The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-09-29
WIFE OF BROKER STRANGLED, THEN BURNED IN HOME Mrs. Fred l.. Small, of Bos- ton, Choked By Rope and
 Skull Crushed HUSBAND IS HELD
 PENDING INQUIRY Mangled and Charred Body Is Found In Cellar of
 Cottage

Mountainville, N. H., Sept. 29.-Mrs. Fred l.. Small, wife of a Boston real estate broker, who was burned in a fire which destroyed the Small sum- mer 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 to- day.
 It is believed by the police that the fire was set to cover the crime. By a mere chance, however, this 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 tight around the neck and secured in a square knot in at the back, was pre- served
 MT. Small, who had left the cottage at 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 yesterday for business trip to Boston and that his wife was alone in the cottage when he departed.
 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 Small 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 strong headway before anyone was at tracted>to it and villagers arriving from a distance were unable to put 1t out.
 It was some hours later before the ruins had cooled sufficiently to permit a 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- ton when it seemed certain to the police the case was one of murder instead of suicide. Medical Referee 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 pend ing instructions from the county soli- citor.
 The local agent of a life insurance company today made known that in January, last, he had written a joint policy on the lives of Small and his wife, Mrs. Arlene Small, for s20,O He solicited the business, he said, and both the husband and wife participat- ed in negotiations that Jed to the issu- ance of the policy.
 Before his arrest, Small had an- nounced that he would give S1,000 for the discovery of the person who killed his wife, adding that he knew of none who might have had a reason for wishing to harm her. Some time prior to the discovery of the moose about Mrs. SmalPs neck, her husband sug- gested the possibility that her cloth ing had caught fire while she was sitting before a fireplace as was her custom. After his arrest he refused to make any statement.
 The SmalIs came to the lake, it is understood here, from Scarborough, Mass MT. Small had told acquaint- ances here that he had retired from active business but still trades occa- sionally in the stock market. Both Small and his wife were about 50 years of age.
 In 1909 Small sued A. H. Soden, widely known as one of the three own CTS of the Boston National Lea que baseball club, for s5Oo,O0o for aliena- tion of Mrs. SmalPs affections. He was wardedJ s10O