Ada Jane Boyton (1882 - 1903)

Born 1882 in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 2 Oct 1903 at about age 21 in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Ada died in early October 1903 due to poisoning at around age 21. An inquest was held into her death and the outcomes reported later that month:^[1]

The Boyton Inquest.

THE THIRD DAY.

AN OPEN VERDICT RETURNED.

The adjourned inquest on the body of Ada Jane Boyton was continued before the Coroner, Mr. T. H. Wilkinson, and the jury of 12, at the Court House, on Tuesday morning.

Edgar Herbert Thane, duly qualified medical practitioner, deposed that he saw the deceased on October 2, at 6 p.m., at the Club House Hotel prior to her being taken to the hospital. The witness described the state of her condition on that day. He ultimately ordered deceased's removal to the hospital. Witness had a suspicion when he saw her that she was suffering from acute brain trouble, especially when he learnt that she had previously been an inmate of an asylum...

The Coroner stated that there was only one verdict to arrive at, and that was an open one. It was very evident that death was due to phosphorus poisoning, but who administered it there was no evidence to show how they could form an opinion. There was, however, one matter in connection with the case that he should draw their attention to. It was with regard to the treatment the deceased had received. The step-mother, up to the very last, had thrown every obstacle in the way of bringing the girl into the doctor. On the other hand, the father was not aware how serious the deceased's condition was, and was therefore to a certain extent excusable. He could not say the same for the step-mother. From the Sunday, September 27, up to the Monday before her death the deceased was very seriously ill, and there was no reason why she should not have been brought into the doctor. He (the Coroner) had asked the doctors if the deceased had been brought into Wagga in time could there have been any thing done for her? The doctors said that had she been brought in, nothing could have been done to save her life. Continuing, the Coroner stated that before the jury could bring in a verdict of manslaughter they must have evidence of neglect of duty. If it were not for the fact that nothing could have been done for deceased had she been brought to Wagga, he (the Coroner) would have addressed them very strongly on the subject.

After a few minutes deliberation the jury returned to court and delivered the following verdict:-- "We find that the deceased. Ada Jane Boyton, came to her death by poisoning, but how administered it was impossible to say." The jury thought that the poison was phosphorus, but would not include that in their verdict. They, however, added a rider to this effect:-- " Great negligence was shown by the step-mother, Mrs. Boyton, in not bringing the deceased to town for medical attention in the earlier stages of her illness.

It is noted that Ada's death ultimately dealt a double-blow to the family. Her father, around one week after her death and 10 days before the findings of inquest into her death as reported above, committed suicide. William apparently felt some responsibility for her death and this was noted at his inquest.

Sources

1. ↑ The Boyton Inquest. (1903, October 22). Wagga Wagga Advertiser (NSW : 1875 - 1910), p. 2. Retrieved July 6, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104044375

• NSW BDM birth registration 22984/1882
• NSW BDM death 16034/1903