The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-12
Possibility that Congress May Order an In
~vestigatiOn Of the Methods Pursued by
Irish-American Dynamite Plotters.
Richard Short Remanded to Await the
Result of the Victims Injuries.
Phelan Believes that lie Was Entrapped, and
that 1t Was Intended to Murder
Him-Plot Against a Steamship.
OPINION AT WASHINGTON.
Phelan's Career at the Capitai-A Congress
si0nal Inquiry Possible.

RheIan's Career at the Capital-A Congress
si0nal Inquiry Possible.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10-Tongues have been
well employed here, to-day, in commenting upon
the attempted assassination of Thomas +.
Phelan in ODonovan Rossa's Office at New York,
YESTERDAY. Phelan used 10 live here, is well
known in this city now, aud many incidents OF
his life have been recalled in opinionating upon
The subject. Phelan SVas appointed to a superin-
tendency in the Capitol police force during the
Forty-fourth Congress, and served until the end
of the Forty-ffth Congress, He came here from
Kansas City, and secured his official position
through the influence OF Representative Benja-
min Franklin, Of that district He had a wife
and three children, and at the end of his services
returned to Kansas City. He was considered by
those who served on the police force with him as
somewhat eccentric, and reckless beyond de-
gree; yet he was ever expressing concern for the
future welfare Of his family, and evinced much
affection for his wife and children. Thomas
Connolly, who is spoken Of by Pnelan, and who is
referred To in the ~latter's ante moptem state
ment, was q policeman on the Capitol force, I'M
der Phelan. Connolly is at present an employe
of the postoficc, House OF Representatives..
Speaking Of the tragedy today, he said: with
all of Phelan's reckiessness, he was continually
working upon some scheme to provide for the fu-
ture welfare of his family. After he left here
I did not see him until I met him in New York,
upon the eve of his departure to Europe. He
said he was going over to look after some prop
erty left him, but he acted in such a way that /
suspected that that was not his object in going.
Al his request I bought his ticket and arranged
fer his passage. If remember right. it was
for a trip on the steamer Queen that I made the
Imet him, both ia New York and Albany.
He told me about his trip and what had becn
done. He told me exactly the same story as is
contained in the statement which he made in
New York last evening. i asked him if he had
not feared being unable to get back to the
United States. He said that he had had no fear
on that subject whatever; his prospects were all
right. It was said at one time that Phelan was
the man who killed Carey, the informer, but
that / do not believe to be true. / asked Phelan
about ii; and he denied it emphatically, and as
sured me that he had not even the remotest
connection with Carey's death. There is one
thing about Phelan that / have never been able
to understand: He went from here, at
the expense of Mr.. Franklin, to work in the lat
ter's interest for a return to Congress. When
he got to Kansas City he worked for Crisp, his
opponent, for the nomination That I do not
understand
Phelan is a tall, well built man, Of about forty
years of age. Many Irish citizens here say that
the attack on Phelan was not SO much on ac-
count of his Interview in Kansas City, giving in
detail what he had done as a dynamiter i'll Eng
gland, but because he had threatened to tell
more st the same time. They do not approve
of the plan of summoning him to New York to
be killed, and much very harsh criticism is passed
by prominent men upon ODonavan Itossa. They
believe he is in some way culpable; that, if not
an ~accomplice. he should not have had such a
crowd about his Office, and that it looks like his
place was a rendezvous for Mountaineering
men.
DyNAMITE AND POLITICS.
It is not improbable that the affair will lead
TO a Congressional inquiry. Among Congress
men to-day there was a good deal of discussion
over the affair and its possible effect upon legis-
lation. Those who favor an extension of the
scope of the extradition treaty say that this
calls TO mind the fact that something ought to
be done to break up the dynamite societies. On
the whole, however, il seems to be the impress
sion of Congressman that the dynamiters have
nc connection with national legislation. Gov
ernor Long, of Massachusetts, expressed his hor
Tor of the dynamite policy, and added that he
thought such crimes as those in which Rosa,
Phelan ct al. were engaged only put back the
cause of ireland, which win certainly prevail if
left to an enlightened public sentiment. He
thought, however, that England's course in the
Orsini matter was such that she could not ex-
pect favorable legislation on the part of the
United States.
Mr. 0NeAh, of Missouri, said that he knew
Pheian, and did not think he was a traitor to the
Irish cause. He believed that all true friends of
Ireland would oppose the dynamite policy, and
that local self government will eventually result
from proper agitation, without murder.
Mr. Morse. of Massachusetts, says dynamite
is n good thing. and that az soon as it is'used by
ODonovan Rosa and his friends, to annihilatc
each other with, it viii have accomplished a great
good for the country. The general belief ar-
pears to be that no legislation locking TO the
punishment of the dynamite fends will be at
tempted this year.
THE ASSASSIN AND HIS VICTIM.