The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-11
CAPTAIN PHELAN'S STORY.
The 5ist OF the Story Told by Captain
Phelan and Published In the Kan
sas City JournAI-Whieb Led
tn His Being Stabbed.

KANSAS CITY, Jan. 10.--The interview with Cap
tain Phelan, heretofore mentioned, which was
publ ished in the Journal OF this city on Decern-
Der q, is devoted chiefly 80 sbe relation OF plot
to blow up the steamer Queen aud 0 description
of the manner OF manipulating their mysterious
dynamite machine. The story, rs told by the
Captain, Is substantially as follows. In Jane.
1858, he made voyage 10 Europe 10
secure information which would prevent
the extradition of P. J. Sheridan the gress
irish agitator, snJ his removal 10 England. lie
visited Paris and accomplished his mission.
Meanwhile. however. the British Government
abandoned the effort to extradite Shen dan and
the matter was dropped. Continuing the story.
Phelan said that before leaving New York nc met
8 number OF sgitators, among them John P. Kesr-
ney who blew mp the CALIFORNIAN Railway Station
81 Glasgow and sfterward escaped TO America.
he sailed IN the Belgravis, and kesrney
Queen, ana they were . meet Ia Ed.
inbuTg. BE knew that it was the
plan 10 blow up the Queen after the passengers
Edinburg Phelsn asked Kesrney why nc had not
carried out the latter. he replied he had placed
sufficient quantity OF dynamite TO blow I'D the
pyramids in the vessels hold, but when The ship
arrived at Liverpool she anchored in the stream,
and the passengers were taken ashore IN tender.
Kearney was not permitted 10 20 into the hold, 50
he came away, leaving In the vessel
fifteen pounds Of Dynamite. which would
probably explode in about two wees
peril hundreds Of lives. Phelan determined to
go TO Liverpool and warn the officers. Kearney
protested 1t would be suicidal. Pnelan. however.
persisted and visited the Queen and In
formed the officers, and learned they had received
cable message iron New York fifteen minutes
led to the discovery Of the explosive and saving
the vessel. Phelan renistned day or two il
sHns Ss 5g ss
approached By Inspector Marsh, OF Liver
pool, and head Constable Murphy, of Ire
land; also by Mr.. Jenkinson, who had charge Of
the criminal prosecutions In ireland, al Of whom
tried TO get him into the service OF the Govern
ment They told him the names of several pre-
Government anc he began TO see how the author
tiles secured some OF their information. He could
not con lecture now they discoTerea ne 0aeen
o'Donovan Rosa, Kearney aud himself be sup
posed some one had dropped upon keerney's
eladins eaai IN his Nsm narrative. Ss PhsIan said n he
was finally permitted 20 les7e Liverpool. When
he arrived ct Glasgow he found his valiscs mad
been broken open and searched: DONE ne thought,
by q man who introduced himself in Edinburg as
James Powers, and whom Phelan believed was
British detective: Eno asa 81 shadowea aim no. rom
Bdenee. Kearney had 10 lay ye-y low, but Phelsn
succeeded finally IN getting him OF 70 England by
disgusting himself as Kearney and throwing the
What" asked the reporter, was Kearneys
OBJECT in attempting to blow up the steamer
England little, was the reply.
The Captain described the mechanism OF the
deadly battery. The machine Is simple, but
works with fatal precision. IL consists OF reser
yoir OF acid. which drips upon tube enyeloped
IN sheets OF tissue paper. II takes minnie for
the acid 10 eat through each sheet OF paper. In
this case 10 sheets were wrapped around tue
tube, When the last sheet is eaten through the
acid runs down the fube and upon the percussion
cap beneath. and then comes The explosion. TIE
machine is noiseless and almost infallible IN Us
working sf terrible injury.
Speaking Of himself, the Captain said that
he was dynamiter out and out, he belonged %
the xrjsh National Society and oDetient 70
their call, having participated In many OF their
plans for terroyizine the English Government
He determined TO return 70 Liverpool zoa s6ye
the Queen IL order % proJecs sae liyos Of me