The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-13
SCOTT CASTLE CHARLTON, VICTIM
 OF TRUNK MURDER

dragging of Lake Como and started, also. to dig up the ground around the Villa Legnazzi, near Moltrasio. which the Charltons occupied.
 The lake is being dragged in the be- lief that if Charlton was murdered too his body would be there also. Not in years has there been a murder in Italy in which the police were so divided in their views as in the Charlton crime. This difference of opinion is likely to work against an early solution of the mystery. Half the police believe that Charlton is responsible for his wife's death and that he has fled from Italy. The other half believe that Charlton met the same fate as his wife and that Constantine Ispolatoff the Russian suspect. alone holds the key to the murder.
 The police are today trying to learn whether coat that was found in Lake Como belonged to Charlton. Some of the fishermen living near the Villa Legnazzi say that it is Charlton's coat. If 1t is found to be such it will greatly strengthen the theory that Charlton too was slain.
 The Como chief of police and United States Consul Caughey at Milan are firm in the belief that Charlton was murdered. The chief of police says that all stories of Charlton having been seen after the murder of his wife are either cases of mistaken identity or deliberate plot to mislead the au- thOrities.
 The latest of these stories is that the Swiss police traced Charlton to Lucerne where he is said to have ar rived on Saturday and there lost all trace of him. If Charlton reached Lu- cerne on Saturday it is conceded that he has probably made good his es- cape.
 The police are confused by tips that poured into headquarters today from Italian and other European cities that men answering Charlton's description have been seen in those cities Ispo- latoff proves one of the craftiest pris- oners ever questioned by the Italian police. The best detective talent in Milan and Rome have tried to break down his story that the last he saw Of the Charltons was on Saturday, June 4, at least a day before the mur- der was committed, but have failed utterly.
 The statement of M. Bassi. drug gist of Cerenobbfo. that he lent a pair of brass knucks' to Ispolatoff was expected to bring startling develop ments. but the prisoner refused to show any embarrassment when con- fronted with this bit of evidence. and calmly insisted that Bassi was mis- taken.
 Ine pOIlCe say IL IS possible that the wounds in Mrs. Charlton's head could have been produced by these "knucks' but they hardly think it probable The wounds were fearful bruises, rather than cuts. such as the "knucks'' would have produced. This leads the police to adhere to their original theory that a club, or some other blunt in strument. was the weapon used.
 The police have not yet abandoned the idea that there may be a connec- tion between the Charlton murder and the murder of Miss Estelle Reid. the New York girl whose body was washed ashore at Naples several weeks ago So far as announced the only thing to connect thet wo crimes is the slight similarity in the disposition.
 The police are trying to find out from Miss Reid's family in America whether Porter Charlton was acouaint- ed with her.
 Ispolatoff laughed at the story that he was in love with Mrs. Charlton "I saw enough of the married life of the Charltons to make it impossible for me to care for Mrs Charlton" he said today. Then, too, Charlton told me certain things about his wife which. if true. might have preyed upz on his mind and finally led him to kill the woman"
 The police refused to make public the alleged accusation that Charlton made against his wife. but it is known that a second examination of the body of the woman was made as a. result of Ispolatoff's statement.