The New York herald., 1875-12-19
His Identity Investigated by
Our Correspondents.
HENRY KING THOMAS" IN RICHMOND
Insurance Companies Swindled on
Forged Invoices.
AN INTERNAL ALCHEMIST.
Captain Hesters RecoIIections Of Thomp-
son as Blockade Runner.


The latest reports from Europe in regard to the
identity or the man, William Henry Thompson, who
had taken passage on the steamship Mose at Bremen
haven with tho intention OF leaving her
at Southampton, England, and having her passen-
gers blown into eternity by his villanous clockwork
exploding dynamite after the ship had reached mid
ocean, seem to be well founded That he resided in
Germany during the last few years is shown by the
tmony OF various tourists who met him In LEIPZIG in
1871 1872 and 1878 and aerward in and Dresden
He was known blockade runner during the late
war; master OF the steamer Old Dominion, a name
not recognized by tho shpmastcrs Association Of New
York, but well known to tho coast residents OF the
Confederate States as one OF the boldest YES
sells in the feet between the Bahamas
and the Atlantic ports OF the South After the Wood
ruff brothers Captain "Bl'' Thompson carried the
highest head among the blockade running captains
and made the most money by his adventures.
reference TO the 'Record OF American and Foreign
Shipping" complied by tho American Shipmasters'
Association dated January l, 1871, shows the OF
tam, No 1888, but without ship. The record so
continued until 1878, when his name dropped The
Captain then on the other side OF the water.
Yesterday morning HERALD reporter met an old as
socate OF the dead Captain, and in the conversation
that ensued obtained the following facts s:"His real
name was William King Thompson he was man
about forty Eve years old and full red beard his
eyes very small and quite blue his temperament
OF the nervous sort, and at times his anger was
terrible In its expression He wore glasses his
eyes whenever | him. and think he wore them
habitualy, because he was nearsighted. ! should
think from what l remember of his size, that he
weighed fully 275 pounds. was intimately acquainted
with him during his residence in LEIPZIG in tho fall of
1871 aud until the summer OF 1873 when he lived
there with his family After that he moved to Streh-
la near Dresden, and lost track OF him. In
sation he often told me Of his friends in America and
said that he was born Brooklyn, l.. /. know very
Iofh He welded beautiful
from Louisiana, think, a native Of New Orleans She
Is living yet and has four children to for hope
that the OF the father will not fall upon their heads
for they are innocent The Captain resided IN Virginia
from 1862 until 1865 and his rapid accumulation OF
wealth by blockade specuations was very familiar TO
mc.n
The name OF William Henry Tor King Thompson
cannot be found in the records Of the Shipmasters'
Association during the years from 1861 to 1865 inclu
Mr Havens one OF the Charleston blockade running
stewards said to the HERALD reporter yesterday-'I
recollect the Captain we'll big fat fellow, with little
eyes and a temper kc-we you know what he was If
you could have heard him when he was about three
sheets in the wind wouldn't think the old
would try blow up the ship as tho papers say he did
for he wasn't bad at heart only he had such devil OF
Don't think ali the old blockade runners were made Of
the Same stuff We were lighting tor friends, but
we didn't try any such - things killing innocent
passengers on ships at sea
THoMpsoN's CAREER AS BLOCKADE RUNNER
"REMINISCENCES OF SECRET SERVICE DErEc-
TIVE
WASHINGTON, Dec Is, 1878
In seeking for the history OF the dynamite ncnd,
William King Thompson, tho Bureau Of tho Secret Ser
vice OF the Treasury Department here consulted
ascertain the whereabouts OF the only In Wash
ingon said TO be conversant with the past standing
and life OF the maefactor This parsonage s less
than the former special agent OF the Attorney Generals
Office, L G. Hester, who conspicuous in the Ku
war engaged in the blockade running business After
difficult search learned that Hester has been act
ing OF late as special agent OF the Post Office Depart
ment He was found at his quarters after having
been engaged in delivering series OF readings from
Milton at an entertainment at the Young Mems Chris
tian Association, Hester having experienced change
of life
INTERVIEW HESTER
! CoRREsrovDEST-Captain have been referred 10
you as the person likely TO know something Of the
who was the author OF the dynamite tragedy at Bremen
haven
Captain HEsrER-I don't know whether know him
or not, but presume II is the Same person. met
man by tho name OF Thompson in Bermuda during
tho rebellion in the latter part OF 1868 the early
part Of 1854 Tho man met engaged In some way
in the blockade running business ! don't remember
meeting him during the but this time heard
circles His name merely incidentally
ferred 70 one engaged in the same busi-
ness as the persons speaking just as a mer-
chant Broadway would say that Stewart, Clafin or
Chenden had this or that the other kind Of goods
or was making run upon some particular line !
didn't charge my memory with the appearance and
features Of Thompson or his business
APPEARANCE OF THOMPSON
CoRREsPoyDBST-Coud you say that you met him at
different times and what Kind of man he was2
CAPTAIN HBsTRR-His appearance is not clear TO my
mind, meeting him but one time, incidentally as u
late Of the Virginius, and George Black OF New Or
leans, think were present, and perhaps one or two
others whose names ! do not remember. think It
was in either Mr. Blacks office John I. Bournes at
ST. Georges Town, Bermuda To the best Of my
recollection he was man perhaps as tall as five feet
seven or eight inches weighing 100 pounds genteel in
seemed TO havs great vivacity l took him TO be be-
thirty and thirtynve years OF ago at the time
red and don't think It was positive black, but some
where between the two. His stature was erect HIS
telgence and did not indicate TO me that he
OF tho baser habits Of life he seemed to be Of
that class of men that could not readily read the
character OF; man who lived behind thick veil
which is hard 70 penetrate.
BERMUDA m 1894
AT that time the little island Of Bermuda or the
cluster OF S65 islands, seemed 70 be full
OF life. Tho trade brisk and animated The
magnificent Clydebuiit iron steamers. The wharycs
stocked with cotton. The vessels taking in
and discharging cargo night and day. Tho hotels and
boarding houses were crowded to overnowng Specu-
ators and traders and blockade runners men
Of nne business tact from the principal centres
Of the world, were represented there at
that time. Among them were Of
all grades OF moral and business culture, but mainly
the floating population made up OF European sharp
dealers Among this class Of trained traders Of the
highest order Of talent In their linc-men who were
watching every commercial move In the different COM
modities In which they dealing and sharply OBJ
serving the transactions of each otherwas Thompson
one OF this class II necessarily made them study each
other and made OF them men who desirous OF
turning their every advantage TO their own account
BLOCKADE RUNNING.
CoRREsPoNDENr-Captain, was he ever In jail, that
YOU know OF, In tho United States during tho wary
Captain HEsTBR-The chances are that II he ran the
blockade many times he must have beenat least that
was my experience.
CoRREsPoSDBNr-Do you know anything Of him, or
have you seen him since the war