New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-12
Is THIS THE EBOMB-THROWER?
AN IDENTIFICATION REPORTED IN BOSTON.

HENRY L. NoRCRoss, A NOTE BROKER, HAS
BEEN MISSING FOR wEEK-HIs CLOTH
ING SAID TO BE IDENTICAL WITH
THE DYNAMITER's.
rBY TELEGRAPH THE TkIBUsE.l
Boston. Dec. 11.-This evenings Globe" says
that Henry l.. Norcross, of Somerville, note
broker having an office in Pearl-st, Boston, who
disappeared on last week Wednesday. has been
identified as the bombthrower in Russell Sage's
office. New-York detectives are in Boston.
They brought with them from New
York this morning trousers button and
portions of the trousers worn by
the bomb-thrower. as we'll as piece Of his coat
and portions of his underclothing. These were
taken to his home in Somervile this afternoon,
and the household was thrown into the
greatest excitement. The underclothing was
identified as belonging to Norcross. On
the trousers of the dead man were buttons Dear
ing the print Brooks, tailor. Boston, The
pieces Of clothing were taken to Mr.. Brooks's
store this afternoon. There it positively as
serted that the concern had made for Henry L.
Norcross coat OF the cloth presented, and also
a pair of trousers of the same cloth as the other
piece furnished by the detectives. The button
was also identified as a peculiar one used by this
tailor.
Henry L. Norcross, who certainly has not been
seen at his place Of business, and has not been
home to Somerville since before the day, week
ago, on which the life of Russell Sage was at
tempted, is man about twcnty-eight years oiu'
TJo was graduated from the Somerville Hlsh
School. While in that school he was
q remarkably fine student, standing aimoso
constantly at the head of his class Since his
graduation he has conducted note brokerage
business, at first in Mil<-st, but for some '''ne
past at No 12 Pearl-st. Reporters have oeen a'
work on the case all the evening, and what they
learned seems to confirm the report that NorcioS'
was the man who threw the bomb.
Charles C. Hill, cutter employed by Waiter =;
Brooks. the tailor mentioned, was seen, ahu s'i'
that NoIcross was customer OF their house' anu
had been for some tine He was always quiet,
gentlemanly person, and one whom ne cum
not conceive as identical with the New-Iork
dvnamiter Mr.. Hill said he had recognized the
ooods taken to the store to-day similar to those
which had been sold to Norcross last October The
goods were striped black and white, OF rather
ncculiar pattern but wore without doubt sold
bv other houses than Mr. Brooks The goods
vpre entered on the books by numbers,
and the number of this piece corresponded
with that entered against the name OF
Norcross. Buttons marked with the name
of Brooks were put on his trousers
and one Of these buttons so marked
was found with the remains Of the dead
man. 1t was not impossible that Mr.. Norcross'
after selecting these goods, might have come III
and changed them while the numbers were al
lowed to remain, but no one in the store remem-
bered that he did make such change. In
August Norcross also bought coat and waist
coat of black diagonal material, OF pattern
common to all tailors. These also correspond
with the remnant of the coat 1ound
on the body of the dead man in New-York. Mr..
Hill said he was unable TO recognize the pictures
published in the New-York papers. They did not
look like Norcross, but he had not seen him.
however, since he had grown beard.
Interviews with several people in Somerville
who knew Norcross develop the fact that he was
generally regarded as harmless but rather
eccentric man. lie is spoken Of as extremely head
strong, and a man who would not easily be
turned aside from purpose once liked
A Journal reporter called at the house
OF the Norcross family tonight, but they
refused to see him. Mrs. NOrcross, it was said,
was in ignorance of the alleged connection OF her
son with the bomb-throwing, and supposed that
he had been killed in railroad disaster. The
father of the young man, however, is said TO be
aware of the report, and it is also said that
he believes his son the man who threw the
bomb This cannot be verified, however The
authority for the statement is woman who
lives in one part of the house occupied by the
NOrcross family .e
1t is impossible tonight TO make the identlii-
cation absolutely perfect, but there seems to be
good reason to believe that Norcross was the man
who blew off his own head while endeavoring to
force Russell Sage to give him large sum OF
money
II was said at police headquarters last nighr that
nothing was known there about the NorcroSs story
All the detectives Of Inspector Byrness san were III
the city end accounted for all day, 1t was taid, ana
net one of them had gone Ito Boston with any
portions OF the bombthr0wer's clothing.