Weekly journal-miner., 1918-10-02
WORLD SOLDIER BILLY THORN
 GOES WEST"
LIFE FULL OF ADVENTUE IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD COMES TO END IN MERCY HOSPITAL {; MILITARY FUNERAL.
(From Sundays Daily.)

gone vest" Gassed at the Battle of the Somme, and struck by shell frag- ments in a charge of the Legion, 1T. September, 1917, Billy, wreck of hi, former self, returned to America a year ago, and Thursday, at the Mercy hospital, in this city, made the su- preme sacrifice, for the country oi his adoption.
 Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, Sept
 II, 1SS6, the rowing blood of his Vii king forefathers caused him to ship as cabin boy at the age of IA on a vessel sailing for America. After a brief period of time spent ashore, the sea once more called Thorin, and for fifteen years thereafter he roamed the watery wastes, with periods of re- tirement to what he termed more peaceful pursuits" which included serving as marine on a Chinese gun. boat given the task of exterminating Chinese pirates and opium runners; exciting adventures on the Chilean coast: enlistment with Mosby's gueril> las which operated during the turbu- lent days before Carranza got firm grip on the Mexican presidency, and, finally. enlistment in the Foreign Leg ior.
 In those exciting days in France, when it seemed the Hun hordes must reacf their objectives, Daniel William. Thorin, to give him his full name, be- came a chum of Corporal Kiffin Rock well, the crack aviator of the Lafay- ettc Escradrille, and Victor Chapman, son of John Jay Chapman, the mil lionaire author and philanthropist oI | New York, who looked after Billy's , wants. upon his return from the bat~ tic line. until death clamed his rest less spirit. Kenneth Weeks and Alan Sceger. who wrote "I Have Ken dezvous With Death" were also list cd as close friends of Billy, and a history of the adventures of this quin tettc would make Robert Louis Stev- cnson's Treasure Island appear tame reading.
 After having all but lost his life in q desperate encounter with Chinese pirates. Billy returned to America and joined out with Mosby and C. Rhvs Price, in their ill-starred cam paign into Mexico, which terminated the day they and their followers fled into the United States at the line. near San Diego, with a much larger force of Mexican at their heels. For his part in violating the neutrality laws, ALosby was sent to federal prison, where he died of a broken heart.
 Thorin. entering an adobe house in village the guerillas had attacked had his hand almost severed by a bavonct in the hands of Mexican lurking on the other side of the door: Unarmcd. he entered the house, and a few moments later another Next can had been added to the list oi dead Reappearing outside, Thorir was mortified to see the headless body of his companion lying near bv. Seizing his dead comrades rifle, Billy went "Berserker,' and four NFexicans was his toll in payment for his comrades life. As Billy was re, tiring before an advancing squad oi Nexicans, near the border, builet ripped through his face, from cheek to cheek. When he recovered com sciousness he was in the military nos pital at Fort Roosevelt, New MeX'co-
 Upon recovering, Thorin sailed TOT Australia. In June, 1914. tIring oi the brush life. he again took to the sea sailing aboard an Italian vessel for Liverpool. where he, and hlS sallN inc mate. lack Hodge, learned for the first time that the great world war was raging. ,.,
 This was as the breath of life II. Rillv's nostrils, and soon he and Hodge were en route to Bordeaux France. to join the Foreign Legion: that famous fighting organization ot advcrturers from the four corners ot the world. At Bordeaux, Billy ana Hodge went ashore with the captain of tho tramp steamer winch had brought them to that port to have drink Ono drink was enough. When tbev rccaincd their senses, they were far out at sea. having been shang- ba;cd The vessel later made Arica Chile. where Billy, having disscmbled his hatred for the treacherous captain, enticcd him ashore and almost bea: him to death. Two months in. Chlls can dungeon followed, then Billy and Hodge. once moro free, planned to sail for Bordeaux agaln, but had tol wait three months before they seour' ed bcrths on a vessel bound for thar port. In the interim. Billy and Hodge engaged in fight with a gang of Ger mans who had resented their cham pioning of the Allies caus" and poor Hodge was left behind. stab in the back having finished his career.
 Thorin eventually reached Bor- dcaux and on June % 1915, became Lccionairc. claiming to be an Ameri- can from South Dakota, for purposes of enlistment He was sent up front inst before the Champagne offensive, and at the Boss Sabot charge, Sept ! 2S. was reported to have been killed. But though sorely wounded, he man | aged to evade capture and made his way back to a first-aid post. being later returned to the camp at La Val i bonnc. Here the daily drill routine got on his nerves. and he hailed with ! delight the challenge of two Spaniards