Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-12
CHARL TON GIVES
UP HOPE AS HIS
FRIENDS DESERT
Suffers MeIanchofia in Italian
Prison-BeIieved Hounded by
Ghost of Slain Wife.
BY CAMILLE ciANFARRA.
.peclal Gable to The American.

special Gable TO y ne american,
ROME, April 11,--Writing to a
friend here from Como Jail, where he
is awaiting trial, Porter Charlton
says that unless something is done to
insure the appears nee at this trial of
some witnesses favorable to him and
efforts were made to hire at least one
alienist to fight the Government ex-
perts as~to his mental condition at
the time Of the crime he committed,
he is almost sure to get the longest
sentence ever melted out to.any assas-
sin of the brigand type
Since Deputy Porto withdrew as
one of counsel retained to defend him.
all preparations for Charlton's defense
have been discontinued and to-day
the young man is practically left
without a legal adviser. with the ex-
ception of ex-Judge Palmieri, who is
/. in New York and can not be of much
+ help to him. At the same time the
Kings prosecutor at Como is power
4 less to aid Charlton in any way ex-
cept by assigning to him some lawyer
to defend him when the trial begins.
Apparently Charlton is under the i'm
preston that the prosecution with
nobody looking after his interests,
will obtain the maximum penalty,
Deserted by Relatives.
To his Roman friends Charlton
makes no secret OF the fact that his
relatives and friends in the United
States have all deserted him and that
unless someone hastens to his aid he
will not be able to place before the
court even the "eXtenuating circum-
stances" which is refused only to the
most hardened criminals.
Explaining the latest developments
in his case, Charlton says that for
the last three months he has not re-
seeived a single word from his father,
who is now a practicing attorney, in
Porto Rico Warm as the appeals to
q him have been, Judge Charlton has
not, for reasons yet undisclosed,
deemed It opportune to take direct
Interest in his sons trial.
II Those Americans who considered it
their patriotic duty to retain Deputy
4 Porzio during the preliminary inves-
litigation now feel that they have done
smore than their share of duty, and II
Hthe prisoners father refuses to con-
Ntribute to his sons defense fund they
must withdraw
Prison Rules Strict.
Owing to the limitations imposed
upon him by the stringent rules of
italian prisons, one Of which forbids a
prisoner to write more than two let
fers a month. Charlton has not vet
been able to acquaint his friends with
the exact status of his case.
1t is known however, that of the
long list of witnesses residing in the
limited States which the prisoner sub
United to the authorities in order that
Their evidence might be taken through
italian Consular agents. only a few
have been considered important
enough to be called Among such
witnesses are physicians who exam
ined Charlton during his detention in
the Trenton prison, but their testi-
lnony serves no practical purpose un-
less corroborated by an Italian alien
list
& Deputy Porzio's defense was based
on the theory that on the night of the
prime, following a two months de-
bauch in. the course OF which Charl-
ton imbibed tremendous quantities of
alcohol, the defendent was not moral
by responsible for his actions
Suffers Decisions.
In the course of long examinations
by the investigating judge, Charlton
became convinced that so far not a
Single witness favorable to him has
been heard This has induced a
state of Jnelancholia- which the prison
a physicians are trying to counteract
by special treatment. He Is allowed
more freedom and more books than
italian prisoners, and of late he has
tdropped into the study Of italian,
which, in the course OF a few months,
he has mastered to the extent OF
8reading and writing and making him
self understood by an examining
Magistrate.
Il According to the story from the
prison, Charlton also Is suffering from
decisions, Recently while a wild
storm was raging on Lake Como, the
echoes Of which Charlton distinctly
could hear IN his cell, he was sudden
" seized by violent agitation and
loudly exclaimed:
ct heard the voice Of Mary Scott"
He was finally dnieted but since
then a wild expression in his eyes as
Of a man bounded by ghosts is dis
tinctly noticeable.
Owing to delay caused by taking
Testimony in the United States,
8Charlton's trial is not expected to be
called before the fall term OF Como