The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-07
fHELAN'S ARSENAL.
TIE MAN WHO WAS CARVED IN
SHORT" ORDER
Appears Against the Carver spicy Re
marks of the Prosecuting Witness,
Who Unloads Cargo OF
Guns" of Varioo. Calibers.

New YORK, May I'll 1t took large force
Ut policemen to preserve order among the
crowd of 1nviucibles that filled the court
room at the opening of the trial of Dyna-
inter Short for the attempted assassination
of Capt. Thomas Phelan One of the irwin.
citles was alleged to have said that he would
shoot Capt Phelan in open court should
Phelan open his mouth against Dick
Short. The efforts of the police TO
spot this man were untiriny but unsuccess-
full. Capt. Phean. who looked thin and
weak repeated the 0ft-told story of she
stabbing affray, and identified the knife
with which the cutting was done On cross
examination Phelan referred to Rossa and
his men as "squealers and kickers," but he
absolutely denied of having threatened to
shoot Rosa. The plan of defense which is
generally supposed to have been chalked out
for Short will be much hampered by Phelan's
positive assertions as to the limited number
of persons who were present at the different
scenes He swore positively that no one
was in Kearney's place when he went there
tut kearney and his wife and child, and
that there were only two men in Rossa's
office when he was there. After making
Pheian explain everything about Rossas
| office by means OF big diagram spread out
before the jury, the defense started back into
Phelan's life in 1885. They got him as far
as Glasgow, Scotland, when successful OBJ
| lection by the prosecution brought them
back TO this country. About the man who
was sitting Mt the little table in the Office,
and who it is supposed will be produced to
] show self-defense on the part of Short,
Phelan said that he had been twice intro
duced to him, and had exchanged with him
| ordinary complimentS but could not
remember who he was. Mr.. Phelan
said he had been on the capitol police al
Washington from 1875 to 1879, and then
went back to Kansas City to help elect 6
| congressman. a didn't come back" the
| captain added, for the congressman got
downed, and l got fired" The next few
| questions were meant to show the jury tha
Short had stabbed bad man after all
Question you not dismissed from
the Washington police, and didn't you leave
Washington between 6 in the evening and
in the mornings
Answer I'm glad you have given me I
chance to say that that is a lie.
Q. Were not charges made against You!
printed in Rossa's paper.
Q. DO you know Capt. Blackboard
| A Yes, had him removed from the capi
tol police.
G. Do you know Lieut.. Smith9
| A. Yes And / had him removed, too.
shouldn't wonder if they were both here t
say something against me.
When asked whether he was professions
shooter with revolver Capt. Phelan sal
he didn't pretend to be- He had given exh
billions of Workmanship with the rifle, bU
did not know what people thought of b
ability. For" said he, "there's plenty t
flatter you to your face that will call you
id mean fellow as soon as your back
turned"
Question Dill you always go armed, Cap
Phelana
= Answer Yes sir.
.. Have you gotta pistol nowi
A Yes, sir.
O. How many2
A Three.
Everybody laughed until the judl
threatened to clean the court, and then
the request OF the counsel Phelan began
produce his arsenal From his insil
pocket he pulled revolver almost as lor
a his arm. The next revolver came out
Phelan's hip-pocket. 1t was small
than the other, but biggar than is oft,
seen in New York. As he passed 1t over
he laid beside the other the barrel came
u level with the head of Mr.. Short, wi
sat just below The captains finger was
the trigger, and when Short crouch
Phelan grinned and so did the lawye
and jurors One slight pressure of tn
finger and the self-cocking weapon won
have sent Mr. Short to another worl
Next Phelan, going down iowa
his boot, pulled from some secret recess
gun bigger than all the others Then t
crowd began to laugh again, and the COT
laughed too. After recess Capt. Phelan to
the stand naked TO the waist, and exhibit
to the jurors the proof Of Shorts ener
60 written in the big purple scars which seam
his body Some of them were big and de
enough to conceal half mans hand,
After Phelans testimony had been CO
Guided the defense called witnesses. Wall
] Elliott. who said he had known PhelaI
long time, testified to having once hea
Phean threated to lay out O'Donovan Ro:
and Professor Mezzsroff, the mysteriC
dynamite manufacturer. John j. Kiernt
the saloonkeeper who accompanied Phel
to Rossa's office, testified that Phelan Y
boisterous and threatened Rosa frequent
Kierney sail Phelan, when in quarrei
with Short, reached for his revolver q
declared he would clay somebody GU
Others who were in Rossa's office testified
the same effect