John Tornow – The Wild Man of the Wynoochee, Washington

The rugged landscape of western Washington, a tapestry of dense forests, rushing rivers, and towering mountains, has always been a breeding ground for captivating tales. Among these legends, one figure stands out, shrouded in mystery and fear: John Tornow, the so-called "Wild Man of the Wynoochee." His story, a blend of fact and folklore, paints a portrait of a man driven to the fringes of society, forever etched in the annals of local history.

Born on September 4, 1880, John Tornow entered the world as a member of a respectable family that had established a homestead near the Satsop River, in Washington Territory. Unlike other children, Tornow found solace and adventure not in the company of his peers, but in the embrace of the untamed wilderness that surrounded his home. As a young boy, he preferred the silent companionship of the forest, spending countless hours exploring its hidden trails and observing its inhabitants. This early immersion in nature fostered a deep connection to the wild, shaping his character and ultimately setting him on a path far removed from conventional society.

Even as a child, John Tornow exhibited a unique temperament, drawn more to the company of animals than people. A pivotal moment in his early life occurred when his brother, Ed, killed his beloved dog. In retaliation, young John killed Ed’s dog, and his behavior signaled a growing detachment from human interaction. He began to disappear into the woods for extended periods, sometimes for weeks at a time, honing his survival skills and solidifying his independence from the constraints of civilization.

Tornow’s affinity for the wilderness extended to his hunting practices. He hunted solely for sustenance, mastering the art of tracking with the precision of a seasoned Native American. His shooting skills quickly became legendary, whispered among the settlers and loggers who ventured into the region. He would occasionally return to his family’s homestead, bearing gifts of game for his parents, but his visits were fleeting, mere glimpses of a man increasingly becoming one with the wild. By his teenage years, animals seemed to approach him without fear, a testament to his ability to blend seamlessly into their world. His family, witnessing his unconventional lifestyle, began to believe he was, perhaps, a little mad.

As Tornow’s brothers embraced the burgeoning logging industry, eventually establishing their own successful company, John Tornow occasionally worked alongside them, but his heart remained in the wilderness. He preferred to live off the land, fashioning clothing from animal skins and shoes from tree bark. His desires were simple: to be left alone, undisturbed, in the company of nature. Standing at an imposing 6’4" and weighing nearly 250 pounds, he was a formidable figure, yet most considered him more strange than dangerous, a harmless eccentric content in his solitary existence.

As the 20th century dawned, Tornow’s appearances in settled areas became increasingly rare. He would occasionally observe loggers at work, a silent observer on the fringes of their world. On one such occasion, he reportedly warned a logger, "I’ll kill anyone who comes after me. These are my woods." This statement, whether born of genuine threat or a desperate plea for solitude, solidified the growing perception of John Tornow as an unpredictable and potentially dangerous individual.

Convinced that he was suffering from a mental illness, his brothers made the fateful decision to have him committed to a sanitarium in 1909. The facility, nestled deep within the wilderness of Oregon, was intended to provide a place of healing, but it proved to be an inadequate cage for a man as wild and untamed as Tornow. After approximately twelve months, he managed to escape, disappearing back into the familiar embrace of the forest, further cementing his reputation as a man beyond the reach of civilization.

Following his escape, John Tornow remained largely unseen for a year, a phantom figure lurking in the shadows of the Wynoochee Valley. He eventually resurfaced, making occasional visits to his sister, her husband, and their twin sons, John and Will Bauer. However, he harbored deep resentment towards his brothers for their role in his confinement and refused any contact with them.

The legend of John Tornow grew with each sighting, fueled by fear and exaggeration. People described him as a giant, gorilla-like figure, with tangled hair, a long beard, and ragged clothing, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and vanishing just as quickly. Loggers told tales of a large, hairy "beast" that haunted the forest, adding to the mystique and apprehension surrounding his name.

The tragic event that would forever define John Tornow’s legacy occurred in September 1911. Tornow shot and killed a cow that was grazing in a clearing near his sister’s small cabin on the Olympic Peninsula. While he was butchering the animal, a bullet whizzed past his head. Reacting instinctively, he raised his rifle and fired three shots in the direction from which the bullet had come. Upon investigating, he discovered the lifeless bodies of his 19-year-old twin nephews, John and Will Bauer, lying in the brush.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain shrouded in speculation. Some theorize that the Bauer twins mistook Tornow for a bear preying on their livestock. Others believe that the boys intentionally targeted Tornow, perhaps seeking to capture him or even end his life. The truth may never be known, but Tornow, no doubt, felt threatened and acted in self-defense. Regardless, the sight of his dead nephews sent him fleeing into the dense forests of the Wynoochee Valley, setting in motion a series of events that would culminate in his own demise and solidify his place in local lore.

When the Bauer twins failed to return home, their family contacted Chehalis County Deputy Sheriff John McKenzie. McKenzie quickly assembled a posse of more than 50 men to search for the missing brothers. They soon discovered the bodies, both shot in the head and stripped of their weapons.

McKenzie immediately declared John Tornow as the prime suspect and organized a posse to hunt down the "wild man" living in the forest. Loggers and farmers, armed and wary, scoured the Satsop area and the lower regions of the Wynoochee Valley, mindful of the man’s legendary tracking skills and animal-like intuition.

The posse was understandably skittish, their fear of the "wild man" palpable. On one occasion, a shot rang out when a group heard a sound in the brush, resulting in the death of a cow. Despite their heightened state of alert, they never caught sight of Tornow, their fear fueling the growing legend.

