The New York herald., 1875-12-20
THE DYNAMITE PLOT.
THoMAssEN NOT BLOCKADE RUNNER DURING
THE WAR.

THoMAssEN NOT BLOCKADE RUNNER DURING
THE WAR.
The revelation OF tho calling himself William
Henry Thompson who committed suicide at Bremen
haven after the failure OF his plot to blow up the steam
ship Mose in mid ocean, and his statement that he had
been blockade during the late in America
has aroused the curiosity OF captains and shpowners
formerly engaged in business with the people OF the
Confederate States.
They have anxiously comparing notes to asccr.
tain who Thompson was and to learn his history
Yesterday HERALD reporter met of the most in
trcpid captains of the blockade running fleet Captain
Frank II. Harris, we'll known the commander OF
vessels engaged in that service, Southcrner by
BIRTH and well posted in the service Of the Con-
federacy. In conversation with the reporter he
said 81 have been trying since | read tire
first report in the Herald about this man Thompson
locate HIM. talking with Charley Owens about
him yesterday and can't for the lite Of me remember
any such man. Now let me think this thing"
The Captain settled into brown study, half closed mis-
eyes as IL turning them inward himself and went
over the list of officers Of the blockade runners giving
a negative shake of the head as he completed each
rank. Captain ?" First oficer?" Second ofcer2r
No, he could not have been one OF them saw every
engineer that ever vessel into the Atlantic coast
ports the Confederacy during the war; and such
man, nor any man of that name was known to me. Ht
could have been pilot, for knew every pilot be-
tween the Rio Grande and Cape May. There is
thing am Of he never commanded the steamer
Old DOMINION for she was not built until after the
war;
RgroRrER-Captan Frank do you remember ves-
that used during the blockade that went by the
name of Dominion or Old Dominion u small or large
vessel OF any class
Captain HARns-No sir; we never had any vessel Of
that name in service-certanly captain OF tn,
name gwen by the Bremerhavcn scoundrel wish
you would fully investigate the matter; will give you
all assistance in my power to find out who he was for
he claims 10 be Southcrner, and IL would be n stain
on our honor have had among u.s. in any capacity
man who would attempt what he did / think tho
description is erroneous, else tho man was insane
There man who dressed French woman and
captured vessel IN Chesapeake Bay during the
first years OF the war; but his beard and
HAIR not rcd, aud he did not weigh
100 pounds There was another with us,
whose description approaches the given, but he
now a vice or rear admiral in the Egyptian Navy. II
the man Thompson had been in service and had
lived in Europe during the last ten years he would
have been known by our friends there, for you arc
aware that Americans IN Europe are clannish. cannot
imagine who he was. Gould II have been possible
that he a land blockade runncrY That Is carrying
goods across the army lines. lie never would have
made money enough that way to live ten years in Ger
many and support family think the story Is un-
true, because | know every who made and LOST
large sums Of money in the blockade business, and
none OF them answer to the description given OF Thomp
son, Thomasscn, as he Is called will endcnvor
learn what friends know Of him. and will tell you
He might have been connected with Mexican affairs or
Win the nun, England, branch, but reckon not My
impression IS that he insane"
The reporter then called upon Mr. Black, OF Williams
Black, cotton merchants and asked II he knew any
thing Of the mysterious Thompson.
Mr.. BLAcK-I cannot remember any such man ID
has been frequent topic OF conversation here since
the HERALD published the report but mono OF us can
place HIM was at Bermuda during the war, and,
with others, knew almost every engaged In tho
blockade adventures; but am Of the same opinion as
Captain Harris; the man Thompson was not running
the blockade the Atlantic coast aud that be was in
sane. lie may have gwen false name, but the de.
scription does bring mind any ono that ] knew
several other gentlemen who were familiar with the
parties engaged in blockade running during the wli
called upon but the visits failed TO elicit anything
definite as 10 the identity OF the dynamite fcnd