The San Francisco call., 1910-06-12
Autopsy Shows That Mrs. POr.
ter Charlton Slowly SmOth-
cred to Death
YOUNG HUSBAND WAS
SEEN AFTER MURDER
Physicians Refuse to Disclose
Nature o. Abnormal COndi-
- tiOns OF Body
POLICE MAKE SLOW
WORK SOLVING MYSTERY
Especial Gable to The Cali

Especial Gable to The CALI
n EILAN. Italy. June 11.-Con-
IV vinced that at least two men
know something about the
murder of Mrs. Porter Charlton, for
merly Mrs. Mary Scott Castle of San
Francisco. Cal, the police are bending
their energies to trace one of the men
who is believed to have fed to Switz-
erland directly after the crime was
committed.
Today's developments prove conclu-
sively that the body found forced into
a trunk, which was discovered by
fishermen partly submerged in Lake
Como, is that of Mrs Charlton. She
had been spending her honeymoon at
the Villa Legnazzi with her young
husband. The autopsy showed that
she had been brutally iU-treated.
Seven distinct wounds were visible
on the face
Died From Suffocation
At the post mortem examination
made today it was revealed that the
unfortunate woman died from suffo-
cation She had been thrust into the
trunk while still alive and had slowly
smothered to death. The wounds on
the head were sufficient to have rem
dered her unconscious, but none of
them was sufficient to have caused
death.
Around the body was wound a strip
of cloth and into the trunk along
with it had been thrown a number
Of letters and some of her personal
effects 1t was these that led to the
Identification. Aside from the
wounds the body presented certain
abnormal conditions. What these
are the surgeons refuse to disclose.
The Russian Suspect
Held in custody by the police is
Constantine Ispolatoff, a Russian
who had been seen frequently with
the couple He had asked the depth
of the lake from some fishermen only
the day before the murder. the au-
thorities declare. What information.
If any. they have obtained from him
is not disclosed.
Porter Charlton, the young hus-
band, is still missing. At first the
police were inclined to the theory
that he also had been murdered. but
that theory has been practically
abandoned. There are reports that
he was seen about Como after the
body was found.
A search of the effects of the Charl-
tons at the Villa Legnazzi gave up
interesting results today Documents
found showed that Michael Scott.
father of the dead woman's first hus-
band. was enrolled as No. 144 on the
register of the American theater COM
pany of San Francisco. Others showed
that Mrs. Charlton, who once was an
actress. was eo-founder and prfma
donna of the Robert Ferguson and
Scott dramatic company
First Marriage Certificate
Another document which came to
light was a copy OF her marriage GER
tifcate. dated November 10. 1905. drawn
up by Lawyer Robey at San Francisco,
registering her union with Neville
Castle.
There is a belief here that the mur-
der resulted from the vindictiveness Of
former admirer and that the plot
was carefully planned. According to
this theory the selection of MoItrano.
the village in which the villa Legnazzi
stands. was part of this plot ami
was chosen because OF it's loneliness
and being removed from prying eyes.
The wardrobes OF the Villa Legnazzi,
which stand about 500 yards back from
the shores of the lake at Moltrano are
filed with splendid new costumes and
headgear bearing names of fashion
able New York firms.
Brutal I'll Treatment
The costumes Indicate that the bride
was prepared for long summers
sojourn in Europe. She is known to
have been subjected to brutal III treat
ment lately at the hands of Charlton.
Photographs found in the villa show
him to be athletic He was educated
in four high class Institutes. among
these St. Luke's school. from which
ne was graduated in 1906. Then he