The New York herald., 1876-02-21
THE DYNAMITE HORROR.
The Strange Story Of
Thomas Wife.
Her Ignorance Of His Early
History.
WAS THE FlEND A MONOMANlAC Z

astrousy at Bremerhaven. At the time a HERALD
reporter called upon her and an interview
ranged the lady promising disclose her knowledge
OF Thomas and his anecedents and to make whatever
statements might tend establish his somewhat
voved identity. She received the reporter and in
reply to his questions touching her husband she
roborated the statements published in the HEEALDs
London letter. She said:-
ITO me he was always known as William Thomson
Under that name he married me and by 1t he was
known to all the acquaintances he made the Con-
tinent He seemed to speaking much Of
his early life, but he gave me TO understand
that he born in Brooklyn and that
his people lived in Petersburg Va HIS father he
said English, his mother Scotch and OF her have
frequently heard him speak OF the greatest
affection and reverence. Once, however, he told me
that his name was Alexander and that he was led to
conceal 1t from his being engaged in blockade running
at the time Of the He always spoke Of the
and OF military life he had been conversant with
them, but fancy his knowledge OF both somewhat
superficial OF his means and resources knew little
He never engaged in any business to my knowl-
edge but am led to believe that he had passion for
speculating. At one time remember his showing me
$75 600 in bonds but that the only instance OF his
giving an inkling Of the resources he commanded"
THOMAS HABITS DISPOSITION
Speaking OF Thomas habits ana disposition his
wife SAID He was essentially man OF quiet dispo
ston Most of his time spent at home, and he
seemed to delight in nothing much as chatting and
playing with his children. He was very proud, made
few acquanances, and although 1ovial In company he
always preserved a strict decorum and reserve. He
no drinker, nor did he smoke much, and never
remember having seen signs OF intoxcation upon
him."
From the subsequent conversation the reporter was
led believe that Thomas and likings during
the ten years OF his married life In many instances
vored Of insanity. His passion for ,perusing
tional stories OF murder and havoc his morbid APP
petite for tales of blood, and the unaccountabe
longing Tor scenes OF carnage which prompted
anxiety
and TO visit battle fields from whose horrors the
bravest might shrink, all seemed to indicate that
Thomas essentially monomanac His wife states
that during the Franco -Prussan war he conceived
most bitter and unaccounable hatred for the Germans
AT times he would utter the widest denunciatons of
them, and, when excited, would make the maddest
threats and express toward them the deepest detesta
tion.
SHE MEErs THE MYSTERIOUS MAN
Mrs. Thomas gave the following story OF her life from
the time of meeting her husband:-Durng the summer
OF 1865 Mrs Thomas then young gir was stopping at
little country village in illinois. 1t is quiet
questered spot shut oil from the world by great tracts
of woodland and ranges of hills which, from the ad-
vantages they offered sportsmen drew together quite
number OF foreign pleasure-seekersl The population
Of the place was up principally of French and
Germans and only an occasional American ever So
journed at II very long During her residence here
there 10 the house at which she boarding
English looking gentleman suffering from rheuma
tism He tall, broad shoudered, with ruddy
complexion and protusion OF light brown hair This
was Thomas. Why he came there he did not d.
vulge but hnted to the young girl into whose company
he necessarily thrown that he had been blockade
of-theway place Their acquaintance ripened, and in
the autumn of the year she became his WIFE They
first took up their abode in ST. Louis and lived there
for while, Thomas devoting himself entirely to his
bride and forming associations outside his hoteL All
this time he talked necessarily about his adventures
the war, often expressing fear that pursuers whom he
dreaded would get upon ms track At night, too his
sleep troubled, and he frequently started up,
claiming that the dagger OF had been his
throat One night in the middle of winter while all
the residents of the hotel asleep, there came a
knock at the door, which Thomas rose from his bed to
N a q
himself and, without any explanation, departed Days
passed away, and Mrs Thomas neither nor heard
anything of her absent husband until the thought that
he had deserted her began TO dawn upon her. She
waited patiently, however, and one day he back
suddenly as he had departed, and told her
that he had narrowly escaped with his life
and that she must prepare TO leave ST. Louis once
That afternoon they took the train for New YORK
travelled day and night IN the most severe weather till
they reached IT, SO intense had been the cold and
exhaustive the excitement Of the trip that Mrs.