As the search dragged on without success, the tales surrounding John Tornow became increasingly exaggerated. Stories circulated of a cold-eyed giant, a relentless predator constantly traversing the forest in search of prey. He earned a variety of ominous nicknames: "The Wild Man of the Wynoochee," "The Cougar Man," and "A Mad Daniel Boone." Fear gripped the entire countryside. Women and children were warned to stay indoors, while men oiled their hunting rifles and unleashed their dogs, preparing to defend themselves against the lurking menace.

As winter approached, the deep snow forced the search party to retreat to the lowlands. Tornow, however, sought refuge in the higher terrain. Sometime later, the "wild man" broke into Jackson’s Country Grocery Store, hoping to replenish his dwindling supplies. He often burgled cabins and stores to survive. This time, he discovered a strongbox containing approximately $15,000. The grocery store also served as the town’s bank.

Chehalis County offered a $1,000 reward for the recovery of the stolen money, incentivizing even the most fearful to join the hunt for John Tornow. Gunfire echoed through the forest, and on February 20, 1912, a trigger-happy hunter mistakenly killed a 17-year-old boy, believing him to be Tornow.

A few weeks later, a traveling prospector informed Sheriff McKenzie that he had spotted Tornow at a camp in Oxbow. McKenzie, accompanied by Deputy Game Warden Albert V. Elmer, investigated the site but found only a cold campfire. Certain that the stolen money was hidden nearby, they searched the area and discovered two gold coins but failed to locate the strongbox.

Sheriff McKenzie and Warden Elmer subsequently went missing, prompting an increase in the reward to $2,000. On March 16, Deputy Sheriff A.L. Fitzgerald gathered another posse to hunt for the "ape-man" in both Oxbow and Chehalis Counties. Instead of Tornow, they found the bodies of Sheriff McKenzie and Albert Elmer, both shot between the eyes and gutted with a knife.

Despite continued searches and occasional sightings, the elusive John Tornow continued to evade capture. A month later, on April 16, Deputy Giles Quimby and two other men, Louis Blair and Charlie Lathrop, stumbled upon a small shack constructed of bark. Convinced that the crude dwelling belonged to Tornow, Quimby wanted to return for a larger posse, but Blair and Lathrop balked at the prospect of sharing the reward.

With guns drawn, they approached the shack when a shot rang out, hitting Blair, who fell into the bushes. Lathrop returned fire but was immediately struck in the neck and killed instantly. Quimby, left alone with the marksman, desperately tried to negotiate with John Tornow, promising to let him go free if he returned the strongbox.

From his hiding place, Tornow shouted, "It’s buried!"

Quimby continued to plead, assuring Tornow that he only wanted the money and would leave him alone. Tornow, hesitant and distrustful, finally revealed the location of the strongbox, stating, "It’s buried in Oxbow, by the boulder that looks like a fish’s fin. Take it and leave me alone!"

Having obtained the information from John Tornow, Quimby broke his promise and opened fire on the foliage where Tornow was hiding. No return shots were fired, but Quimby was unsure if he had hit the man or if Tornow was simply "playing dead." He stealthily retreated through the woods.

Upon returning to Montesano, Quimby informed Sheriff Matthews, who assembled another posse and returned to the location where Quimby had fired on John Tornow. Approaching the trees cautiously, they found Tornow dead, leaning against a tree. He had $6.65 in silver coins on his body, some of which were identified as belonging to Jackson’s Grocery Store.

Word of the "wild man’s" death spread rapidly, and curious onlookers lined the streets of Montesano, eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary figure.

Deputy Sheriff Giles Quimby described John Tornow to newspaper reporters as having "the most horrible face I ever saw. The shaggy beard and long hair, out of which gleamed two shining, murderous eyes, haunts me now. I could only see his face as he uncovered himself to fire a shot, and all the hatred that could fire the soul of a human being was evident."

This description fueled the public’s morbid curiosity. Tornow’s brother, Fred, traveled from Portland to prevent the body’s public display, but when approximately 250 people stormed the tiny morgue demanding to see the body, the overwhelmed coroner relented. Before it was over, dozens of deputy sheriffs were needed to prevent the nearly 700 citizens from tearing off pieces of the dead man’s clothing and removing locks of his hair.

Fearing similar disruptions at the funeral, the service was held at the family’s old homestead. Postcards featuring a photo of Tornow were printed, and newspaper articles with sensational headlines proclaimed him "The Great Outlaw of Western Washington."

When questioned by the press, Fred Tornow stated, "I am glad John is dead. It was the best way now that it is over, and I would rather see him killed outright than linger in a prison cell."

The Oregonian newspaper reported that at the time of his death, John Tornow had $1,700 in deposit in a Montesano bank, owned real estate in Aberdeen, and was a part-owner of a timber claim in Chehalis. Giles Quimby was celebrated as a hero for killing the feared "Wild Man of the Wynoochee" and received offers to appear on stage to recount his tale, which he declined.

After the furor surrounding Tornow’s death subsided, Quimby searched for the boulder that resembled a fish’s fin but was unable to locate the strongbox. Numerous others followed in his footsteps, searching Oxbow, Washington, but the $15,000 treasure was never found.

It is believed that the money may be buried on the Wynoochee River, where it forms a large, horseshoe-shaped creek. However, a dam has since been built upstream, potentially altering the river’s flow. Tornow stated that he buried the cache near a fin-like rock. The hiding place is located within the Olympic National Forest, which requires a hunting permit.

John Tornow was buried in Matlock Cemetery in Grays Harbor, Washington, where his tombstone stands today, a silent reminder of the "Wild Man of the Wynoochee" and the enduring power of legend.