Giles Quimby, Slayer of John Tornow, Given Gold Medal

Those of you familiar with the case of John Tornow might find this interesting. Ran across this bit of trivia in the July 26, 1913 Grays Harbor Post. The text didn't reproduce too well, so I transcribed it:

Quimby Given Gold Medal

COUNCILMAN JAMES EMPEY OF THE 5TH WARD, RAISES FUND IN ABERDEEN TO PURCHASE GOLD BADGE FOR TORNOW'S SLAYER.

PRESENTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT

"From Citizens of Aberdeen to Show Appreciation of Services Rendered Chehalis County, April 16"

Wednesday evening at the city council Chamber, Giles Quimby, slayer of Tornow, the terror of the Oxbow country, who killed six men before he fell in front of the rifle of Quimby, was presented by the citizens of Aberdeen with a gold badge inscribed on the face:

"GILES QUIMBY

Deputy Sheriff Chehalis County,

Washington."

On the back of the medal was inscribed:
"From Citizens of Aberdeen to Show Appreciation of Services Rendered Chehalis County, April 16"

The medal is two and three-fourths inches high and two inches wide, made of solid 14K gold. The fund for the purchase of this medal was raised by Councilman James Empey and was entirely secured from citizens of Aberdeen. Mr. Empey, because of his life as a cruiser in the woods, realized fully the services rendered by Deputy Quimby in ridding the Oxbow country of the menace that had made travel unsafe in that region for many months.

[photo caption]: Cut of Gold Medal Which Citizens of Aberdeen Presented to Giles Quimby at the City Council Chamber Last Wednesday Night.

The presentation of the medal to Mr. Quimby was simple. By invitation Sheriff Mathews, Deputy Quimby and other members of the sheriff's office appeared in the city council chamber Wednesday evening. During a lull in the business of the council, Mr. Empey arose and asked if Mr. Quimby were in the room. Mr. Quimby responded and Mr. Empey, stepping forward handed him the medal with the inscription telling the story. The gift came as a surprise to Deputy Quimby. Chairman W.J. Egerer made a few remarks praising Mr. Quimby's work as a service to the county. This closed the presentation.

The history of the hunt for Tornow is known to the readers of the Post. His tragic death in that last battle on the Oxbow, after trappers Blair and Lathrop had fallen before Tornow's rifle, himself to fall before that of Quimby, was one of the remarkable tragedies of this western coast. That Aberdeen appreciates this service was shown by the incident of Wednesday night.

 

Last summer, while researching the life another Grays Harbor lawman, William Henry Bush, I happened to encounter the burial place of Giles Quimby in the cemetery at Montesano.

Phone photo 1960

Giles C. Quimby

1871-1948

Montesano, Washington

Quimby was credited as the man who killed John Tornow, "The Wild Man of the Wynochee"

My rendition of Wild John appeared in Cartooning Washington.

Cartooning Washington

This was an illustrated history of Washington State political cartoons and cartoonists published in the same year of the Evergreen State's centennial-- 1989.

Lots of big names in here: Brian Basset, Paul Fung, Steve Greenberg, Walt Crowley, David Horsey, Mike Lukovich, Bob McCausland, Shaw McCutcheon, Alan Pratt, Milt Priggee.

And of course Ray Collins from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a comic artist who once met with me for an hour of his busy day in 1977, looked over the portfolio of a nobody young man and gave me many valuable pointers such as any good cartoonist needs to study poetry. He was also delightfully irreverent of authority-- putting this into practice by being the number one cartoonist to expose the craziness of Gov. Dixy Lee Ray.

My work slipped into this book by accident, and I think I was included as sort the token little rural weekly guy with a different day job since I'm definitely not in the same league as the professionals listed above. Apparently someone connected with this book, perhaps it was Maury Forman who called me up, used a printshop in Oly that I frequented. The printers mentioned my work to him, and the next thing you know I'm in this book.

As for this particular strip, Grays Harbor County continues to be solidly Democrat, but in this last election the Dems lost one, perhaps two countywide seats-- the first time since the 1950s!

In McCleary there used to be this joke: The ballot counter is tallying the votes, "Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Republican, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Republican! The sonofabitch voted twice!"

The Democrats here aren't like the liberal Dems on the I-5 Roman Road through Seattle-Tacoma-Oly. Out here they are old time good ol' boys in the not-so-admirable sense. Frankly, I'm glad to see them finally lose a seat or two. Usually they run unopposed.

Wild John refers to local legend Wild John Tornow, the Wild Man of the Wynochee.

I'll be running my East County Comix strip in this blog eventually.