Semi-weekly herald., 1913-11-06


strength which made him prize-
winning athlete in his high school
days at Omaha, Neb., and the col
lege years which followed. The pris-
on keepers, half pityingly, half fond
ly, have nicknamed him 'the little
boy and are absolutely convinced
that, unaided, he could not have
placed the body of his wife in the
trunk, carried it the 400 yards from
the house in which he murdered her,
and dumped it into Lake Como where
it was found later. They are there
fore looking for an accomplics.
Another thing that puzzles the
Italian jailers is Charlton's absten-
iousness. In the two weeks proceed
ing the murder of Mrs. Charlton both
she and young Porter are known to
have drank almost every moment Of
the day and night. They TOOK only
champagne, whiskey, rum and the
stronger drinks of the northern coun-
eiSoJ euS usS VI Which, III Attsty 10 at-
most unknown. Since his return to
the Como Jail, Charlton takes moth
ing but water, refusing even the To-
cal wines which are so much an abb
solute necessity to the average Ital-
ian that they are included with the
prison meals. The change is one
which the jailers can account for on
ly on the basis of complete, almost
miraculous, reformation.
Charlton's appearance of boyish-
ness which has impressed so deeply
the judicial authorities has also been
greatly heightened by the docility,
the courteousness and the considera-
ton which he at all times shows to
his keepers. His entire department,
appearance and conduct towards 9TH
ers is so far different from that of
the cold blooded brutal murderer
whom the jailers had expected would
return to them from America that
they are complete loss how to har-
monize the incongruity.
Charlton's gentlemanly, considerate
bearing towards his keepers is SO sim
cere that it has had the inevitable ef-
feet Of inspiring in them kindred,
reciprocal feeling, and as conse-
quence he is faring much better than
perhaps any other prisoner, charged
with murder, ever Jared in an ltai-
ian jail. He has been given the best
Of accommodations the local jail af-
fords, his room is kept Immediately
clean and all of the attendants take
turns in helping him daily with his
study of Italian. To this end, even
the Judge himself, has allowed him to
subscribe to one of the Italian daily
papers which he can read with little
difficulty. All of these are court
estes, if not actual breaches of Ital-
ian prison regulations, of most un-
usual type.
Nevertheless, in the short interview
allowed between Charlton and the
United Press correspondent-this al
SO a most unusual exception-it was
not difficult to realize how the form
er had made such an impression on
the Italian judicial authorities. The
only explanation that can be given
is that of complete reformation, so
sincere and so earnest, as to show its
unmistakable effects, and to insure,
that should Charlton in some way es-
cape life imprisonment, he will prob
ably try mighty hard to atone for
his fatal boyish folly. With deli
cacy that could not be intruded uF-
on, young Charlton kept entirely off
of the subject of his crime, and spoke
only-but with enthusiasm and sim
cerity unmistakable-of the kindness
of his keepers.
"Do you know" he said, "since I've
been in this trouble, I've learned
more about the milk Of human kind
ness, about every day, workable
Christianity than / ever dreamed ex
listed. These lads, the keepers in
Jersey City where ! was for three
years, are as fine lot of chaps as
I've ever met Their kindness to the
filthiest tramp that comes in there
is invariable; their consideration for
the feelings of every being under
them unfailing; their willingness To
help some poor unfortunate even out
of their own pockets marvel; their
treatment of me l shall never cease
to be grateful for.
''Then i met two foreigners (the
two carabinieri who accompanied
Charlton from New York to Gomo)
who treated me with every courtesy
and tried to make things pleasant for
me when they could have done their
duty. Finally when reached Italy,
people whom have never heard Of
before helped me to get counsel for
my defense, which otherwise l cosld
not have had, and did everything they
could to cheer me up and keep up my
courage. Those are things which sc.
man TO thinking"