Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-01-13

o'ooNovAN RossA HEARD FROM
He Says PheIan Should Have Been
Killed Outr.ght-Ciaio1s President
Arthur Knew he Was Spy.

NEW YOsK. Jan. l2.-ROssa's Offices was
closed all the morning, bat reporter met
Rosa IN che stseet-car ana asked il be
thought trap was set for Phelan by Short
and other dgnamiters. Rossa answered,
"No SIR, Phelan deserved All he got He
should have been killed outright. have
suspected Phsan for long time. When he
wrote 10 me four months ago for money and
a iist OF my Kansas City subscribers, didn't
want him To suspect that had my suspicious
OF him, 80 | sent a friendly letter containing
partial list, bat no money. de can talk as
he likes about MS errands to and from
this country, bat | know that President
Arthur had IN his possession papers that
proved Phelan % be a British spy. he Is an
other jim McDernOtt. Richard Short dId
Just right IA what he did, although II turns
out that lt would have Usen a pity had no
died without priest, as his belief II akin TO
lngersOliisln. However, he ~ not dead and
when be talks about shooting / amt afraid
OF hiln, and III tell him so.
was he not cJmmtsaIOled by the dyna-
miters 10 70 10 England Iu 1851
Tie was, and betrayed then.' The theory
that Phelan was he'd by other men while
Short made the attack ON him, finds many
believers. Shorts friends are busy in pre-
paEing piausioie story of
self-dstense for him. but have
rather OverdOne the matter. kearneys
statement agrees with thelan's. OBrien
and ne were the only persons, except the prin-
eID..ts; IA the room wnen the attack began.
tie sticks 10 the story OF hot words and the
motion by fhelan toward his pistol pocket
a the immediate aggravatIon OF the attack.
O'Brien, on the other hand, says there were
several persons IN the room at the time, but
does noL name then. It ~ surmised that
these additional persons may materIaliZe IN
the event OF Shorts defense needing the
bolstering OF hard swearing. Considerable
comment has been excited by the fact that
50 many of Phelans Kansas City friends
should De n the city at the time he came
here. 10 Il intimated that Phelan came
expecting trouble, and that his enemies
got the better of him. prominent
nationalist to-day gave the following
version OF CIRCUMSTANCES leading up to the
stabblng: Phelan went 10 England to blow
mp the Prince Albert Memorial Monument,
and 20 do this was furnished with $1,000
Jim McDermOtt, informer, heard of bis de-
parture; TO lowed and met him IN England
before leaving this country McDermott was
gwen banquet IN Brooklyn, at which it
was intended Rosa should be present, bat
Instead, be sent the following: My dear
Jim am very sorry / can't see you off
Give my regards 20 the boys. ROssA."
IL was afterwards shown that McDermott
took this letter with him. When he met
Phelan IN England he exclaimed: "What,
yen here toof' In reply Phelan
asked McDermOtt where he was going.
de said be was going 10 Cork. Phelan re-
marked that he was glad of it, as he had
something for him To do. To make himself
all right, McDermott showed Captain Rossa's
note. Phelan IN turn, handed McDermott
letter addressed TO Shorts niece. The letter
was really intended for Short: was IN cypher
and relative to dynamite, which PheIan says
was secreted near Castle Island, in Kerry.
McDermOtt took the letter aud on the way
opened Il and took a copy of il; told Shorts
niece he wanted 10 see Short. They met,
and the infOrmer again displayed the note,
which satisfied Short that McDermott was
an agent from Rosa The up
shot vas that Featherstone Deasy,
Oherlihy and others were betrayed
Short, when he reached this country, found
out how McDermott got the letter. Captain
Phelan. when he got back, was regularly
tried by the organization, but was acquitted.
IL being proved that he was misled. This is
the secret how McDermOtt got into the or
ganization IN Ireland Rossa in the United
frtshmdH will publish tomorrow long
editorial defending himself and In denunci-
alton of the English government, primarily,
and Phelan. incidentally 1t says; ave
now make charge against England. She
and her agents have been Matching up dyna-
mite coDspiracies in America, and En- glands
agents IN America have been paying money
% agents % engage in the work We are
able 90 prove the truth of the charge, and
are ready for trial. But we will tell Presi-
dent Arthur and tell the American press and
people that we want no such sham white 1
washing inquiry "a was that which was held
last year, when ia the case of spies O'Brien
and NicDermott. we made the charge that
these English spies had the run Of New York
postOflice. We want general Congressional
inquiry. where everything relating TO
O'Brien's case and M~Dermott's case, and
this ease OF the man Phelap may be laid
bare too.