In 1905, Aberdeen was a growing city teeming with a mix of young immigrants employed as loggers, millworkers, longshoremen and sailors. They came looking for a new life and brought with them their work ethic and a fierce national pride, leading to frequent international skirmishes in Aberdeen’s tenderloin. Here, written in the prose of the day, is the tale of John Thorsen, a Norseman killed in a street brawl defending the honor of his motherland.

On Sunday morning about 2 o’clock when a large majority of the inhabitants of Aberdeen were in the enjoyment of slumber and in blissful anticipation of a day of rest, a foul deed was committed on one of its thoroughfares and a jury composed of Frank and Charles Drake, C.D. DeLosh, C.A. Beardsley, L.L. Alexander and Frank C. Benjamin, were unable to reach a conclusion who committed the crime, though Martin Matheson admitted on the stand that he had struck someone with a stick and confessed to the act to Officer Christensen.

The murder was the result of a drunken row between three Swedes and four Norwegians. They met in front of the shack of a jail which Aberdeen possesses and the challenge being given as to who were the best sort of fellows, Swedes or Norwegians, the demand being accompanied by oaths, the disturbance ended in a general row in which John Thorsen met his death.

Thorsen was struck over the left temple and his skull was fractured. Dr. Schumacher, who made a post mortem examination, said that the man had been struck twice or three times and that the blow over the temple had resulted in almost instant death, at least in unconsciousness and a little later collapse. Dr. Schumacher had also been called to see the victim of the crime at the jail and pronounced him dead then. He said blood was oozing out of his ear and his face was covered with blood.

At the coroner’s inquest Marshal Carter produced in evidence a heavy piece of lumber, probably two-by-six inches, split off at a length of four feet, which had been used to strike the blow that caused death. There were blood stains on the wood and in one end were three ugly looking nails. It was a gruesome object when placed before the jury.

There were a number of witnesses of the combating parties who testified to the row, including Martin Matthewson, a big raw-boned fellow who is under arrest charged with the crime. Being unable to understand English, Officer Christensen was sworn as interpreter at the inquest which took place in Beardsley’s undertaking rooms and before Coroner Campbell of Hoquiam and Sheriff Graham.

Matthewson, who seemed very much depressed and talked almost in a whisper, admitted that he had used a stick and had struck Thorsen though alleging that Thorsen had hit him first with his fist. Officer Christensen later on said that Matthewson had confessed that he had used the cudgel and that he had seen his man fall to the ground.

B. Salking, Olaf Standel, John Voyter, A. Anderson and Ole Oleson, who were mixed up in the row, testified that the man who used the piece of lumber was of dark complexion and one whom they did not know. Matthewson is very light. Salking, who is a sailor on the schooner “Honipo” described Thorsen’s assailant as of dark complexion, with blue eyes, a soft hat with three corners bent in and black clothes and smooth face, heavy black hair and a cowlick on the forehead. The description answered to Ole Oleson, who testified near the close of the inquest, though Oleson has a mustache. Oleson declared he was not on the scene at the time the row occurred.

The testimony of the men as to the origin of the trouble did not differ in any material point and all agreed it was a dark man who used the weapon that caused death. Officer Searles testified as to the finding of the body a few minutes after Thorsen had been struck and of removing the body to the jail and calling Dr. Smits and later Dr. Schumacher. The jury after viewing the remains decided that the guilty person had not been apprehended. Prosecuting Attorney Boner represented the state in the examination.

It is the prosecuting attorney’s intention to cause the arrest of Oleson, Voyter and some others and holding them with Matthewson, if possible, for a trial in the superior court. This will be determined later. All the men except Salking and Anderson, who belonged to the schooner “Comet” work in Carlson’s camp.

John Thorsen, who was 30 years old, a widower and father of an 8-year-old girl, was mate of the tug “Cudahy” and a member of the Longshoreman’s union, under whose auspices he will be buried. Matthewson has been in Aberdeen but three weeks and came here from Wisconsin.

All the witnesses at the inquest were permitted to be in the room and each heard the other’s testimony and consequently were able to agree pretty well as to the line of evidence. Officer Christensen, in getting Matthewson to confess that he struck the blow made a master stroke but the jury ignored the vital portions of the evidence in reaching the conclusion. — Aberdeen Bulletin, May 15, 1905

The funeral of John Thorsen, who was killed a week ago yesterday, was held from the Congregational Church yesterday afternoon, the Rev. C. McDermoth officiating. The services were under the auspices of Longshoremen’s Union, and was largely attended by members of the labor unions of the city. The Musicians’ Union furnished the music for the occasion, both at the church and for the procession. Mr. Thorsen was a Norwegian by birth, was 41 years of age and had been on this coast 18 years. — Aberdeen Herald, May 22, 1905

Marshal Carter tells an interesting story about John Thorsen, who was killed in so sensational a manner a week ago last Sunday morning. Thorsen, not long before his death expected to apply to some captain for a position as a mate and took out naturalization papers. One day the papers disappeared and it was Thorsen’s impression that they had been stolen from his room.

It was suspected that some vessel man, who found it necessary to have naturalization papers in order to accept certain positions on a ship, had purloined Thorsen’s papers and he placed the matter in the hands of Marshal Carter for investigation. Marshal Carter concluded that by addressing the Longshoreman’s union in San Francisco that probably a clue might be obtained and the missing articles found.

The facts were couched in a letter to the union and the investigation unearthed the story that a man going under the name of John Thorsen had sailed from San Francisco to Port Townsend. This fact was communicated to the marshal here.

Marshal Carter followed up the clue to Port Townsend and when the ship with the supposed John Thorsen arrived the fellow sailing under false colors was held. On his promise to deliver up the papers, which he did, he was released and the papers sent to the marshal who turned them over to Thorsen, who was the happiest man imaginable and was willing to pay anything reasonable for the marshal’s trouble. As the matter had only cost the marshal the postage the financial part of the matter was easily adjusted.

Marshal Carter gathered from his dealings with Thorsen that he was a peaceably inclined and prudent sort of man and his death is regretted by the head of the police force. — Aberdeen Bulletin, May 24, 1905

The committee of Aberdeen longshoremen gave a notice for publication of date and hour for Thorson’s funeral to the Aberdeen Bulletin Friday night preceding the burial. The notice was taken at the office but was not published. The longshoremen to a man are indignant at this act. — Grays Harbor Post, May 27, 1905

The Longshoreman’s Union has accepted resolutions thanking the Rev. Charles McDermoth for his Christian courtesy and services before and at the funeral of John Thorsen. — Aberdeen Bulletin, May 30, 1905

Roy Vataja is the son of Finnish immigrants and finds the rough and tumble skirmishes of the earliest “newcomers” utterly fascinating.