Episode Details

Alexander Keith Jr.: The Dynamite Fiend of the Civil War

In the turbulent shadows of the American Civil War, Alexander "Sandy" Keith Jr. emerged as one of the most cunning and deadly con artists of the 19th century—a Scottish-born Canadian smuggler, Confederate secret agent, and cold-blooded mass murderer whose insatiable greed left a trail of devastation across continents.

Posing as a respectable merchant while secretly working for the Confederacy, Keith orchestrated elaborate insurance fraud schemes that culminated in one of the deadliest acts of domestic terrorism in history. In 1864, he masterminded the bombing of the SS Ericssson and other vessels, using barrels of "coal" that were actually packed with gunpowder and a deadly new explosive—resulting in the deaths of nearly 100 innocent passengers and crew in a horrific explosion that shocked the world.

But Keith’s reign of terror didn’t end with wartime sabotage. Fleeing justice and assuming new identities, he continued his life of deception, bigamy, and betrayal—marrying multiple women while abandoning or endangering them in his relentless pursuit of wealth. His tangled web of deadly "relationships" and fraudulent schemes finally unraveled in 1875 when, cornered by authorities in Germany, the Dynamite Fiend took his own life rather than face the gallows.

On this episode of Hitched2Homicide, we dive deep into the chilling true story of Alexander Keith Jr.—a man who weaponized love, loyalty, and explosives in the name of profit. From his Confederate spy games and insurance scams to the personal betrayals that destroyed lives on both sides of the Atlantic, uncover how one man’s ambition turned marriages, friendships, and entire ships into instruments of death. With meticulous research, victim stories, and the historical context of a nation torn apart by war, this is a must-listen for true crime fans fascinated by larger-than-life villains and the human cost of unchecked greed.

Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and historical trauma. Listener discretion is advised.

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