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MARTHA ASHTON – DEATH OF MRS. ASHTON
[Welland Tribune, 2 February1894]
Mrs. Martha Ashton, the unfortunate woman who has been lying in Welland jail since December last nominally as a vagrant, really as a mere indigent, received a happy release from her suffering on Monday, death resulting from the cancer of the lower portion of the bowels of which she was the victim. Added to this terrible malady the deceased was afflicted with insanity which, though of a mild form precluded her reception into the ordinary hospitals and homes for incurables, and added to the difficulty attending her case. Deceased was a widow about 45 years of age. We understand she leaves one son and one daughter. The son, who lives at Niagara Falls, N.Y., being unable to defray the funeral expenses, the body was buried at the county home graveyard on Wednesday, the law providing that the bodies of persons dying in gaol shall be given up on the request of the relatives. Rev. Mr. Dobson rendered the funeral services. The county council in this case generously undertook the charge of the burial.
THE INQUEST
In accordance with the law, which requires that an inquest shall be held on the body of any prisoner dying in jail, an inquest was held on Tuesday by Coroner Cumines, and a jury, of which Charles E. Smith was foreman, when evidence was taken as follows:
John Coulson, jailer, sworn:-Mrs. Ashton was committed to jail on December 2nd as a vagrant; she was suffering greatly from cancer; an effort was made to get her into the homes for incurables at Hamilton and Toronto but she was refused admittance; she was not properly committed to jail until last week; she died yesterday afternoon; she used to live either in Niagara Falls village or Stamford township; she has a daughter and a son at Niagara Falls, N.Y.; the matron and Mrs. Rice attended her almost constantly; she had every care and attention.
Dr. J.H. Howell, jail surgeon: I have attended Mrs. Ashton since she was admitted to jail; she suffered a great deal of pain from cancer; I relieved her suffering and made her as comfortable as possible; I recommended the county council to get a nurse for her, which they did; saw her three or four times a week; the cause of her death was cancer; she had every attention.
Mrs. Elizabeth Rice, Mrs. Ashton’s nurse: I was called to the jail on December 9th to nurse Mrs. Ashton; I went to see her twice a day; she suffered a great deal; the doctor visited her regularly; she had everything she needed; I was with her Monday morning and when I came in the afternoon she was dead.
Mrs. James Gilchriese, matron: I have heard Mrs. Rice’s testimony and cannot add any more than she has given; I did the best I could for her.
This concluded the evidence and the jury brought in a verdict that “Mrs. Ashton came to her death from cancer, on the 29th of January 1894 and she had all the care and attention possible under the circumstances.”
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