The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-07-28
GIRL DRAGGED TO DEATH.
Marie, the Nine Year Old Daughter
OF Mr.. and Mrs. ]. w. BiCknell
is Dragged to Death.


is Dragged to Death.
Saturday evening, July 23d, between
and o'clock, the usually quiet little
city of Pleasanton was precipitated into
a paroxysm of sadness and sorrow by
the spreading of the news of the violent
death of Marie, the sweet little, blue
eyed, nine year old daughter of Mr.. and,
Mrs. j. w. Bicknell. About couple of
hours previous this time she, with her
little brother Carl and two or three
other children younger than herself
and Olive Ester, few months older,
were sent to the pasture just north Of
town with the milch COW. After driving
the COW through the gate the children
ran up to the old family horse as they
had often done before and began to pat
him and play with the halter rope which
was doubled, forming large loop at the
loose end which was dragging on the
ground. In some manner Marie got her
foot, or feet, in the loop of the rope just,
at the time the horse began to walk
away, dragging her with him and he be-
came frightened and began to run. He
ran across ditch in the pasture three
times and around the eight acre lot,
dragging her after him until her lifeless
body finally got loose in some way.
The children then began to realize what
had been done and came running down
town, spreading the news. 1t was but a
few minutes until many We're on the
ground and picked the little body up
and took it to the family home. Calling
DR.. Macy, the little body was examined,
and finding no bones broken and heart
action returning more favorable, many
waited with the fond, grief-stricken
parents for the return to consciousness
that she might speak one more word.
and ten minute Sunday morning when
the little one passed away, after lying
in comatose condition with the excep-
tion of a few nervous rigors, all these
hours. Everything was done that could
be done to bring the little one back to
consciousness but to no avail. After
her death a more thorough examination
as s1.:ssi5 anu iJ was found her spinal
column was fractured as we'll as the
base of the skull, and there had been
internal hemorrhages, either of which
would have proven fatal. The route the
horse had taken was gone over the next
day, the sod being found broken in many
places where her little feet had touched
the ground, and it is wonder that the
body was not torn to pieces, or some of
the bones, if not all of them, broken.
Marie was born January 1, 1895, being
years, months and % days old. She
was the eldest of a family of five chill
dren of Mr.. and Mrs. ]. w. Bicknell, and
was great help to her mother, always
being ready to do that which she seen
was to do. Gentle, kind and lovable
disposition made her favorite with her
playmates. She was member of the
L. D. S. Sunday school and attended as
regular as circumstances would permit
and was favorite with her teachers.
Between and 6 o'clock Sunday evening
after services conducted by Elder Dun
can Campbell at the home, the remains
were taken to the Hamilton cemetery
followed by a large concourse of friends
and relatives, and there laid to rest in
Mother Earth.
Thus closes one of the saddest acci-
dents that Pleasanton has ever expert
enced; yet we feel that the spirit of
little Marie has returned to the God
that gave it, thus signifying Enough,
come UP higher"