Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-06-09
MORE DELAY IN
CHARLTON CASE

day saw the passing OF the NTH an
niversary of the celebrated Charlton
tragedy, at Lake Como, Italy. and in
the opinion of those acquainted with
present conditions in Italy and the
methods of court procedure in that
country, many additional months. or
perhaps years, may elapse before the
young American Is brought to trial
for the alleged murder of his wife.
Some weeks ago a report reached this
country that the trial would begin ear
ly in July, but this was before Italy
had become involved in the war Since
Como, where the trial is TO take place,
is in the very heart of the war zone,
it is not considered likely that the
Italian courts will take up the case
while hostilities continue. This means
another delay in The case which drag
ged through the courts of the United
States several years before il reached
the Italian tribunal.
1t was on this date. five years ago,
that there was discovered in Lake Co
mo. doubled up Ill a trunk and covered
with wounds, the body of a woman,
sub eSuently identified as that of Ms.
Porter Charlton. The body was
weighted so that it would not rise to
surface of the water. 1t had been
sunk only a short distance from the
shore and was discovered by some
fishermen. The Charltons had occu.
i fnA oil ,-ill l,a lnly fnt
time and the husbands disappearance
on the day the hody was found gave
rise to the suspicion that he had murd-
cred his wife.
| Twelve days after the discovery CT
the crime Porter Charlton arrived in
New York on the steamship Princess
Irene, and within an hour after his ar
rest he confessed 10 the police that he
was guilty of the murder OF his wife.
Then hegan tie long legal battle to
prevent his extradition to Italy.
Secretary of State Knox decided
favorably on the application Of the
Italian government for Charlton's eX-
tradition. The case was then taken
from the United States circuit court
at Trenton to the supreme court of
the United Staes. Three years after
the murder, almost to the very dav,
the highest tribunal handed down a
decision upholding the previous dccis.
ion of Secretary Knox. Charlton was
then returned to Italy after having
spent more than three years in Ho.
boken jail.
Porter Charlton was but little more
than twenty-one years old at the time
he is alleged to have murdered his
wife. He is a son of Judge Paul Charl-
ton, a distinguished lawyer and jur
ist. After having served for some
time as law officer of the insular
bureau the elder Charlton was ap-
pointed United States judge for the
district of Porto Rico by President
Taft in 1911. From this position he
resigned year later to give his en-.
tire attention to the defense of his
son.
| The tragic death of Mrs. Porter
Charlton ended an adventurous career
She was originally Miss Mary Critten.
den Scott, daughter of II. II. Scott of
San Francisco and brother of Capt
H. II. Scott, of the United States
army. AS a young lady she lived for
some time in Elko. Nevada. After
marrying Neville H. Castle, a prom.
inent San Francisco lawyer, she left
her husband to go on the stage. and
appeared in New York in several pro.
ductions.
1t was while following a stage ca.
reer that she created sensation on
August 3. 1909, by shooting William b.
Craig, a New York lawyer, The
shooting occurred in Peacock Alley
OF the Waldorf.Astoria. Mrs. Charl.
ton, or as she then called herself,
Mrs. Mary Crittenden Castle. was ar.
rested, but the case was dropped be.
fore coming to trial.
The marriage OF Porter Charlton,
and Mrs. Castle occurred in Phiia.
delphia on March IL. 1910, but the
announcement was not made until a
month later. Mrs. Charlton was sew.
eral years the senior of her husband
A short time after the wedding the
couple went TO New York and lived
there until they sailed for Europe late
In April. Soon after their arrival on
the other side they rented villa on
the outskirts OF the village OF Mol.
trasio, on Lake Como. While the vii.
la was being made ready for occu.
pancy the couple resided at the Hotel
Suisse in Como, where stories were
related Of continuous cruel treatment
Of Mrs. Charlton by her young hus
band-treatment so cruel, IL was said,
that the landlord OF the hotel was
finally driven to evict them on account