New Britain herald., 1916-09-29
Boston Woman Strangled and
 Summer Home Is Set Aire
AUTHORITIES HOLD HUSBAND
Rope Found Twisted Around Neck of Mrs. Frederick D. Small When Her Body Is Discovered in Ruins of Cottage in New Hampshire

MOunta1n view, IN. H.. oepl- 29.- Mrs. Frederic L. Small. wife of @ Boston real estate broker who was burned in a fire which destroyed the Small summer home at Lake Ossipee last night. was first strangled by a rope tied about her neck and beaten over the head, it was discovered when her body was taken from the ruins today.
 It is believed by the police that the fire was set to cover the crime. By a mere chance, however, thil ruse failed The body dropped with the burning floor into the basement and the head and neck lodged in a pool of water. The rope which had been drawn twice around the neck and secured in a square knot at the back, was preserved.
 MT. Small. who had left his cottage at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, six hours before the fire was discovered, made a hurried return by automobile this morning to assist the police in their investigation. He stated that he had left his summer home yes- terday for a business trip to Boston and that his wife was alone in the cottage when he departed.
 Woman's Skull Crushed.
 Frederic L. Small. the husband, re- tired from active business about three years ago, and purchased the cottage at Lake Ossipee which had been the home of the. Smalls for most of the year. The house stood on the shore of the lake two miles from this vil- lage and was the only occupied place in the vicinity. The fire had gained
 
 attracted to it and villagers arriving from a distance were unable to put it out. It was some hours later be- fore the ruins had cooled sufficient ly to permit search for the missing woman. This morning the body was found in the basement, It appeared that the skull had been crushed in by a blow or blows and also that the body had been partially burned while resting on a bed.
 High Sheriff Chandler of Carroll County took charge of the investiga- tion when 1t seemed certain to the police that the case was one of mur- der instead of suicide. Medical Ref cree Horne, of Conway, prepared to make an autopsy and hold an inquest.
 Later, on his own authority, Sheriff Chandler placed Small under arrest and held him at a local hotel pending instructions from the county solici- tor.
 Both Insured for $2O,OOO.
 The local agent of a life insurance company today made known that in January first he had written a joirt policy on the lives of Small and his wife, Mrs. Arlene Small, for $20,000. He solicited the business he said, and both the husband and wife partici- pated in negotiations that led to the issuance of. the policy.
 In 1909 Small sued A. H. Soden, widely known as one of the three own CTS of the Boston National league baseball club, for S5OO,0OO for aliena- ton of Mrs. Small's affections. He was awarded $10,000.
 Before his arrest, Small had an- nounced that he would give $1,000 for the discovery of the person who killed his wife, adding that he knew of no one who might have had any reason for wishing to harm her. Some time prior to the discovery of the moose about Mrs. Small's neck, her husband suggested the possibility that her clothing had caught fire while she was sitting before a fire place, as was her custom. After his arrest he re- fused to make any statement.
 The Smalls came to the lake, it Is understood, here, from Southboro, Mass. Small had told acquaintances here that he had retired from active business but still traded occasionally in the stock market.
 Both Small and his wife were about fifty years of age.