Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-24

of the detectives asked the prisoner
Fer the first time since Capt. Scott
left the room Charlton lost self control.
20 my God. 1t couldn't be-" he
cried She must have been dead"
The youth showed a curious desire
| to protect the reputation of the wo-
man he killed and refused to answer
| questions bearing on her life abroad
Is my wife's name going to appear
\ in this" was one of the first questions
After Charlton had been led away to
a cell. Capt Scott sat with his hands
clenched tight about his walking stick
and told his story,
Several days ago" he said. Il made
up my mind that Porter Charlton
| would come back to this country. He
had no friends in Europe and it would
be his natural impulse to come home
Yesterday / learned that the Deutsch
| land was due here today and late at
night | got leave of absence and made
IN nv mind to come to New York and
personally watch every incoming
steamer"
Scott related how. to lose no time,
he had borrowed launch early this
morning and crossed the part of Long
Island sound that lies between Fish
ers island and the mainland. He
landed at New London and slept in
the county Jail until s o'clock this
morning when he caught a train for
New York.
In New York. continued Capt.
Scott. Il first went to the National
CITY Bank. where Charlton had been
employed. There I obtained descrip-
ton of the man and sample of his
handwriting. Then I went to Hoboken
and saw Chief of Police Hayes 1
found that he had laid all traps for
the apprehension of Charlton at the
steamers. While / was giving him the
description of the man / was informed
that the Princess Irene had just dock
ed Although | had made arrange
ments to meet the Deutschland down
the harbor with q tug. | hastened 70
the North German Lloyd dock The Of
fcers were examining their baggage
Three detectives were with me. we
looked in two or three stalls and IN
the last | saw Il young fellow
thought answered to the description OF
Charlton. He was looking about MN
and his hands trembled slightly as ne
opened his bags for the inspectors we
went UP to him and ! asked Aren't
YOU Porter Charlton He denied TINS
emphatically and told us that his name
was Jack Coleman
Captain Scott mere described how ne
hesitated to order the mans arrest ana
forced Charlton to write his signature,
which tailed SO accurately WIN
sa,npIe in his possession that he telt
sure that no mistake was being made.
| Charlton was then taken to headquar-
| ters where he again signed his name.
| Ags;n there was marked resem-
blance with the handwriting in Scott $
/ roeceseion hut there was vet doubt
!, the minds of the police until they
examined the inside of a small collar
/ hap There they found a tag such as IS
| attached to clothing. 1t was lettered
| ID Charlton" Several sheets of paper
| oo,,erod with typewriter verses were
fo,rd also and one of these pore inc
signatnre John Rodney PORTER Charl-
! tony" The former apparently a pen
| name. ,,
! when the yoth saw this evidence
he stepped close to Chlet hayes INV
no;d yves. I'm Porter Charlton. ] ad-
| nit it.. H.. hro,h-
er-in-law II won't make any statement
. IN tbe presence of Capt. Scott" he de-
, clared tremblingly. "I'll tell everything
only get Capt Scott out of the room.
| Scott withdrew and the boy then told
! his terrible story. Finishing, he aooeo
! calmly, almost smilingly: i nave No
defence to make. No defence
Charlton looked anything but capaple
of the deed of which he Is accused. he
is blonde and slender. under average
! height. with face rather weak put py
no means repellant He had on we'll
worn suit of blue serge. and on the whole
appeared rather down at the heel.
Self-confessed murderer though he Is,
Charlton is not without resources Soon
after he was locked up he got an at
torney, and his father, Judge Charlton.
arrived in Hoboken tonight to look after
| his sons case. The young man will be
! arraigned before Recorder McGoyern at
8 o'clock tomorrow as fugitive from
| justice and the disposition of his case
from that time probably will rest with
the federal authorities.
Porter CharIton's family believe that he
/ is insane and on this ground will try to
save him from paying the murder penalty
I, in either this country or Italy. The pris-
/ oner's father. Judge Paul Charlton. who
arrived here this evening. said that he
would apply to the federal authorities
for permission to ascertain his sons men
tai condition and that he had no doubt
the report of sanity commission would
warrant his confinement in an institution.
If Charlton is found insane, his friends