The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-08-28
CHARLTON IS
NOW IN ITALY
Man Who Killed His Wife, Put Body
In Trunk and chucked
It Into tho
Lake.
HAS BEST ATTORNEYS
VIII Likely Be Acquitted as the Laws
Of the Country Are Very
Kindly to
Lunatics.
GBy Henry Wood, staff correspondent
United Press.

tBy Henry Wood, staff correspondent
United Press.
NAPLES, Aug. 2S.-Italian officials
took Porter Charlton off the steamer
Re'Italia here this afternoon and pre-
pared to leave by train for Lake
Como, where he will be tried for the
murder of his wife. Carabinieri sur
rounded Charlton and would let none
interview him. DR.. Caminitti, alien.
ist, retained by the Charlton family,
came from Rome to meet the prisoner
and will accompany him to Lake
Como.
"Charlton's own story before the
jury will rival that of Evelyn Nesbit
Thaw and will in itself be sufficient
to acquit him." said former Deputy
Caerma, chief counsel for Charlton,
who met the boat. He said that Charl.
ton, though travelling second class,
was the best dressed man aboard
Always accompanied by one of the
two carabinieri, Etrizso and Frankini,
Charlton walked the decks for many
hours daily. He read novels and
wrote poetry and between times stu
died italian asiduously as under Ital-
ian law he will have right to cross
examine witnesses and address the
jury.
The sea voyage had evidently bene
fited Charlton very much. He appear
4 ed In much better physical trim
even than when taken from New Jer
lsey. He declined positively to dis
cuss the case, saying that 1t was {
matter solely for his attorneys.
AS yet practically nothing has beer
done by the Italian government to
wards the trying of the case. The
4 department of justice preferred tha
4 Charlton should be actually in it'
jurisdiction before 1t should begir
work. 1t has not even been decided
whether he shall be kept at Rome o,
at Milan, which is nearer to Como
where the case will probably be heard
pending the preliminary preparations
i In general, it is not expected tina
Charlton will be convicted, although
{ very likely he will be Judged insan
and disposed of accordingly. OwinI
to the profound influence which Lon
broso, the famous criminologist VIII
died few years ago at Milan, ha
upon Italian judicial life, condition
are most favorable in Italy for oscar
ing criminal convictions on pleas @
rnantaJ irrasnon sihi1ity
Lombrosos profound studies, whic
have been recognized in all parts G
, the world, resulted in a goodly part c
the Italian criminal code being mod
fed In favor of those who have b,
come criminals through inherent mo-
al or mental deficiency. Judges an
jurors throughout Italy are also e.
pecially disposed towards this phas
, of criminology in all cases heard b
them.
Should Charlton actually be brougf
to trial he will be enclosed in
steel cage in the court room as wel
THE famous Camorrists during the
trial at Viterbo. The usual carbinie
with fixed bayonets will lbe constan
! ly on guard and will take the usu
precautions to prevent the attempts ;
suicide which SO often happen in tt
prisoners cage In the Italian cou
rooms.
Italian attorneys who have locke
upon the case have succeeded in fin
Ing precedent in Charlton's favt
which they say will unquestionab
be introduced An almost identic
case was tried several years ago
!, Italy, when an Italian named Oil
= ietto murdered his wife, concealed Il
: body in trunk and threw 1t into
lake.
Lombroso, who was then alive al
!. was called as an alienist in the cas-
demonstrated not only that the m;
= = was mentally irresponsible but tn
:, owing to peculiar conditions he w
- perfectly harmless as far as society
general was concerned. His compile
L. acquittal followed.
Ie Should Charlton be convicted
e would probably be given the usu
d. penalty of life Imprisonment Tt
y carries with It seven years of solita
n confinement which in Italy usual
y proves fatal
e 1t is believed it would be especial
la easy in the present case in view of t
,r fact that as Charlton would probal