St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-01-15
The Dynamiters Seek Revenge.
Attempt to Assassinate q Suspect in New
York.

Capt. Thomas Phelan, snperinten-
dent of the Kansas City, (Mn.) work
house, and closely identified for some
years with the Irish movement at Kan
saS City and elsewhere, was murder
Ously assaulted at ODOuOvan R0sSa's
office on Chambers street, New York,
at p. NJ, Friday, because the faithful
dynamiters think him II traitor to their
cause.
The enmity against Phelan arose
from an interview published in the
Kansas City Journal II fortnight ago,
wherein he apparently divulged secrets
of the dynamiters, and the idea of
numbering him seems to date from that
time. He was brought to the city 10y II
letter from John +. Kearney, and ar
rived only three hours before he was
attacked. When he reached the city
he at once visited Kearney's house,
452 West Twenty ninth street, and the
two went directly to O'DonOvan's of
flee. Soon after they entered, the
crowds passing were startled by the
sudden appearance on the sidewalk of
IL man bleeding from several wounds,
who fell Ia the pavement soon after he
reached it. just after him came anoth-
er man who rushed across the street
into City hall place. Officer Levy, of
the 4th precinct, was called to the spot
by the bleeding mans cries and started
after the runaway. Turning into City
hall place he saw IL man like the one
who had fled from Chambers street,
and hailed him. ''YOu're mistaken my
friend" said the man, but the officer
noticed a spot of blood on his trousers,
and, drawing his club, seized him. The
man tried to get away, and in doing SO
showed two bloody hands.
The policeman, with great trouble,
took his prisoner back to the wounded
man. 'Did this man stab you 2" asked
Levy, pointing to his prisoner. Phe
Ian raised himself 10 IL half-sitting pos
ture. and let his eye rest upon the
man. Then, quick as IL flash he drew
a pistol and fired. The policeman
grabbed for the pistol, aud let go the
prisoner who started to run. He was
soon retaken and marched to the sta
ton house, where he gave his name as
Richard Short, il butcher of SCI Tenth
avenue, and denied all knowledge of
the stabbing. When asked how the
piled insOlently, with il strong Irish
butcher That's bloody work, yer
know, guess" The wound from Phe-
lan's pistol shot was found to he slight
and the prisoner was locked up.
Meanwhile Phelan lay on the side
walk. Fireman COttrell asked him if
he should get II priest or a minister.
"No,' replied Phelan, 81 want nobody.
| belong to no religion" An ambn-
lance took the wounded man to Cham
beers street hospital, after Surgeon Kir-
by had bound up his wounds. Phean
said he was IL native of Ireland and -
years old. His clothing was cut in
several places under which there was
no wound. Four stabs in the back
were slight. two just below either
shoulder were two inches deep; u sew
emth was in the right side of his neck
another penetrated the chest, and each
arm had received il thrust. The right
arm was almost severed at the shout
der. The surgeons said the ass;Iilant
must have been very powerful man.
The patient bore the dressing of Lis
wounds bravely and afterward made
an ante mOrtem statement To Coroner
Martin. He said that OH reaching
ROssa's office, Rossa WAS not in. "A
man named Rocky Mountain O'Brien
came in while we were there. He
shook hands with me in friendly
way, and asked how | was. He then
left, and IL man whose name | think is
Barker came in with knife in his
hand. He immediately approached
and struck at me about the chest.
was seated in chair at the time, and
warded off the blow. He made more
thrusts and stabbed me several times.
| sprang to my feet and ran down
stairs. Barker followed me and cut
me again and again. On the street
Barker was brought before me. | rec
ognized him as the man who stabbed
me, and surprising he would stab me
again | shot him. PIielan said he first
met Barker Oh ret rning from Europe,
i'll August or September, i'll ROssa's of
flee, and met him there afterward.
kearney and two Other men lac did not
know were present when he was as
saulted The identity of these two
men could not be established, rs they,
with Kearney, fed when the butcher
ing began. Although stabbed and cut
in twelve different places it is now
thought Phelan will recover.
Capt. PheIan was soldier in the
war of the rebellion, serving under
Logan, and lieutenant of the Capitol
police At Washington from 1876 to
1879. He had the reputation there of
always getting the other officers into
trouble, and liked to lie the center of
SENSATIONS. After his discharge he
hung around Washington for some
time, until friends made mp a purse for
him aud he returned 10 Kansas City,
Mo, where he went into politics. He