Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-01-10
The Central Figure in a Great
Tragedy.
A FENIAN LEADER KILLED
A Decided Sensation in a New York
Editorial Room Last
. Evening.
DETAILS OF THE AFFAIR,

is located the Offices of 0'Donoyan Rosa
and the United Irishman. In q few seconds
afterward q man covered with b'ood totter-
ed down the stairs to the hallway and sank
on the front stoop, while his blood covered
the sidewalk in stream. The most intense
excitement took pace and crowds hoeked
to the scene. Several officers rushed up,
and seeing few men making toward
Chamber street and the City Hall, followed
them. One of them,
A Tall Man
was captured and brought back to where
the dying man was lying.
"Is this the man who stabbed your
asked the officer.
"Yes, that is the man" was the reply.
"But by heavens if Pm going to die, I'll die
game, and there will be two of us.
With that, and before the bystanders
could realize his intentions he drew a re-
yolyer and fred two shots in quick success
sion at the man standing before him.
One of the balls took effect in the thigh of
his would-be murderer. This still further
increased the excitement and the neighbor-
hood became wild with all sorts of rumors.
The man who was stabbed proved to be
Captain Thomas Phelan, of Kansas City,
aged 45, and his assailant who he says
stabbed him. gave his name as Richard
Short, of SCI Tenth avenue. The ambu-
lance was summoned and Phelan' was
taken to the Chambers Street Hos
pital dying. BE is stabbed in the neck
and breast and several other places. There
were rumors that he gave away some Sc
named Schmidt, who has a composing-room
on the same floor as Rossa's room, says:
Il wasI at my work; suddenly heard q
noise in Rossa's Office with the upcetting of
a table followed by loud angry words and
curses. This continued for some seconds,
when something heavy was thrown against
the wall, A man cried out something that
sounded like help" but | am not sure
whether that was the word or not. Then
door was
Banged Open
and four men ran down stairs each trying
to push the other out of his way Blood
was trickling down the face of the last man.
They were half down the stairs when the
man with the blood trickling down his face
got the Iead OF the others. then ran to
and opened the window in our Office which
looks out on Chamber street. Then | saw
the man with the blood on his face fall on the
sidewalk, put his hand to his hip pocket,
pull out a revolver and fire at one of the
vrk,oh I foil
/ did not get good look at him. think
he must have been shot because he pulled
up his coat, placed his hand to his breast
and stepped forward as if going to fall.
A policeman standing on the coraer caught
him BY the shoulder and arrested him. A
great crowd of people gathered around the
man lying on the sidewalk. Several fire
men came running down the street and did
something for him in the way Of dashing wa
ter in his face aud giving hun whisky.
did you see O'Donovan Rosa among
the four men?' Mr. Schmidt was asked.
II can't say that didT'
The police claim to have letter from
Rosa to the wounded man, telling him to
come on to New York-to his Office, that he
had important business for him..
Phelan was asked by Fireman Cottrell if
he wanted minister or priest, NO, he
replied. 81 don't want anybody. | don't
believe in any religion. / am follower OF
Bob IngersOl.
The news of the stabbing and shooting
spread rapidly, and inquiries were made on
all sides as to who Phelan and Short were.
Phelan appeared to be known to many men
identified with several Irish revolutionary
societies. Rosa was condemned bya mum,
Der of his ompstriots for giving publication
in his paper this week to an interview print
ed in the Kansas City Journal, purported
to be had with Phelan, giving
a detailed account of the operations
Dynamiters In England.
Threats were made against Rossa's life and
it is said his immediate friends had deter
mined to form body guard to protect him.
ShoSt, it was said, came to this country with
the man who, in the summer OF 1887, shot
at Jim McDermott in Captain Ryans
saloon, on Chambers street. He is said to
be native of Cork, where he was one Of the
leaders in the movement directed by D Don
oyan Rosa.
Phelan was one of the originators Of the
Skirmishing Fund, and was at one time
suspected of being the famous mo. l. men
toned by Informer Cary in his evidence.
He has been an Irish Nationalist all his
life and has always been prominent in
revolutionary movements. Short is said
TO be one of the IIishmau, who was driven
to this country by the treachery OF Jem Nc
Dermott, Of Brooklyn, who is now believed
to he in the pay Of the British Government.
Phelan was cut in the breast and neck.
One arm was nearly cut from the shoulders.
Surgeons say his assailant must have been
a very powerful man. The patient showed
great fortitude while his wounds
were being dressed. In his ante mortem
stotement said: 0nlast Sunday q week an
interview between myself and the editor Of
the Kansas City Journal was published in
the Journal / afterwards received
letter from John I. Kearney ask
ing me to come to this city,
/ telegraphed him | would be here January
Sth. When / arrived called on Kearney
and together we went to O'Donovon RoSsa's
Office. Rosa was not in. A man named
"Rocky Mountain" o Brien came in while we
werethere. he shook hands in friendly way.
he then left and 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 the
chair at the time and warded of the blow.
He mademor thrusts and stabbed me seve-
raj tines | sprsng to my feet and ran
down stairs. Barker followed me and cut
me again and again. On the street Barker
wsg brought before me. ] recognized him
as the man who stabbedme Kearney and
two other men were present when was as
saulted." -
O'Donoyan Rosa came to his Office after
nightfan and pretended ignorance Of the
whole affair. When told man had been
hacked to pieces in his Office he smiled in
credulously. Afterwards he asked for full
particulars He was told to go to the sta
t;on house for information. and he suddenly