Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-26
CHAIR Ton IS
IMPRISONED
FOR e DAYS
American Convicted Of
Wife Murder viii
Serve Small Part Of
Sentence to Six Years,
Eight Months Impris-
Onment

Como. italy, Oct. q. Via Paris 7..5 p.
N.-Porter Charlton. the American who
has been on trial hsrs charged with
numbering his wife in ls10, was today
condemned to six ysaEs and ssht month ;
Imprisonment
The jury found Charlton only par
tally responsible and that there were
extenuating circumstances.
Owing to amnesty Charlton will
serve only % days in prison. a.
Baron Sciacca, the presiding judge.
before the case went to the jury asked
Charlton whether he had anything to
add to the defence. With tears in his
eyes Charlton exclaimed:
4 trust entirely to italian justice.
! can only say that am a most un-
fortunate man."
Both the prosecutor and the coun-
sell for the defence made stirring pleas.
the former for the imposition Of
heavy sentence and the latter, COM
posed of Signors Cataneo and Michelli
Picardi for acquittai on the ground
that the prisoner was totally ire
sponsible when the crime was commit
ted. Signor Picardi declared that no
man in Charlton's condition could be
responsible for his actions under any
Law.
Charlton, under the verdict. Dement'S
by the time he has been under re-
! straint and addition a. year il taken
off the sentence under the amnesty Tor
all offenses committed before italy en-
tered the war. Even though he was
greatly pleased over the verdict Of
the court and viewed with pleasure his
approaching liberation from custody,
Charlton retained his usual restrained
and almost passive attitude. He thank
ed all those about him for their con-
gratulations.
Charlton said that after his release
he would return to the United States
and join his family. Before departing
however. he said, he would visit and
personally thank friends in Come who
had by their kindness lightened the
hours of his captivity and especially
AMBASSADOR Thomas Nelson Page.
who, as the representative OF the
American government, had seen that
his legal rights were observed
Porter Charlton killed his wife IN
their villa on Lake Como June 9, 1910.
He was 90 years old and she many
years his senior. Charlton's father is
| Paul Charlton. former federal judge
of the district q Porto Rico.
| Charlton and his bride were pass
| ing their honeymoon when he killed
her Placing her body in a trunk, he
| threw it into Lake Como, where it
| was found by a boatman. Charlton re-
turned to the United States and was
arrested when he landed at Hoboken.
In a confession Charlton said that
while his wife was in a fit of violent
| temper he seized a mailet and struck
her en- the head, killing her.
| For three years Charlton WAS held
prisoner ir Jersey City before he re-
| turned to Italy for trial. A New Jersey
board of alienis1s declared that he was
of unsound mind.
Since his return to italy in 1913
Charlton has bssn In the Jail at Como.
The trial was delayed several times
through the necessity for the taking of
testimony in the United States and
the exa0nination Of the prisoner by
italian alienists. The Italian alienists
held divergent opinions as 10 whether
Charlton was Of ssand OF unsound
| mind