Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-12
FEAR FOR CHARLTON
Growing Belief That He Also
Has Been Murdered.
LITTLE LIGHT ON MYSTERY
Victim of Lake Como Tragedy Put
in Trunk Alive.
HUSBAND SEEN DAY OF CRIME

Said Wife Was Ill When Asked
Concerning Her-Ispolatoff
Denies Guilt.
COMO, Italy, June 1.-THE police have
made but little progress in the direction
of solving the mystery of the murder OF
Mrs Porter Charlton of New York
whose body was found in trunk at the
bottom OF Lake Como.
1t has been established that the woman
was placed in the trunk while yet
alive.
The first idea of the police was that
she had been murdered while asleep.
The mattress and sheets in the bed at
the house which she occupied were found
covered with blood.
Body Entirely Clothed.
This theory was contradicted by the
fact that the body was entirely clothed
when found.
Among the documents in the trunk was
her certificate of marriage to Neville
Castle, dated November 10, 1905. and a
letter from San Francisco attorney, ad-
dressed to Castle, in which the lawyer
refers TO a sum of money to be paid the
woman in case of divorce, but advising
Castle against divorce.
Nothing has been learned as to the
whereabouts of Charlton. 1t is said by
the police that on the evening before the
crime is supposed to have been accom-
plished Charlton went to a hotel to
make a purchase. Asked about his wife,
he answered that she was not WELL
Ispolatoff. the Russian in custody, still
strongly denies any completely in the
crime.
Husband May Be Slain.
There is a growing belief that Charlton
may have been slain also. The man
known as Charlton was noticed leaving
the villa carrying a leather valise three
days ago.
Pursuing their investigation. the police
gathered up clues which led speedily to
the hunt for Charlton and the Russian
who gave his name as Constantine Ispola-
to6. The proprietor Of the Hotel Suisse,
on Lake Como; the keeper of the apothe-
cary's shop at Cernobbio, boatmen on the
west bank OF Lake Como and the inhab-
itanta OF several villages in the neigh
borhood were able to supply information
Of vatue.
The innkeeper said that couple who
called themselves Mr.. and Mrs. Charlton
exxtped at the Hotel Suisse several weeks
hgo. He described the Mrs. Charlton, and
hiA description fitted that of the dead
Hs volunteered the opinion that the
p6irAQharreled frequently. He heard the
woman crying often late in the night. He
xound that the man who called himself
Charlton treated her cruelty.
Disturbed by Woman's Shrieks.
.TheAguests Of the hotel complained that
theyswe disturbed by the woman's out
cries One morning very early the pro-
prfetor was aroused by shrieks. He found
that the woman had hidden in cup
board, hoping to 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 reputa-
ton OF his hotel to order them out
They knew where toAgo, apparently,
without inquiry. On this point the apoth-
ecary of Cornobbio was OF use. He SAID
that Mr. and Mrs. Porter Charlton-as
he had heard the names-had met In ms
shop an affable Russian. and that a1ter
some conversation the Russian had OF
fered them his villa at Moltrasio when
ever they cared TO take 1t.
Piecing the story together, the ponce
learned that Mr.. and Mrs. Porter Charl-
ton after being put out of the Hotel
Suisse, took a boat at : o CLOCK In the
morning and were conveyed 10 the villa
MotraSio.
The villagers and tradesmen who sup
piled the villa were perfectly familiar
with the appearance of both husband and
wife They gave scraps OF information
10 the effect that the woman usually
spoke English and the man French
badly.
People who went to the villa thought
that the man was speaking French IN
preference to a language he knew much
oft a q
Russian was often at the villa and
seemed 10 be an intimate friend OF the
Charltons Occasionally they made eX-
cursions together or were three at boat
Ing parties.
Villa Closed Three Days.
Three days before the body was found
the villa was closed Persons who went
there found that the doors were locked.
and the windows fastened. The sudden
ness of the abandonment created some
discussion. village talk which died away
then, but which revived keenIy yester-
day.
First OF all the police reached out by
telegraph for the man known as Porter
Charlton and the Russian Ispolatoff. The
frontiers and the ports were notified and
all departing ships and trains searched
No trace OF Charlton rewarded the ef-
forts of the authorities, but clue, rap
idly followed, led TO the arrest at Rog-
giano OF Constantine Ispolatoff
The man said he lived in ST. Peters
burg. He admitted that he knew the
Americans. but he gave confused or con
Trajectory replies when the police pressed
him closely.
IspolatoY says that the last time he saw
Charlton was Monday of this week. II,
added that Ma. Charlton was write
and that she had lent him two of he
books.
Results of Post-Mortem.
A post-mortem examination has beer
held in the presence of the kings pro
curator. The examination was conducted
in secret and lasted three hours.
In addition to seven blows on the head
which were not mortal the surgeon
discovered a nasty wound on the face
which had broken the nasal bone and dis
figured the woman's features.
The doctors also ascertained that tn
woman had been shut up alive In tn
trunk ana had died of suffocation. The
also discovered physiological anomalie
which they refused to divulge.
Charlton Slain Is Belief
of Stepm0ther'S M0theI
Special Dispatch 10 The Star.