The Washington herald., 1910-06-11
FISHERMEN FIND TRUNK.

1t was early this morning when fisher
men of MoltraSio cast lines and their
hooks became fast in large object which
resisted stubbornly after some effort,
they managed to draw the object to the
surface. They saw that It was a trunk.
and with considerable difnculty they row.
ed to the shore, towing the trunk
After Bleaching it. they ripped open the
cover with their knives, hoping 20 find
something of value. What they saw was
the body of woman. The body had been
wrapped in sheet and jammed into the
trunk so tightly that the head rested be-
tween the knees. The fishermen were
greatly frightened, and lost no time IN
running to Moltrssio and acquainting the
authorities. The news was dispatched TO
cernobbia. and detectives of the criminal
branch arrived swiftly
Beginning their investigation they found
that the trunk had been weighted down
with stones. powders common TO the
beaches. The lake was comparatively
shallow. and il was not remarkable that
the fish hooks had caught and held in the
trunk. The white sheet which was wrap
ped around the body bore in one corner
the initials. "G L."
Woman Elderly and Handsome.
An examination OF the body disclosed
that the woman had been, perhaps,
thirty-five years old and good looking.
Her hair was dark brown her eyes blua
gray she was about I'VE feet six or
seven inches tall, and OF a handsome
figure. The head and upper part OF the
body were covered with clotted blood.
It was evident that she had been beaten
to death with club or an iron bar. The
back of her skull was crushed and her
arms and shoulders displayed the marks
Of savage abuse. II was the opinion OF
the police that the woman had been dead
only a short time. and that the trunk
had been sunk in the lake within a few
hours before il was dragged 10 the sur
face by the fishermen.
A package of letters, some OF which
were signed IN. w Castle" and which
had been posted at San Jose, Cal. ana
two prayer books we're found in the
trunk. They kept secret the contents Of
the letters. giving out only the infoTma-
tion that IN. ". Castle" had been, ir
seemed. an intimate friend Of the dead
woman. and that the letters were dated
between 1904 and 1907. In the trunk. too,
was the photograph OF a man Of perhaps
twenty-three years.
Both Men Hunted,
Pursuing their investigation, the police
gathered up clews which led speedily TO
the hunt for Porter Charlton and the Rus
sian who gave his name as Constantine
spolatoff The proprietor of the Hotel
Suisse. on Lake Colao. the keeper Of an
apothecary shop at Cernobbia. boatmen
of the west bank Of Lake Como. and the
inhabitants of several villages IN tina
neighborhood were able to supply infor-
nation of value
The innkeeper said that a couple who
called themselves Mr.. and Mrs. Porter
arrived at the hotel several weeks ago.
He described the woman, and his de-
scription fitted that of the dead woman
He volunteered the opinion that the pair
quarTeied frequently. One morning. very
early, the proprietor was aroused by
shriekS. He found that the woman had
hidden in a cupboard, hoping 20 escape
her husband, but that the husband had
found her and was dragging her to the
street. The innkeeper said he was obliged
then for the reputation Of his hotel to
order them out
Move to MOltrasiO.
The apothecary Of Cernobbia said that
Mr. and Mrs. Porter Charlton had met
in his shop an affable Russian, and that.
after some conversation. the Russian had
offered them his villa at Moltrasio Piee-
ing the story together. the police learned
that Mr. and Mrs. Porter Charlton. after
being put out of the Hotel Suisse. took a
boat and were conveyed TO the villa Mol
trasio. Three days before the body was
found the villa was closed. Persons who
went there found that the doors we're
locked and the windows fastened.
First Of all. the police reached out by
telegraph for the man known as Porter
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