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Murder of Florence Arlene Small

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Murder of Florence Arlene Small
The couple's home prior to the fire
LocationOssipee, New Hampshire, U.S.
DateSeptember 28, 1916; 108 years ago (1916-09-28)
Attack type
Murder by strangulation and gunshot
WeaponCord and handgun
DeathsFlorence Arlene Small, aged 37
PerpetratorFrederick L. Small, husband
VerdictGuilty
ConvictionsFirst-degree murder
Sentence
  • Death by hanging.
  • Appeals denied.
  • Executed on January 15, 1918.

The murder of Florence Arlene Small occurred on September 28, 1916. She was the victim of a brutal murder in her home in Ossipee, New Hampshire. Her husband, Frederick L. Small, was convicted of the crime and was hanged on January 15, 1918.

Personal life

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Florence Arlene Small
Frederick L. Small

Florence Arlene Small (nee Curry) was born in Brooklyn, New York,[a] on March 27, 1879. She married Frederick L. Small, a Boston broker,[2] in Fayville, Massachusetts, in December 1911.[b] It was Frederick L. Small's third marriage.[1] The couple moved to Ossipee, New Hampshire, in May 1914.[3]

The couple had no children.[1] Small was survived by her mother, Elizabeth Curry, and sister, Norma Curry.[4][5]

Scene of the crime

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Small's body was found in the ruins of the couple's home, known as Fellsmere, in Ossipee.[6][c] The house had been destroyed by fire which, because of the remoteness of the cottage, enveloped the house before rescuers could intervene.[4] Though she was badly burned by the fire, examiners found Small to have "a cord about her neck, a bullet wound over one eye and wounds on the head."[2][5]

Murder charge

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Frederick L. Small was charged with murdering his wife, allegedly to collect $20,000 ($560,000 in 2023) from an insurance policy.[2][7][5] Judge John Kivel presided. Attorney William S. Matthews served as Small's senior counsel. County Solicitor Walter Hill and Attorney General James P. Tuttle represented the prosecution.[3][8][9] Police Inspector Andrew Houghton of a Boston-based detective agency investigated the case.[5]

Testimony

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Local residents of Ossipee testified at the trial to the character of Frederick L. Small and his aggressive physical and verbal behavior towards his wife. Helen Connor testified that when she complimented Small on his wife's cooking, he said that "sometimes he had to take the axe to her."[5] In addition, Philip L. Davis stated that Small "kicked his wife, swore at her, and ordered her into the house" after a flagpole they were trying to install fell to the ground.[10] The local physician testified that he was called to the Small establishment where he found the woman bleeding. Small admitted that he had "struck her over the head with a bootjack; damn it, I should kill her. I will kill her."[5]

According to testimony presented by the State, within 30 minutes[11] after Florence Arlene ate lunch, Small beat, strangled, and shot his wife before leaving on a trip to Boston.[4][12] This trip served as Small's alibi, since he was out of town when the house caught on fire. Small had with him his Masonic apron and other valuable papers, even though the trip was to be a short one. However, chemical residue (resin)[11] was found smeared on the torso of Florence's body. Small's .32 caliber pistol (which matched the bullet found on the left side of her forehead) and a clock, that served as a mechanism to start the fire remotely, were found in the house's ruins.[5][3] This circumstantial evidence led prosecutors to argue the death of Florence Arlene Small was premeditated and not accidental.[5]

Sentencing and appeal

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Frederick L. Small was found by a jury to be guilty of first degree murder with a stipulation of capital punishment.[7] Small maintained his innocence.[13]

By New Hampshire law at the time, a year and a day was required between "the passing of a death sentence and its execution."[13] In January 1918, a petition to stay Small's execution was filed.[14] The document alleged that one of the jurors stated that "he knew Small was guilty" before any evidence had been presented in the case.[15][16] Small's lawyers also filed a motion for a new trial.[17] Both were denied.[17]

Small was hanged on January 15, 1918.[13][18]

Notes

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  1. ^ Other reports give her place of birth as Hortonville, Nova Scotia.[1]
  2. ^ Other reports give the couple's date of marriage as December 3, 1913.[1]
  3. ^ Initial newspaper reports gave the location as Mountain View, New Hampshire.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "His Wife Found Murdered, Broker F. L. Small Detained (cont'd)". The Boston Globe. September 29, 1916. p. 2. Retrieved October 9, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Four jurors drawn selected to try Frederick Small charged with murder of wife". Patriot. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. December 27, 1916. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Saw Small kick and curse wife". Boston Journal. Boston, Massachusetts. December 29, 1916. pp. 1 and 4.
  4. ^ a b c "Small sobs as he views ruins". Boston Journal. Boston, Massachusetts. December 28, 1916. pp. 1 and 5.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Hume, William A. (December 29, 1916). "Small seems to feel state has not scored against him so far". Boston Herald. p. 3.
  6. ^ "Scene of Murder at Lake Ossipee Before and After the Fire". The Boston Globe. September 30, 1916. p. 3. Retrieved October 9, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Small convicted, sentenced to hang". Trenton Evening Times. Trenton, New Jersey. January 9, 1917. p. 3.
  8. ^ "Asserts Small threatened to kill his wife". Boston Herald. Boston, Massachusetts. December 29, 1916. pp. 1 and 3.
  9. ^ "Small may know his fate today". Trenton Evening Times. Trenton, New Jersey. January 18, 1917. p. 1.
  10. ^ "Small treated wife cruelly, is testimony". Augusta Chronicle. Augusta, Georgia. December 29, 1916. p. 6.
  11. ^ a b "Emotional scenes at the Small trial". Augusta Chronicle. Augusta, Georgia. December 31, 1916. p. 2.
  12. ^ "Tattered scalp in evidence". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. December 31, 1916. p. 1.
  13. ^ a b c "Small sentenced to hang". Tulsa Daily World. Tulsa, Oklahoma. January 10, 1917. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Small Execution January 15". Boston Herald. Boston, Massachusetts. January 6, 1918. p. 22.
  15. ^ "Will hear Small's petition today". Boston Herald. Boston, Massachusetts. January 11, 1918. p. 3.
  16. ^ "Slayer asks new trial". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. January 12, 1918. p. 3 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b "Frederick L. Small refused new trial". The Evening Times. Pawtucket, Rhode Island. January 12, 1918. p. 5.
  18. ^ "Former Boston Broker is hanged for wife murder". Augusta Chronicle. Augusta, Georgia. January 15, 1918. p. 1.

Further reading

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