A most deplorable accident occurred here Saturday at about three o'clock, when Donald Smithhurst, a nephew of Mr. H. F. Veatch and Miss Stella Davis, met an untimely death by drowning in what is known as the "old tile pit."
During the intense heat of the afternoon Donald, who could not swim but had often been in the water before, went with several other boys for a plunge in the cool waters of the pit. Most of the older boys were not in the water, when the young man who had been sitting on a pole which floated in the water, in some unaccountable manner, lost his balance and fell off.
As no one of the boys was paying any especial attention to the other, his signals of distress were not noticed in time to render him any assistance, and it was at least thirty minutes before the body could be located and rescued.
Dr. DeFries had been hastily summoned and was later assisted by Drs. Rueck and Buckner who made every possible effort to restore life, but after an hour's work, the attempt had to be abandoned. The body was removed to the home of Mr. Al Smith, where he had been making his home for the summer, and the funeral services were held at the Methodist church Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock. Interment being made in the Thawville cemetery.
--Thawville Weekly Record. 3 August 1917.
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