The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-01-15
TIE PHELAN TRAGEDY.

Kansas City Journal The terrible
| tragedy in which Captain Phelan Of this
city became INVOLVED on Friday in New
York, will arouse indignation against
the dynamiters in this country, little
| less than that entertained against them
in England. To be sure Captain Phelan
was one OF these conspirators, but the
brutal manner of his attempted taking
off secures for him great sympathy,
while 1t arouses an indignation against
| the whole band with which he was en-
gagged, when 1t is seen they scTuple not
at IL ordering even one of their comrades
on the slightest suspicion oil detection.
The affair, moreover, demonstrates the
existence of n conspiracy to wage war OF
the most diabohcal kind, wherein
children and women may be sacrificed
to the false idea that by destroying
vessel now and then OF
blowing up public building in
England, the cause of Ireland will tie
promoted. The attemp pied assassination
of Capt Phelan proves that dynamIters
exist and have purpose, nolwiihstand-
ing all their failures to do great harm,
and which have more or less created the
belief that the periodical explosions IN
England were home manufactured, with
the intent to arouse the prOveIbial AMI
mostly of the English against the Irish.
The Williams in this tragedy, the men
who lured Capt. Phelan TO the place OF
the tragedy. along with their murderous
agent, should be punished to the vigoT
Gus extent of the law. There should be
no question about findiDg them, and
there should be no delay about their
conviction and condign punishment. II
matters not what suspicion they enter
tanned OF Capt. Phelan's integrity and
loyalty to their perverted view OF liber-
ating ireland, Tor with these things an
American jury has no concern
The fact is, murder has been attempt
ed, or the fouiest and most brutal MUIR
der known TO the annals OF crime in this
county, may be the result of the attack
on Capt. Phelan, aud the causes leading
up TO il cannot be pleaded as an extenu-
| alton. America cannot recognize q con
spiracy which was upon country with
| which II was at peace, and when IL de-
| ies the laws of America, murder
| its own suspects in our country, then,
should the majesty of The law be vIndI
Gated ard the criminals be punished
criminals not only against the law OF
the law OF the land. but vIolators OF in
ternational law, and criminals against
the sanctiiy OF lives which legitimate
| war opposes. and whose sutferings 1t
amelioIates as much as possible.
| There is no Justification, or should be
none. before an American jury, OF the
assassination of Capt PheiaD, because
O'Donovan Rosa, KeaIney and the
other conspiTa;oTs suspected him. With
this, rs We say, our country has nothing
to do. Had Capt Phelan BETRAYED every
design of the dynamiteTs, that would
not have made them criminals to our
laws, so long as the murders they coh-
tenn plated were done abroad, and in view
of this, there can be no justification OF
the attempted murder, CT murcer oil
Capt Phelan on thr score Of self-detense.
Moreover, the murder of a co-conspiTA-
tor by his comrades for fear th' ir own
| crimes may be disclosed can not
be Justified ia law TIE TACT Is the
assassination of Capt. Phelan was
diabolical, brutal and fieDdish outrage,
and the punishment of his assailAnt and
those who lured him 10 face death, can
not be too swift and certain.
Il is, too, a crime that can not be JUS
titled by the needs Of any cause, but one
: that entails disgrace upon II, and sus
picson of the justice Of It. Ireland We
know is suffering, has suffered, and Is
down trodden, but her lIbeEatIon and the
: political advancement and prosperity OF
her people cannot and will never be
helped by men who asssssinate, ana VINO
become from trading IN and familiAriz-
ing themselves with ASSASSINATION %
J blOod-thirsty as 10 murder their own
comr AIDES without trial or investigation,
but on the merest suspicion.