Thomas had 10 be conveyed to her hotel In almost
numb condition. and had have restoratives applied
Immediately on her ARRIVAL But delay would be
suffered The steamer Hermann, of the Bremen line
was sail couple Of days and her they lett for
Europe the 18th of January, 1866 After twelve
days' passage they reached Bremen and from il pro-
ceeded Dresden where they resided months
Once IN Europe the fear OF some impending danger
seemed TO leave Thomas, and he became the bud,
joval fellow which the acquaintances he made there
have since described him to be. Most of his
time spent at home and he delighted TO visit all
points OF interest about the city and Its suburbs the
company OF his wife and TO describe them with truth
fulness and facility which must have been the OF
very reading. While here he Joined the
American Club and became a iavorite with OF the
members, his genial hunor and generosity which al
ways distinguished him recommending HIM to them
all At this time the Austrian drawing a
close, and day aer day Thomas occupied himself only
with the newspapers Before this and during his
dence In America nothing so pleased him as perusal
OF the papers and for narratives of murders battles
and sudden death he had special zest SO absorbed
would he become at times in this reading
that he would lose control OF himself and
about scenes Of bloodshed described IN
il as though he were mad When the accounts of tile
last battles OF the Austrian got into print sudden
desire seized Thomas to visit these fields of carnage,
and while his wife still suffering from Illness aud
grief for the loss Of a child he caused her ride
his company along the tho contendng armies
taken IN the last campaign. over every field where
the havoc had been greatest they went, and al
though the man evinced wish TO conceal from his wife
Of the horrors spread along the way, he seemed
TO goat over the awful sights ana 70 be oblvious to
anything but them Very hurried preparations had
been made this strange Journey and so when they
passed through districts where the villages had been
burned and the heds devastated they suffered intensely
from thirst and fatigue but this would deter him
from continuing on his route. Strangely Inconsistent
with this morbid passion for looking upon death in It's
most revolving aspect his conduct visiting hos
pitfalls where the wounded brought He conversed
with them encouraged them and frequently wept
them; and when he saw the dead borne by their
rades TO their last repose his eyes would Gil with tears
aud he would keep repeating "Poor fellows, pity
them" On his return to Dresden the doctor attend
Ing hrs vile reproachcd him with the Jolly OF his Jonr-
ney saying II the act OF crazy man; which he
became thoughtful, and dcsisted for a while from
speaking OF the horrors he had the way.
THE HOME DRESDEN.
In short time Thomas announced his Intention Of
going TO America He hired house in the suburbs Of
Drcsden bade an afectonaie farewell 10 his family
and corrcspouded with them far he was able on
thc way. His stay in America very brief as he ne
turned on the steamer which had taken him there.
He had telegraphed his arrival on reaching Bremen
and on the night when she expected him Mrs Thomas
sat up awaiting him UNTIL by fatigue she Tell
asleep. Suddenly she awakened by loud knocks
on the door, and voice she recognized as her hus-
bands threatening and swearing. She opened the
door and he camo into the room, flushed angry and
with strange wild look IN his taco she had never seen
before From that time he his good humor avoided
his friends and sat apart, gloomy, taciturn and dis
posed 10 resent any disturbance whatever HIS chill
dren, too, whom he had formerly delighted to fondle
were now neglected and no effort OF his wiles could
dispel his settled melancholy. He was also subject TO
hts oil dizziness, and when questioned about
II said he had had touch Of sunstroke :
but would soon recover and entreated to be
lelt 70 ms own lhoughls a marked characterlst.c