The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1912-04-09


Why did John Tornow hate
"Scotty" and THE Swede"? Be-
cause John Tornow is a beast
man, a genuine case of reversion
to the savage type. Because
''Scotty" and THE Swede" were
members of that society on which
he had turned his back. Because
they had brought into the soli-
tude the roaring chorus and RI
bald Jest of camp and town. Be-
cause they desecrated the silence
with their shouts and laughter.
Because they had come into the
Wild, not loving it to loot 1t of it's
treasures. They were such men
as John Tornow's brother, Ed,
who had killed the hound because
1t had no market value. Because
their talk was Of gold and the
tftngs that gold would buy--in
town. They were trespassers.
Shot Them Asleep.
Z SO Tornow shot them as they
slept. While the corpses were
yet warm he coolly stripped them
of their clothes and weapons. He
dug shallow grave in the forest
loan, and buried them there.
COwardly? Cowardly to at
tack from ambush, to stab in the
back, to butcher sleeping men?
DO YOU demand moral turpitude
Of the tiger? Would you ques-
tiOn. cougar concerning its code
OF ethics? Can you ask q beast
man to "play the game"?
We who live in houses, sleep
between sheets, and eat our meat
with knife and fork, are bound by
certain rules. There are laws,
written and unwritten. If we
violate these rules, we are "un-
gentlemanly," "unsportsmanlike,"
"or "law-breakers. Whether 1t
be business, grouse or billiards,
we "play the game"-for points.
Who gets the most points wins.
The beast-man plays no games.
Like the tiger, he kills to live. So
he slew "Scotty' and "The
,Swede" because he needed their
clothes and guns and ammuni-
ton.
How Is IL Known?
How is it known that Tornow
killed 'Scttty" and 'The Swede"?
1T isn't known.
But this much is known: That
Tornow has been in the woods
since early in 1910, and that
"Scotty" and "The Swede" start
ed from Montesano in July of the
same year. The prospectors have
not been seen or heard of since.
Tornow called on his sister, Mrs.
Bauer, who lived a mile and
half from the old Tornow, home
stead on the Satsop, in Septem-
Der. 1910.
She was peeling potatoes for
dinner in the kitchen when he
appeared. One moment she was
alone. The next Tornow stood
like an apparition before her.
= For the lands sake, John,
why don't you let body. know
you're coming? 1t amt right to
startle folks that way"
His black locks hung. long over
his shoulders. Mrs. Bauer brought
scissors, and as she clipped and
shipped she chattered on with sis
terly volubility.
MY, you're sight! Where
you been, John?"
I'm the woods
Sister Reproyes Him.
! "You didn't need to tell me
that. You're always in the woods
What fun a man like you can get
tfaipsin' about in the woods is
ntore'n l can see. ] should think
you'd want to sleep in a bed once
I'd awhile. John, and get respect
able meal now and then"
She shot question after ques-
tion at him. and he answered in
cfut monosyllables. He had been
.dp the woods" AS far north as
Fort Angeles-almost. AS far
west as the Pacific ocean.
"sEhy, John, where in the world
did you get that shirt, IL you've
been in the woods all the timer"
Tornow was wearing. blue
flannel shirt of excellent material
and not much worn.
"IN THE WOODS"
The words were quietly spoken.
but Mrs. Bauer confessed later to
Sheriff Ed. Payette to an unde-
fined feeling of chill fear which
forbade her pressing for fuller
answer to her question.
Money i'm Pockets.
Still, John was her brother and