The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-18
RICHMOND MAN
PROBING !MYSTERY
.---------
Lake Como Tragedy Being In
vestigated by Consul
Caughay.
HIS CHILDREN NOW HERE
Representative Of Federal Gov
eminent at Milan Married
Miss Higgins.
HIS CHILDREN NOW H ERE.

In view Of the widespread proni-
hence given his name In connection
with the sensational Charlton murder
at Lake Como, near the village OF
Mo1trasio, In Italy, 1t Is an interesting
fact that Charles NJ Caughay. Unitefi
States consul at Milan. married Miss
Alice Higgins. daughter of the late
John NJ Higgins. of Richmond. AMI
that he has n son and daughter who
are visiting here at the present time.
No mystery in recent years has at
tracted such interest here and IN
Europe as has the one which envelopes
tn. finding OF the body OF the beauti-
full Mrs. Porter Charlton in a trunk
submerged in lake near an isolated
Italian village. and the slnultaneouI
disappearance of her young husband.
The case by this time is generally
familiar Porter Charlton. son Of
Judge Paul Charlton. of the War De-
partment was married in Wilmington
last March to Mrs. Mary Scott Castle.
the widow of a San Francisco attor-
ney, and woman with a somewhat
spectacular career. Following their
marriage, the couple sailed for Genoa,
With the intention of spending their
honeymoon in Italy. Meanwhile. letters
received by Judge Charlton from his
son were friendly in spirit and indica-
tive of contentment with his surround
ings. and the first intimation OF tho
tragedy came when the news was
flashed 10 this country by cable that
the badly mutilated body of woman
round in trunk at the bottom of
Lake Como had been Identified as that
OF the wife of Porter Charlton.
Government Agents Active.
At the solicitation of Judge Charl-
Ion. VINO IL friend nj
Gent Taft, the State Department, at
once set all its machinery in motion
to assist in the location of young
Charlton, and the ambassador at Rome
and Consul Caughay at Milan were
vested with special authority to en-
pioy assistants to get at the facts.
The case has proved to be one of in
creasIng interest. The Italian govern
nent has the best of reasons for ex-
erting all Of its police power in clear
ing UP the mystery. Practically 1t has
become case of one government be-
ing called upon by another. and this
has the extraordinary feature of an
investigation of a murder committed
in foreign country
Various theories have been advanced
toward the elucidation Of the
mystery. 1t was at first believed
that Charlton had murdered his wife
and fed the country. and suspicion
also fastened strongly on one Constan
tine Ispolatoff. a Russian, who rented
the villa TO the Charltons at Moltra-
sto.
But there is a growing opinion that
there was a double murder, and that
the husband shared the fate of the
wife is the belief of Consul Caughay.
Evidence that both of the Americans
were murdered. presumably for their
valuables was found in the blood :
spattered bed at the villa that they
occupied, and another circumstance
was the finding of coat at the bottom
of the lake, which was subsequently
identified by the villagers as having
belonged to young Charlton. So far
the Investigations have been fruitless.
and whether the missing Charlton is
dead or alive is only matter of con-
lecture.
Visited IN Richmond.
Mr.. and Mrs. Caughay We're last In
Richmond about year and a half ago
when they visited Mrs Caughays sis
tiers, the Misses Higgins, al 2l9 Cover
nor Street. Mr.. Caughay. for time.
was consul at Messina, and was ap-
pointed to Milan in 1898. Miss Eleanor
Higgins has but recently returned
from prolonged stay at Milan. and
was accompanied home by Miss Kath-
ieen Caughay. who was met in Rich
mond by her brother. c. y. Caughay. OF
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