 10
Fleeing from Italy under an assumed
name. almost penniless and shabby of
dress. Charlton on landing. ran straight
into the arms of Capt. Henry Harri-
son Scott. y. S. A., the murdered wife's
brother. He was taken to police head
quarters at Hoboken. where, after
pitiable collapse, he regained his com
posture and unf1inchingly signed the
confession. Tonight he is behind the
bars in the Hokoben city Jail. pending
settlement of the complicated problems
of extradition brought about by his
arrest
Capt ScCtts foresight. directed Sc
accurately that il fGIlS little short of
! weird premonition resulted in Young
Charltors arrest. He accompanied
the prisoner to police court, but did not
hear the heartrending confession that
poured from the young mans lips.
Charltor. whose collapse after arrest
seemed due to fear of Capt. Scott
rather than to rcmorSe over the crime.
refused to make a statement in the
army officers presence and the latter
left the room. Throughout the orleGl
Capt Scott bore himself well, hut at
the request of detectives. who had no.
ticcd a bulge beneath his coat Which
proved to be a pistol. he surrendered
the weapon without objection.
In his signed confession. Charlton
declared that no one else mad han1
in the death of his wife. 1t was the
OLD story of incompatible temperamcnts
and high tempers. After he had told
his story in rambling way Chief of
Police HAYES condensed it into type
written statement which he asked the
prisoner to sign. 1t was written on
regular court blanks used for deposi
tions
In filing out the form Charlton gave
his age as q. his birthplace Omaha
his occupation Bank clerk and his
place of residence 204 West S5th
street. New York. Then followed his
statement.
M wife and | lived happily togeth
er. She was the best woman in the
world to me but she had an ungovern
a,lc TEMPER. SO had /. We frequently
ouarreled over the most trivial mat
ters and her language to me was IRE
puently so foul that ! know she did
| not know the meaning of it.
"The night l struck her she had teen
quarreling with me. She was in the
worst temper ] had ever seen her in.
l told her il she did not cease | would
| leave her and put stop to it. She
| stopped for little while and started
again.
| II took mallet which had used TO
| do some household repairs aud struck
her three times. | thought she was
dead. / put the body in trunk which
| | also threw the mallet.
| About II O'Clock that night moved
the trunk from the mouse, dragged 1t
| to a small pier near the house and
threw it overheard. | remained at Nal
praise the next day and left the fol-
| lowing night.
| THE room where | killed her was
on outdoor sleeping apartment.
| (Signed),
PORTER CHARLTON.
AS he appended his signature Charl-
| ton remarked
There's a Russian, Ispolatcff | see
he has been under suspicion IN connec-
| ton with this affair and L want TO
clear him
Here the prisoner took pen and
added to his statement the following
postscript:
L have been informed that c. K.
Ispotatoff has been implicated and l
wish to state that this gentleman is
absolutely guiltless. I have no defence
| to make and don't wish to-
| (Signed),
| PORTER CHARLTON.
| Don't you know that the autopsy
| &la& yuifo doa RI
when she was put in the trunk one