The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-28
NEGRO DENIES STRhNCLINC OF
 WHITE WOMAN
Mother of Three Chil- dren Dragged from Kitchen to Cellar and Brutally Attacked.

Orange. N. J., Dec 2s-Police to- day were questioning William F. Battles, negro. held without bail on a charge Of first degree murder in connection with the brutal killing of Mrs. Eleanor Louise Brigham, in an effort to secure a confession rom him
 Feeling is running high in this lit- tie town against the black and his father, who is being detained by of eials for examination.
 The body of Mrs. BrighG m was found last night by detectives in the basement of her home in an exclusive preserve cIoset in the cellar.
 She had been strangled.
 Discovery of the murder came when Brigham, on his return from business found his wife missing.
 Battle was arrested after Mar garet. the seven-year- old daughter of the Brighams had identified him as man who had been working about home during the day.
 The negro denied knowledge of the crime.
 Mrs. Brighams body. horribly muti- lated. had evidently been crammed hastily into the closet by the mur-. derer before he fled. Her clotnIns was badly torn.
 Authorities, after an examination of the body, proceeded on the theory that Mrs. Brigham had been the vic- rim of a degenerate.
 Husband COflapses.
 Brigham collapsed after he had found his wife's body and today was nearly wild with grief He is a well Hnowi and prosperous business man and his home a model of modern comfort and resps ctability.
 Mrs Brigham was a good looking woman, quiet and democratic and a devoted mo other to three little children who were asleep when their mother met her frightfu fate. The children were all confined to their rooms up- stairs by measles. They told their father that they had heard no sound.
 The police say that the evidence tackled in her kitchen and dragged to the cellar, or was attacked suddenly by a concealed assailant in the cellar when she went there on some house. hold errnd
 There were marks on the cellar floor showing that Msr. Brigham had been dragged several yards.
 An autopsy on the body of the woman was begun this morning by pr. G. L. Warren. county physician. He found that welts on the victims throat were indicative of the brutal grasp of a strang1er who may hav" used a rope or a strand of sags.
 Husband Finds Body.
 The body was found by Brigham place of business. the varnish i con tn' coTH or IL. DeVoTVeTS CO., or BrOOk- yn, last evening. The man went to he children's room awakening them.
 "Where's mama ?" he asked. The children did not know, had not heard Ter for a long time.
 Brigham began to explore the house. but did not think of the cellar He went to the neighbors. No sign, 10 one had seen her. The man took right and called the police. Then he neighbors and detectives system ltically searched the neighborhood. They found no traces.
 Suddenly Brigham thought of the cellar. He and a detective rushed here. The sleuth noticed marks eadfng to the preserve closet. The loor was locked. Brigham seized al Lxe and broke down bhe door. His vife's cut and bruised body with clothing twisted in mute evidence ot struggle met the husbands eyes md sent him reeling back in horror. There was a cut over each eye, but lot dee penough to have caused leath, the doctors said when they .rrived. First belief was that Mrs he'd died from strangula- ion.