Morris tribune., 1885-01-14
PHELAN'S FOEMAN.
A PROMINENT lNvlNcIBLE CARVED By
A BUTCHER,
Because He Submitted Too Freely to the
Insinuating Reporter-The Attack
Made in Rossa's Ofice--supposed
Cause of the Trouble.

Insinuating Reporter-The Attack
Made in Rossa's onice--supposed'
Cause of the Trouble.
NEW York, Jan. 10. - Capt Thomas
Phelan, prominent Fenian leader and local
official of Kansas City, occupied cot in the
Chamber street hospital Saturday morning,
and appeared nearing dissolution. Pursuant
to summons from John F. Kearney,
Phelan reached this city Friday under the
impression that he was wanted for consulta-
tion on some scheme for Ireland's benefit.
Having called upon Kearney, the pair re-
paired to O'Donovan Rossa's office,
where one "Rocky Mountain" O'Brien
and Richard Short, known as the
"Avenger" in the dynamite gang, were met.
Without warning of any kind Short drew a
large knife and began slashing at Phelan,
| infiicting altogether seven frightful wounds,
which have left him, as the surgeons say
the worst cut up man that ever came under
their hands" Short was promptly arrested
and identified by his victim, whose ante
mortem examination elected the foregoing
| facts. .
The present theory as to the cause of the
assassination is that his recent freedom OF
press and otherwise has given offense to his
collea CUES, and that he was lured to New
York to be murdered. ....-...-..-..... g.
Inquiring at the hospital at noon Saturday
elected the information that the captain
had much improved and hopes were ex-
pressed by some of the attending physicians
for his ultimate recovery, unless inflamma-
tlon sets in. Short, who did the stabbing,
was arraigued in court Saturday morning
and formally charged with the stabbing.
His counsel worked hard to have him admit
ted to bail, but the judge declined ON the
ground, that the doctors refused to declare
his victim out Of danger and he was COM
mitted to the tombs
No event in the history Of O'Donovan
Rossa's organization has caused such ex-
citement among Irish Nationalists in this
city as this attempted asssination It was
on Saturday asserted by several men who
are regarded as being in Rossa's confidence
that the desperate assault, which Short
made on Phelan was caused by Phelan's
interview with The Kansas City Journal.
ODonovan Rosa arrived at his office
at lO o'clock i'll the morning He
said: This is terrible. l can't account for it.
thought Phelan's interview very strange.
l stamp it as d falehooI that the Fenian
of dynamite to.England in an ocean steamer,
or of blowing up a vessel, even if she had
not soul on board of her. never knew
what Phe!an did in England, and never
heard that he had anything to do with Sheri-
dams case" Rosa did not appear to be
particularly anxious to find out anything
about Short as he was not present in the |
Tomb's police court when Short was ar
raigned
The leading points Of the alleged interview
of Phelan printed in The Kansas City Jour
nal are as follows: Before leaving Now
York." said the captain, II became ac-
quainted with number of leading Irish !
agitators, among them John F. Kearney, |
who arranged the explosion in the Caledo- !
nian railway station at Glasgow. Kearney |
blew up the station and part Of the gas |
works in that city. Rewards aggregating |
1900 pounds sterling, or $4,000 Of our |
money, were offered for the apprehension Of |
Kearney and he was obliged to escape to this |
country. Kearney had been an employe Of |
the Caledonia Central railway. sailed in
thl steamer Relgravia, and Kearney was to
follow ME three days LATER in the steamer
Queen, knew that an attempt would be
made to blow up the Queen ten hours after
she landed at her dock in Liverpool, but
did not know the details Of the plot
Kearney was intrusted with the work rs-
turned to Glasgow, where almost the first
man | met was Kearney. He looked woe
begone and l knew something wrong
had happened Where is the Queenp I |
asked. In her dock at Liverpool was the
answer. He then showed me where the acid |
from the machine which was to explode the
dynamite had eaten through the lining of his
coat aud told me the story of his failure to
accomplish his undertaking."
John F. Kearney denied emphatically
statements that We're attributed to him;by the
morning papers. He says that he did not in
vlte Phelan to como on here; that he wrote
asking Of him some explanation of the extra
ordinary interview in The Kansse City Jour
nal, stating that he still had perfect conf
dence in him and was still his friend. "After
taking drink with .Phelan, in the bar-room
under Rossa's Office, we went upstairs to
Rossa's Office. Phelan took q seat at Rossa,s
desk, and he was there but a few
minutes when a man dashed into
5be deor, and after exchanging a
asfew words. which don't remember, with
Phelan, attacked him. I didn't see a knife.
and wouldn't know the man again il saw
him. The thing occurred in the twinkling
OF an eye 1got out as quick rs could, and
came homep' Kearney alleges that while
be was with Phelan. the latter talked an
grily, and said he would shoot Rosa, or any
body, who questioned his patriotism. Pat
rick Joyce said that Phelan's interview was
an outrageous publication and he had no sym
pathy for Phelan Shorts victim is ma
tive of Tipperary