The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-10-07
Held for Murder of His Wife
in Their Summer
Home
REMOVED TO
OSSIPEE JAIL
Pending Inquiry by Grand
Jurors into Murder
Charges

Mountainview, N. H., Oct. Frederick
L, Small, formerly ;. Boston broker has
been held for the grand jury on a charge
OF murder in connection with the death
of his wife, Mrs. Florence A. Small, fol-
lowing preliminary hearing in the dis
trict court yesterday. The ruling by
Judge Charles S. Miles followed immedi-
ately the conclusion OF tho prosecution )
closing arguments, which were made by
Atty. Gen. James w. Tuttle. "This man
had the motive, he had the apparent
means; he is such man as would com
init the crime. He is the man who did
commit this crime" the prosecutor as
serted in closing. Small was removed to
the Ossipee Jail pending the action OF the
grand jury, which meets in December.
He was quite composed, although he had
wept several times during the proceed
ings.
The defense introduced no witnesses,
but William S. Matthews. senior counsel
for Small, argued at length against hold
ing the prisoner for grand jury inquiry.
He set up the probability of the act be
ing that of a man seeking liquor and
called attention TO the testimony of Fred
E. Bean, a guide, who said he did not
remember where he was during the day
or night Of Sept. 90 the date of Mrs.
Small's death. Bean had admitted, he
said, that he had been drinking that day
Addressing the court, counsel asked:
What do you think of the evidence OF
a man who does not remember his where
abouts on that day or night, and who did
not know how he received the scratch on
his face! ] do not accuse Mr.. Bean OF
the crime, but it might be used as a
parallel case"
The crime, in the opinion of counsel,
must have been committed by local
man. The hearing held here, he said, Of
fered the court an opportunity to search
out the real criminal and bring him to
justice"
Counsel eontended that the fact that
Small would receive $4,000 insurance
money through his wife's death should
not be used against him. That was
only reasonable protection" he said He
asserted that the defendants every
movement, SO far as related by wit
nesses, was that of normal man. un-
marred by any unna tural act. His feel
ing was one of real grief" his counsel
said.
"Mr. Small is man of honor and in
telligence,' he argued. mo man of in
telligence would have bought kerosene oil
at IL o'clock in the morning for the pur-
pose of firing his home"
Atty. Gen. Tuttle, asserting that there
was motive for the crime in the $4,000
insurance policy and $4,000 insurance on
the house, said everyone was satisfied
that whoever committed the murder set
the fire which might destroy its traces
The inventory + furnishings found 81
Small's handbag, he argued showed prior
knowledge of the fire by the defendant.
"If he knew there was going TO be fire
he also knew there had been a murder"
the attorney general said. The cause of
death, he continued, was strangulaton
by cord, which testimony showed to
have been part of the equipment OF
Smalfs motorboat.
As a theory regarding the start of the
fire, the prosecutor suggested that can
die, placed in a block of wood, 9TH
quantity of kerosene to float II, might !
causing a raging quick fire such as that |
which destroyed the Small home. He
called attention to the purchase of kero-
sene by Small on the morning of the day |
his wife was killed, and to the apparent |
fact that the can had been emptied when |
it was found in the ruins.
Small's words, ooh God, my wife is
dead, | am alone in the world" pro
claimed his guilt, according to the con.
tention of the attorney general.