Donald Ray Mabbitt (1937)

MABBITT, HARRISON

Posted By: Treva Patterson
Date: 6/4/2007 at 18:46:49

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, November 9, 1937

DONALD MABBITT, 11, INSTANTLY KILLED

Driver of Death Machine Was Probably Unaware of Accident at Time, Officers Think

The finger of suspicion was pointing to an unnamed Madison county driver today in the death of 11-year-old Donald Mabbitt of Winterset, who was killed Friday evening when hit by a truck just north of Winterset. Yet officers admitted that the driver involved in the boy's death probably does not know he was responsible.

County officers indicated Monday that they had a "good idea" as to the identity of the driver, but would not reveal his name. No arrest had been made Monday, although a number of drivers had been questioned.

One of the most thorough investigations ever made in Madison county was in progress Monday at the coroner's inquest which opened in the court house at 8 a.m. in charge of Coroner J. F. Veltman. Witnesses were testifying all day long and the inquest had not closed when the Madisonian went to press Monday afternoon.

One eye-witness to the tragedy has been discovered, according to reliable reports. She is a young Van Meter girl, who had been in Winterset with her parents, Friday. They were leaving here Friday evening and met a truck at the time and place of the accident. She said she saw the truck hit a person walking along the shoulder, but thought that "her eyes were deceiving her". She said nothing about the death in her Van Meter home. Then she realized what she had seen and informed her father. They were over to the inquest Monday to testify. What further information she was able to give the coroner's jury is not known at present.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Tuesday, November 23, 1937
Page 2, Column 1

Mortuary

Donald Ray Mabbitt, second son of Thomas and Isadora Mabbitt, was born March 23, 1936, at Van Meter, and departed this life Nov. 5, 1937, at Winterset, age 11 years, 7 months and 12 days.

He was baptized in the Church of Christ at Winterset, July 7, 1935 and for the past two year he has attended church and Sunday school at the Four Square church.

Since January, 1936, he had attended school at North Ward in Winterset, of which he was in the fifth grade at the time of his death.

He leaves to mourn his loss, his father and mother, three brothers, Albert Earl, Francis and John Wesley, his twin sister, Dorothy May, two other sisters, Rose Marie and Sadie Louise, his grandmother, Mrs. J. W. Mabbitt of Winterset, his grandfather, J. A. Harrison of Peru, his great grandmother, Mrs. Lottie Lamb of Winterset, and a number of other relatives.
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Coordinator's note: Transcribed as published, year of birth for the deceased should be "1926".

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