The Detroit times., 1910-06-27
Here's Story Of Young
Charlton's Mad Love Affair

HOBOKEN, N. j., June 27.-Tep
years ago, when she was twenty-four,
Mary Scott, daughter OF II. II. Scott,
OF San Francisco, was one OF the bellies
OF the Golden Gate city and the life
Of its gay society. 1890.
At that time In the. city OF Omaha
little boy OF ten years, son Of Paul
Charlton, q leading attorney, was
romping with the kids" of his neigh
borhood, and leading them into In
Vulnerable pranks Of the boyish kind
His name was Porter; his mother was
dead. ~ -.-- $780,
within 10 years blind fate drew
the boy of ten and the society belle
Of twenty-four from their homes In
different corners of the continent and
placed them, as chief figures. In one
of the most remarkable murder case s
that have ever stirred the capitals OF
America and Europe.
She is dead now; he murdered her,
after they had been husband and wife
for only three months.
In 1897 Mary Scott, In San Francis
CO, became the wife OF Neville Castle,
q lawyer. Castle lost his fortune In
litigafi0n, and his wife, luxury-loving.
ran I'M bills which would have thrown
him INTO Bankruptcy but for friends.
play called The Princess and the
Butterfly" This was at Stockton,
Cal, and the wrenching which she
gave the nerves of her fellow players
and the stage force by her demands
and dictation on that opening night in
January are In the annals OF the Pa
cihc coast stage world.
Falls In Love With Actor.
Mary Scott continued her stage
career. Her eccentricities grew. She
wouldn't sleep under the covers of
her bed; at all hours of the night, In
the sleeping cars, she would awaken
members of the company by calling TO
them Historically. One OF her pen
chants was TO faint on the train Just
as 1t was pulling into town. She
fel. IN love with Lawrence Griffith,
an actor In the company, and loved
him with wild, desperate abandon.
Her husband secured a divorce from
her, and went to Alaska, where he IS
now United States district attorney.
Mrs. Castle and Griffith quarrelcd
necessarily and violently. Together
they went 10 New York to appear In
vaudeville, but Griffith at last broke
the spell, and left her; she chased
him twice across the continent IN
vain.s
This was in 1905, Porter Charlton
was q high school boy IN Omaha
then.s His father, Paul Charlton. an
intimate friend OF VIM. H. Taft
they were members of the same class
at Yale-was seeking an Official posi-
tion in Washington. and he was ap-
pointed to the legal department OF
the bureau OF insular aaffirs
He.went TO Washington In 1907. tax
ing his son Porter with him
Porter wanted to go into the bank
ing business: his father went TO Frank
A. vanderlip. president of the Nation
al Chy bank, in Wallst.. and asked
him 10 give his son a place. Wander
lip Immediately took Porter IN. That
was Dec. 7, 1908. He became one Of
the most promising clerks In the
bank. He was spirited, ambitious
and wrote verses.
Last August Mary Scott came TO
New York; her love for VIM. p. Craig,
q lawyer, had turned TO hate, and
murder was in her heart. Now fate
had Brought them into the same city.
Mary Scott and Porter Charlton. On
the afternoon of Aug. g. In the VOL
derftaly beautiful peacock alley" of
the Valdorf-Astoria hotel. Mary Scott
met Walter Craig.
"You will go back on me-" she
shouted, drawing a pitifully small, sill
ver-plaited revolver from her gown
She bred the weapon at the man: the
bullet struck his fountain pen and
caused only a slight injury. She wa;
arrested, but the case was dropped.
Loves Her at First Sight.
She established herself In small
but exclusive hotel. One night II
January OF 1910 Porter Charlton WA
taI<en by a friend to her apartments
Theie paths had met at last-he 1
boy 1ust looking out on life: she :
woman who had seen so much OF 4
that the eyes. Of her-mind and sou
wero. tired. - -
h loved her from the very frs
n10hf and she loved him. To her h,
noon|bd 70 bring back the youth tina
no6 Zone, with all its passions and IL
Xfpthe bank they soon discovered
. charae IN him: his smile was gone
- xuw hagees1.- One day he tele
800 TO his father in Washington
~ 1no lnofoe hAd told him he IN.
+ (1&<ec1 49,: be pleaded for advice