The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-02-19
His Doings and Where
abOutS Since 1878. 4.
HIS LA ST WORD S
The Fellows in New York Are
Guilty"


much OF 1t is already known to you shall give in the
following only the new results of the German nqurers
The Bremen authorities in making the report public do
with the expressed intention Of putting an end to
the many false reports which have gained insertion in
the public prints, and with desire to Alay public
curiosity the subject They also wish to induce
civil authorities, insurance companies and private per-
sons send to them any information they may pos
sess without waiting for special request
rHR oYYIcIAL STATEMENT.
After describing the of transportation Of the
dynamite to the steamer at Bremerhaven the report
goes to say that the barrel was delivered by w. K
Thomas that weighed 450 kiogrammes; that its con-
tents we're declared be eduiare, and that was in
sured with the North German Lloyd Company for the
sum OF 900 marks Ii addressed as follows
{ e, r. sis. Charles ). Harvey.
| 3~~~.>>>-~-~~-,3 In bonded St Georges
| %3r~o~>.~~~eN>~e<~~>s~~~s>~<%
On the afternoon Of the 1lth Of December the cabin
steward of the hosel announced to the police that
one Of the cabin passengers, American named
Thomas who had taken passage to Southampton, had
attempted commit suicide in his cabin, but had only
succeeded INJECTING wounds upon himself In
consequence Of which he taken to the hospital
Thomas had arrived by the extra train which brings
passengers from Bremen TO Bremerhaven and had not
been injured by the explosion After the catastrophe
i
restless excited board the ship He locked himself
In his cabin and being heard in that direction
the door broken open and he found weltering
in his blood. The contents OF his trunk lay strewn
around. Under the divan was found small revolver,
from which II was seen two'shots had been fired Let
tiers from his wife were found in his pocket from
which 1t appeared that his family resided Strehlen
near Dresden, and that Mrs Thomas without
money and under the pressure of tradesmen and also
in great anxiety in consequence OF the Unexpectedly
long absence of her husband from home The letters
showed further that he had business connections with
Messrs Barring Brothers, of London, and that in
former years he had large standing to his
credit with that firm; but that in July, 1875,
he was Indebted to them In the sum Of
ESQ, and for this reason bill drawn
in Linz in September 1875, for clio, not
copied There also discovered receipt OF the for
warding department Of the steamship company at
Bremen, according to which II appeared that on the
25th of November 1875, he had a heavy bar
REL weighing about 500 kilogrammes which had arrived
by the steamer Rhein The wounded man had about
f20 English money and eighty marks had written
the following letter to the Captain of the Mosel:-
LETTER
Please send this money you find in my pocket GO
pounds sterling so marks German money!
My wife resides at IA Resdenz street, Strehlen by
Dresden. What have seen to-day cannot Stand
W. K THOMAS
THOMAS CONFESSIONS.
Thomas died on the afternoon OF the 10th December
having since the calamity nearly always behaved as II
stunned although sometimes he showed himself clearly
conscious. During the examination by the police he
was very reserved and evasive and his confessions
were only obtained with great difficulty What he
said one day he would deny the next, asseveratng
that he had not rightly understood the question The
admissions which he made folows;-he called
himself W. K Thomas though his name was really
! william King Thomson He born in 1880, in
Brooklyn and the son of German parents who emf
grated from Hamburg. and aiterward lived in Virginia
He had a number OF brothers, Protestant married.
the father OF ave children, of whom one was dead.
He had in earlier life been captain OF o
ship, and had in such capacity CON-
handed the Old Dominion, which a one time be-
longed to him. He had run the blockade during the
American civil war, taken prisoner and fed che
South, where he went by the name OF Thomas he was
married in ST. Louis ef eleven years ago
for Europe He attempted to shoot himself because az
he said he lost his fortune by bad speculation BE
had received a barrel from America by the steamer
Rhein the contents OF which he had put into newer
barrel This change OF barrels made the stable
OF Dr. Foerke in Bremen and during the transfer the
doors closed. He said the barrel contained pol
shng paste packed in tin cases. which he had bought
in New York from George Moors No. 70 Broadway,
| and that the barrel was sent to him by Skid.
more the broker, whose person he described
very infinitely. He Thomson) had returned to Ger
| many by the steamer Frisa In the barrel which he
had packed Bremen he had placed PARTITION in the
middle OF which was a hole. In one Of the spaces be
had deposited kind OF clock which he had purchased
from KOCH a clockmaker OF Bernbury, and for which
he had paid 100 thalers Ho had himself placed pow.
der around the hole and spring within the box
CONFUSING coNrRADrc
Later Thomson contradicted the above statements,
| saying that he mechanic, that there was no
clock in the BARREL that he had placed the partition
there because no had not enough material TO oil the
space On being asked afterward the reason for his
sending the barrel he would not give
any clear information but frequently init
mated that he intended it for purposes
OF swindling and that goods to be shipped
at Southampton He knew that the contents Of the
barrel dangerous; that all he knew. The
Kerls" in New York had packed IT, and they we're 10
share the proceeds with skdmore. He once admitted
that he intended explode after days This he
also acrward denied asserting that he knew nothing
OF the contents OF the BARREL that he
people thought; that his conscience did prick him.
although he knew he must die He said occa-
sion that Sddmore expected 10 him in London n
the Charng Cross Hotel, where he Thomas) was "a
take the goods Again he contradicted himself and said
that Sktdmore was In New York; that he expected
letter from him with instructions relating the goods
and boxes coming from New York. skidmoro the
only accompllce he named, and he frequently do
nounced him He spoke frequently Of his business
connections with Barng Brothers. said that last sum
mer had drawn upon them for Eloo and stll N
connection with them he also mentioned his family
very onen, especially his children for whom be
seemed to have tender regard He displayed no re-
morse or penitence although number Of persons in
jured by the explosion lay around him. His last dis
tngushable words we're. ~ Aavs been aick-hedd
The feLors in NeO Fork gully"
THOMAS EARLY HISTORY
The early life OF Thomas Is not yet very clearly be
fore u.s. the American researches having been com
pleted The statements OF his wife only take Us bacl