Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-06-13
LAKE
FOR THE BODY
OF CHARLTON

| Milan, Italy, June 13.-DraeAtng of
Lake Como continues today IN the hope
that the body-of Porter Charlton, hus-
band of the victim of the trunk mys-
terry, may be found beneath the water
There are now many who believe that
two-Mr. and Mrs. Charlton--were
slain at the villa Moltrasio.
Chief among those who maintain
that Charlton did not kill his wife, but
was slain with her, is the American
consul.
The police have discovered that Con-
stantine Spolatoff, the Russian who
was taken into custody in connection
with the murder of Mrs. Charlton,
some time ago borrowed a knuckle
duster from a druggist by the name Of
Bassi, telling Bassi that he needed it
for self protection.
The knuckle duster has not been
found, but the doctors who examined
Mrs. Charlton's body say that the
wounds ON the head were possibly in
fiicted by an instrument Of that kind
Several circumstances In connection
with the case tend to show that Charl-
ton the woman's husband, against
whom suspicion was directed and who
has disappeared could not have muir
dered his wife unaided, as he was III
and weak from tuberculosis, and he
spent several days in bed before he
disappeared; hence conviction of Spo-
latoff's guilt grows despite his calm
ness and repeated denials of any
knowledge of the crime.
! The police are now inclined to be-
lieve that Charlton was also murdered
and that Spolatoff killed both him and
his wife. In consequence they are now
searching the bottom of the lake
where the trunk was found in the hope
Of finding his body and are re-examin-
ing all the circumstances in the light
of this new theory.
| Starting with the fact that Mrs.
Charlton's body was found fully dress
ed and that her clothing was not blood
stained, while the sheet in which her
body was wrapped and mattress and
|
the Charltons were bloody, the police
haVe reached the conclusion that the
blood stains did not come from Mrs.
Charlton's wounds.
| They admit that another crime may
have been committed at the villa,
where blood was found on the walls
and staireases and also on the road
leading from the villa to the lake.
Moreover no other explanation can be
given of the finding of blood on the
road, as the trunk In which Mrs
Charlton's body was jammed was as
strong and as solid as stage trunk 4
| 1t bears the initials w. G.. b., which
correspond with the name W. O. Belts,
which Mrs. Charlton assumed prior to
her divorce from Mr. Castle
A heap of ashes discovered in bed
room in the villa consisted of the re-
mains of burned letters. These when
pieeed together revealed a letter lately
written by Mrs. Charlton to Fer d.
vorced husband implorlng restitution
of her old love letters and her photo
graphs. Mr.. Castle was addressed as
Husband" s4 M
The letter concludes, 81 wish to calm
Charlton, who is extremely Jealous,
even of my old love-" This find is con-
Bidered important proof of Chariton's
jealousy; but, even admitting great
jealousy, this alone Is not regarded as
a sufficient motive for murder.
| A significant circumstance Is that no
money or valuables were found Ia the
villa. If Charlton really murdered his
wife it Is thought extremely unlikely
that he would have stelen her money
and jewels; hence the possibility that
the couple were murdered by ordinary
burglars, but it is hardly probable that
burglars of this class would have TAX
en- the trouble and risk of disposing of
the woman's body as the real muir
derer did.
1t has been learned that when. Charl-
ton dined at restaurant at CaramaZ-
ia on the evening of June 5 he ordered
a barrel of wine sent to the villa the
next day. The wine was taken to the
| villa on June 6, but the carrier found
the place closed.
San Francisco, June 13. - Austin
Scott, brother Of Mrs. Charlton, has
been in telegraphic communication
with police authorities In Italy since
he learned of his sisters murder.
EITHER Porter Charlton is dead or
he killed her." Scott said. "There are
no other ways to account for his ST.
lence now. And the story of the inn
keeper that Charlton had quarreled
with my sister strengthens the conclu.
sion he was not victim of double
murder.
This theory that some admirer of
Mrs Charlton's had followed her to
Italy and killed her Is absurd. The
letters from Neville Castle which were
found with her body are evidence that
her death was caused by the insane
jealousy of her husband. These letters
We're written long ago and at a time
before my sister married Castle. They
are directed 20 our old family home