New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-19
THE DYNAMITE DRvILIsMs.
etateme Of Eye Witnesses.

THE DYNAMITE DEvlLIsMS.
Statements Of Eye Witnesses.
/ The country has hardly recovered from
the first effect Of the horrid telegraphic dis
patches detailing the unexpected tragedy Of
an explosion on the wharf of the Weser
and the subseQuent suicide of the diabolic
miscreant who created the cause. In brief,
the story, as given by telegraph. is this.
The steamship Mosel laid alongside the
wharf at Bremerhaven taking in passengers
and freight for New York. This is the sea-
port of Bremen for large vessels; those
not drawing more than thirteen or fourteen
feet 90 to the city. Bremerhaven is an i'm
portant outport. and solidly built, especially
it's wharves. When the Mosel was nearly
loaded a terrific explosion was heard, and
the cable brought the news that the boilers
of the tug Simpson had exploded. Later
dispatches the same day said there was a
suspicion of dynamite. The next day
brought crazy dispatches confusing each
other as we'll as the reader, but in the end
informing the public that the disaster was
caused by the premature explosion of an in
fernal machine, designed by man named
Thomas, or something like it, who was then
dying from the effects of wounds inflicted
by himself. The appalling story was circu-
lated that this man was only one of large
body of confederates who proposed to make
it the business of their lives to destroy ves-
sells in midocean, and that this premature
explosion had merely precipitated dis
closure without removing the danger.
This terrible idea has been effectually dis
PEELED. The man Thomas had confederates,
but their object was money and not muir
der, except as incidental to success. Bogus
merchandise was largely insured, and the
internal machine was calculated to destroy
the vessel and all on board Of her in mid
ocean. These conclusions are authorized
by subsequent dispatches from Bremen.
But there are now in this city some eye
witnesses of the terrible tragedy. Nearly
all of the officers of tie steamship Straes-
bourg lately arrived from Bremen. Cap
tain j. Barre, his chief officers, A. Hage-
mann, Maurer and Ohrt and DR.. DeMount,
the surgeon, all saw something Of the ter
rible catastrophe.
Their impressions at the first warning
were like those of hundreds of others. A
sudden, startling shock for which they could
assign no cause, which seemed to do its
work, in an inconceivably small period of
time, which for an instant during which
they knew not which way to turn, made
them speechless, which the next instant as
sured them they were uninjured and in
spired them to go to the aid Of humanity,
were their first sensations. Then some saw
the white smoke curling up from the wharf
and naturally found themselves connected
with others who were Fastening to give re-
lief.
Within the immediate neighborhood all
windows were shattered and some houses
shaken on their firm foundations. For few
seconds the shrieks Of women were heard,
but they were soon calmned and their tender
hands contributed much to relieve those
whose lives had been spared though re-
ceiving fearful injuries. At this time no
one knew the cause Of tho terrible thing
that reused the town.
What those who had courage enough to
rush to the scene saw, may be told briefly,
thus: The wharf is composed of piles and
sand, solidly built, and over this firm
foundation a solid pavement Of granite
blocks of large size is laid. The first thing
that confronted the officers of the Strass
bourg was this pavement driven six feet
into it's eolid support, and mingled with the
frsgments of stone were clothes and blood
and bones. The terrible opening-terrible
because it showed the power Of the agent
that caused it-was at least ten feet in d.
ameter. at was more like" said Mr.. Hsg
emsn, "your coffee cup, but the sight
around was horrid." Every one near by
was killed. There were some miraculous
escapes, but they must be told when the en-
tire tale is presented. Around this gasping
evidence of mans deviltry were limbs and
arms and heads and feet and flesh and
blood torn from the victims. Fifty six
bodies were collected to be buried. Many
If them we're recognized only by a ring,
or the like, and of them seven
collections Of arms and legs and bodies
we're buried without a name, because no
me could identify them. Besides this there
we're many that were blown into the river,
ls those saw who happened to be looking
hat way at the time, as if they had been
hot from q gun.
There were many affecting incidents that |
afternoon. Language fails to describe the
of the crime, but the recital of one |
# twenty similar cases is an index OF the |
rxth. Two sailors took hold of the shoul-
lers of one unfortunate, who seemed to
ave been killed by the force Of the explo- |
ion, to place him in his coffin. A noble |
silor, . captain, attempted to aid them by |
aising his feet. To his horror q foot re- |
NAMED in his hand, so utterly was the body |
battered.
There are many more inciden ts Of like
there are many moro showing
mt both may now be permitted to pass
way. The de ed contemplated was not
More than fifty lives have
cen wantonly destroyed, but the good God
as destroyed their assassin. He can do no
lore harm. His was new crime, unheard
before, bat it can never be repeated. A
ombination of insurance and steamship
Dmpanies prevents that.
The utterly uncomfortable villain who
tanned the stupendous crime was reward
by death more agonizing than that of