BANTA, Mabel M.

SAD EVENT.

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The Little Daughter of Thos. L. Banta
Drowned in a Cistern.

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One of the saddest events that can come to a household occurred last Sat­urday morning at the home of Thomas L. Banta in Union township. Mr. Banta had finished milking and uncovered the cistern to draw some water to take to the barn. The cistern, which is in the summer kitchen, was left uncovered. Mrs. Banta went outside to put the milk away and left her little daughter, Mable [sic], seven years old, engaged in drying the dishes. On returning to the house she was surprised not to find her daughter in the kitchen where she had left her but a few minutes before. She called and receiving no answer then asked if Mable was there. Noticing the open cistern the horrible thought en­tered her mind that Mabel might have fallen in. Glancing down she noticed the dish rag swimming on the water. She called at once to Mr. Banta, who was soon at her side. Letting himself down into the cistern he found the body of his child at the bottom. A few days before, he had hauled several tanks of water and when he let himself down he found the water came to his chin. It was with difficulty he got hold of the body and after raising it above his head and out of the water, it was too low for Mrs. Banta to reach. Mrs. Banta’s brother in a field nearby was called and with the assistance of a rope both father and daughter were taken out of the cistern. An attempt to resuscitate the latter was of no avail. The father was strangled and almost exhausted when taken out.

Mr. and Mrs. Banta are well known and prominent citizens of Union township and have the profound sym­pathy of all in this great bereavement. The funeral was held at First Mt. Plea­sant Sunday afternoon at three o’clock.

Link to Mabel M. Banta’s grave

Submitted by Mark McCrady and Cathea Curry