The death of Frances Robertson Howard, the Good Samaritan of Marlinton? Mrs. Howard is dead, apparently at the hands of another: her husband is in a cell shouting denials of the charge against him; the the little lumbering town of Marlinton is unwillingly the stage of a tragic mystery and a woman suffrage rally preceded it all!
If the tangled ends of circumstantial evidence ultimately weave together as the authorities plan, Mrs. Howard may be entitled to an epitaph: "Slain because she espoused the cause of the ballot for women." It would be a queer angle to the fight of more than half a century for woman's suffrage.
Passing over for the time Mrs. Howard's first public utterance for "the cause" the reputed anger of her husband, the preceding altercation between the' two on the streets of Marlinton, and the discovery later of the body of the woman; with neck dislocated, one should know something of the romance of the Marlinton Hospital. Frances Robertson was head nurse 'at the hospital some six years ago; Deft of hand, tender", of heart, and with a smile for the convalescent and the seriously ill, she endeared herself to practically every man,-woman and child in Marlinton.
The Good Samaritan of Marlinton was a nickname given to Frances Robertson Howard, a nurse and women's suffrage advocate who was murdered in Marlinton, West Virginia, in 1914. She was known for her kindness and compassion, and she was often called upon to help those in need.
Howard was born in 1870 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She moved to Marlinton in 1904, where she worked as a nurse at the Marlinton Hospital. She was also active in the women's suffrage movement, and she spoke at many rallies and events.
On the night of March 22, 1914, Howard was found dead in her home. She had been strangled, and her neck was dislocated. Her husband, Dr. Charles Howard, was arrested and charged with her murder, but he was acquitted at trial.
The acquittal of Dr. Howard led to widespread protests and accusations of a cover-up. Many people believe that Howard was murdered because of her support for women's suffrage, and that her husband was involved in her death. However, there is no concrete evidence to support these claims.
The case of Frances Robertson Howard remains unsolved to this day. Her death is a reminder of the dangers that women faced in the early days of the women's suffrage movement.
The nickname "Good Samaritan of Marlinton" was given to Howard by the people of the town. They admired her kindness and compassion, and they were grateful for her help. The nickname is a reminder of Howard's legacy of helping others.
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