Never Forgotten: Solon Boydston

The Coroner is one of the oldest government positions with its origins dating back to the Articles of Eyre in 1194. Their primary duties were the investigation of violent or sudden deaths but they were also judicial officers tasked with holding inquests. They quickly became a prominent figure in the eyes of the King and the position was brought over to America from England. The first American coroner was Thomas Baldridge, appointed in 1637, St. Mary’s County in the Maryland Colony.

The role of the coroner differs from state to state. Some of them are elected while some are appointed, and a medical degree may not be necessary as in the case of a medical examiner. An often overlooked aspect of the coroner is their law enforcement duties. In Indiana, the coroner is the only one that can arrest the sheriff and in times when the sheriff cannot perform the duties of the office and there is no chief deputy, the coroner assumes responsibility. Some states, such as Kentucky and Missouri, view coroners as peace officers and are granted arrest powers and the right to carry firearms. California has merged the office of sheriff and coroner in 41 counties so now the Sheriff assumes both duties. This law enforcement function dates back to England when Henry II attempted to curtail the power of the sheriff by using the coroner as a check on their powers.

While rare, coroners have been killed while in the performance of their law enforcement duties. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page and the National Law Enforcement Memorial, there have been three coroners killed in the line of duty. In 1997, William Belcher was killed in Illinois by a passing motorist while investigating an accident. In 1996, Michael Shepherd, suffered a heart attack in California while investigating a reported suicide. In 1914, Coroner Lyle Mathews, Taylor County, Kentucky, was shot and killed while trying to evict two brothers from a farm that had been sold at auction. The deputy coroner was wounded. There is a fourth officer who has just been recently discovered. Coroner Solon Boydston, Wayne County, Ohio, was killed on Oct. 10, 1890, making him the first known coroner killed in the line of duty.

The circumstances surrounding his death occurred during the annual fair in Orrville, Ohio. The fair brought with it a number of unsavory characters. Thomas Overton, a businessman, complained that individuals were stealing wood from his business and complained to the marshal. While the marshal was occupied with the fair, he had deputized six officers to affect a raid on approximately twenty-five individuals. One of those officers was the county coroner, Solon Boydston.

As the officers planned to surround the gang, Officer A.E. Clarke and Boydston took a shortcut and encountered two of them. They were taken into custody. They were walking them back to the city jail which required them to cross the Cleveland, Akron, & Columbus railroad. Officer Clarke and his prisoner crossed the tracks first. While Boydston had to wait for the locomotive to pass, Clarke proceeded on to the jail with his prisoner. Boydston crossed the tracks with his prisoner onto the adjoining platform. It was crowded as the 7p.m. train was about 20 minutes late.

Minutes after reaching the platform, Boydston and his prisoner fell in front of a passing locomotive. Witnesses testified that the prisoner noticed a companion on the platform and they shared hand signals. The prisoner began to struggle with Boydston and the companion pushed him off the platform into the passing train. Boydston had such a strong grip on his prisoner that they both fell off the platform. Boydston was instantly killed when the wheels ran over his chest and severed his arms from his body. His prisoner was severely injured and was taken to a nearby house where his leg had to be amputated.

The marshal arrested both men shortly after the incident. Justice of the Peace William Gailey was appointed as the interim county coroner. An inquest was held and it was determined that Boydston’s death was accidental. Although he was killed during the performance of his duties, his prisoner had no role in his death. Boydston’s wife sued the railroad and received a $5,000 settlement.

Solon Boydston’s funeral was one of the largest ever attended in Wayne County. He was a past commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, having served during the Civil War with the 120th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  He was a past worshipful master of the Orrville Lodge of Free Masons and a member of the Knights of Pythias. He was survived by his wife and four children. He is buried in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

A note of thanks to Luke Reynolds, Chief Investigator, of the Wayne County Coroner’s Office who assisted with the research for this article.

About the Author

Robert Bowling is a retired police officer from Fishers (IN) and Durham (NC) police departments. He has served in a variety of roles to include, Field Training Officer, Honor Guard, Evidence Technician, Traffic Crash Reconstructionist, Hostage Negotiator, School Resource Officer, and Crisis Intervention Stress Management team member. His true passion is history and he became the first historian and curator for the Fishers Police Department.

After retirement, he has continued his passion for history focusing on law enforcement and fallen officers. He is an historical researcher for the Officer Down Memorial Page. He is the author of the book Wicked Fishers and serves on the boards of a few historical organizations. He currently teaches Criminal Justice for a local high school.