The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-12-23

THE BREMERHAVEN EXPLOSION
Death ufthe Author Of The DeTliSh Plot
he MAKES A FULL CONFESSION.

BREMEN, Dec l8.--Thomasson died TO-
day from the effects Of the injuries inaic.
ted by himself He stated that his true
name was William King Thompson, and
that he was a native of Brooklyn, New
York. He age is believed to have been
about thirty-6ve years. He confessed
that he was once captain of the vessel
Old Dominion, and that he changed his
name to avoid being prosecuted for run
ming the blockade during the civil war
in America; that he bought the e1plo'
sive material in the United States and
had it forwarded to his address, and that
the clock work attachment was manufac-
tured in Germany and was set to ex-
plode the charge in eight days. In re-
lating some of the details of the fiendish
plans to the authorities he declared that
his acCompliCes in New York, who, it is
presumed, expected to divide the plum
der derived from the excessive insur-
ance which they had effected.
BREMEN, Dec. l6.-William X. Thorn
asson made full confession of the dyna.
mite affair. He was born in New York
He married a New Orleans lady by
whom he has four children, the youngest
being quite baby. During the war,
from 1862 to 1865, he lived in'Virginia.
He was engaged in running the block
ade, by which he became wealthy, Since
the year 1866 he has resided in Bremen
and in LEIPZIG, and lately at Strehen,
near Dresden. He appears to have lost
his money in speculstions lately, and
being embarrassed went twice to Ameri-
ca during the summer. The last time he
went without telling his family where
he was going, somewhat to their conster-
nation and surprise, When he returned
here he wrote to his bankers stating that
he had made arrangements enabling him
TO pay certain claims in December, the
present mouth. He was held in high es-
TEEN by the American colony here, His
house has been searched, but nothing
was discovered having reference TO the
terrible schemes to which he confessed.
Thomasson acknowledged most unhes-
itatiugly that he was the owner of the
barrel which exploded on the wharf
when the Mosel was about to start for
the United States, and that he intended
placing it on board the steamer for the
purpose of destroying her some days af-
ter she should leave Southampton, The
motive for the diabolical scheme appears
to have been to procure exaggerated and
6cticious insurance on the cargo, and to
share the profit afterward with others
whose names have not yet transpired.
According to the information now in
the possession of the police agents the
barrel was specially consteuctpd of the
strongest material by Brennan cooper,
and divided into several parts or COM
partments. Another barrel, having
large hole in one of the divisions, has
been discovered. This, it is presumed,
is the barrel in which the apparatus for
igniting the dynamite was to be placed.
1t is considered probable that he had all !
the machinery with him at the time of
the explosion. Having filed one barrel
with dynamite, his plan was to adjust |
everything so that it should be ignited |
by the Clock-work when the vessel was |
at sea after he had landed at Southamp.
ton. AS it was distinctly understood he |
was to leave the Mosel at Southampton,
and as he did not put any cargo of i'm
portance on board at Bremen, it is prob
able that he intended shipping the goods |
at the English port, 80 as to avoid all
suspicion or prevent detection.
The i'll fated Deutschland was to have
carried the hellish machine, but it was
not ready at the time she left, and hence
it's transfer to the Mosel. Had the
Deutschland escaped the Kentish Knock,
with this apparatus on board, she would |
doubtless have gone to the bottom after
going fairly to sea. !