The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-16
pHEnAN AND SHORT
In cou-t-The story of the stabbing-4
Foreign Trim.

NEW 1ORkt feu. l9.-AAo SAottAAHsssaVH
in the Short .Phelan case was began to-
day by Justice Patterson in the Tombs
Court. Captain Phelan's arm is still hung
| in sling. The Police Sergeant took pos
session Of the Captains large revolver,
which Phelan carried in his pocket Short
came in later, accompanied by his counsel.
He looked triae pale. The prosecution
called Phelan to the witness stand. After
being sworn he said, in response to the
questions Of counsel: My name Is
Thomas Phelan and / live in Kansas City.
On the 9th Of January l was sitting IN
o'Donovan Rossa's office, with my left
side to q table and my back to the door,
Richard Short came in with long knife
In his hand, and said: Nov / have got
You, now have you.' Then he plunged
the knife into my breast. He pulled It
out and stuck Il into my neck. ! tried to
get away from him by running around the
table, but he managed to strike me three
times. Two men who were in the room
ran out and tried to escape. ] got out
atlength and made way TO the street. |
became acquainted with Short last July
On cross.examination Phelan said: II
have resided in Kansas City twenty-eight
years, with the exception Of the time !
was In the army and the three years |
liyedin Washington. ltooka thrce.months
trip abroad in 1888. visited Ireland,
England and Wales. landed at Queens.
town and from there went TO Cork. /
did not meet any persons ] knew at either
OF these places. I never was in the en-
uloy OF the British Government. never
made the acquaintance OF any Govern
Ii,ent officers while abroad. had o con-
yersation with British detective but l
id not tjknow he was q British detective
Until after he left the hotel"
kAt tiiS point counsel for the proseeu-
ton objected to the scope Of the eross-ex-
animation and suggested that 1t be con-
fined only to the assault.
After some discussion, during which
counsel for the defense stated that he
wished TO prove that Captain Pheian's
word was not to be depended upon. Judge
Patterson ruled that the examination must
be confined to the assault.
Shorts counsel then handed the witness
copy OF paper OF January 10 containing
the famous interview reproduced from the
Kansas City Journal and asked him II it
was correct. Counsel for prosecution OBJ
iected, but Phelan was allowed TO answer,
and said that the interview was not cor
rect.
Iue cross-examination Of Captain Phe-
Ian was continued this afternoon. Hetes-
titled: ~ came to New York last Janu-
ary for to purposes, one to visit my sister,
Mrs. Levy, at Northampton, Mass, and
to explain TO certain persons all article in
the Kansas City Journal. l had q talk
with Kearney about the article and my
purpose in coming here. lie told me the
boys down at the office were angry with
me for talking to reporters In the way
the articles represented / did. He also
said something. about an article in o'Don-
oyan Rossa's paper. l told him no man
could publish iie without my bringing
him to account for 1t. When went to
Rosa office had my little boys rcvol-
yer with me. Ipiaced itin my overcoat
pocket: don't know whether it was
loaded or not. l had been arrested twice
in Kansas City, once for tearing down
a picture on Saint Patrick's day,
u picture in store represent
ing frishmen as apes the second time for
carrying concealed weapons. l was
charged -onee with .stabbing man named;
l did not boast about this
affair or say / would do 1t again II any
body insulted me: The article in the
Kansas City Jouraal did not call me an in
former. It said I gave information that
dynamite was concealed on the steamer
Queen. l did give that information and
would do 1t again, under similar circum-
stances. Itis true, toa certain extent that
an English detective got into my con.
fdence. I told him my name, where !
came from, and where ] was going.
Policeman I.eyy, who arrested Short,
was the next witness. He went over the
story Of the arrest and testified to what be
saw in connection with the assault on the
sidewalk in front Of Rossa's office. His
story did not differ materially from that
already published.