Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-25
Of Porter Charlton to Italy
will Be Fought
On Ground Of Insanity Of
Youthful wife Murderer. :.
Jersey Courts Simply Hold chaFl-
ton as Fugitive.

New York, June 24-Extradition OF
Porter Charlton to italy to be tried for
killing his wife, the former Mary
Scott Castle. will be resisted on the
ground that the youth is mentally I'M
sound. =.
On the other hand the brother OF
the dead woman, Captain Henry Har-
rison Scott of the Coast Artillery, will
do everything in his power to secure
young Charltons extradition and his
punishment in Italy for the crime.
which was a worldwide mystery until
Charlton was arrested on landing here
yesterday and confessed to having
murdered his wife In their villa on the
shores of Lake Como, jamming her
BODY into a trunk and throwing 1t into
the convenient waters.
Together with indications that the
case of the youth will be hurried along
as fast as possible into the hands OF
the federal authorities, these were the
significant developments of the day IN
connection with the sensational case.
Charlton escaped today the ordeal
Of arfaignment before Recorder Nc
Govern in Hoboken. his counsel APP
pearing in his stead and securing an
adjournment Of the hearing until next
Tuesday. The prisoner was ordered
committed meantime to the HUDSON
county Jail in Jersey City While OF
ficialdom and eminent legal minds
struggled with the vexed problem pre-
scented by the differences between
Italian and American laws bearing on
the case and the points of state and
federal jurisdiction in the matter
which remained to be reconctled.
Explaining the attitude of the FAMILY
r. Floyd Clarke the lawyer retained by
Judge Charlton. said tonight: |'
1.-The wish of the family Is to see strict
Justice done as between the boy. the.
facts and the public. II there should DO
no request for extradition. and hence no
prosecution under the laws of New Jer-
sey, Judge Charlton will make application
for commission in lunacy to determine
his sons sanity. If the boy is found in-
sane he will be committed to an institu-
ton. If he is found sane-well. that IA
matter so far distant that prefer not
to take it up now
Alienists retained by the family who
examined young Charlton today arc K.
l.. Danna, professor of nervous diseases
in the Cornell Medical School; Or. Ed.
ward B. Fisher, DR.. Allan McLane Ham,
ilton, prominent In the Thaw trial. Dr..
Arlitz, city physician of Hoboken.
Charlton answered test questions Of the
aliensts for nearly two hours. His atti-
tude seemed to be one of total indiffer-
ence. At the conclusion Of the examina-
ton Attorney Clarke, speaking for the
party, said that no definite conclusions
had been reached, and that further ex-
animation would be made tomorrow. D..
Aritz. who visited Charlton In his cell
this morning, said before the afternoon
that there was no doubt In
his mind that the boy was partially in
sane, but questions Of where insanity
ended and partial insanity began he
avoided. Capt. Scott, u. s. A., brother Of
Charltons murdered wife, whose persist
ency brought about the boys capture, ts
positive that the prisoned Is sane.
THAT boy" he says. 'fs as much in
possession of his wits as am. He Il the
picture of self-possession and quick Wit
tedness. When they asked him yestsr.
lay: SO you're Charlton he caught up the
slurring pronunciation and mimicksd into
9 different shade of meaning. Some per-
sons may think me Charlatan,' he par
ried. Does that sound like insanity to
you?"
Charlton, his brother Clarence and his
father had an hours conference after the
consultation Of the alienists. The two
elders came out Of 1t much depressed ana
refused to talk for publication.