The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-01-14
CAPTAIN PHELAN's STORY.
The Gist Of the Story Told BY Captain
Phelan and Published In the Kan
sas City Journal-Which Led
to His Being Stabbed.

KANSAS CITY, Jan. 10-The interview with Cap
tain Phelan, heretofore mentioned, which was
published in the Journal OF this city on Decem-
Der 21, is devoted chiefly to the relation OF plot
to blow mp the steamer Queen, and description
of the manner OF manipulating their mysterious
dynamite machine. The story, as told By the
Captain, Is substantially as follows. In June,
1853, he made q voyage to Europe to
secure information which woulo prevent
the extradition OF p. ]. Sheridan, the great
Irish sgitator, and his removal to England. He
visited Paris and accomplished his mission.
Meanwhile. however. the British Government
abandoned the effort to extradite Sheri dan. and
the matter was dropped. Continuing the story.
Phelan said that before leaving New York he met
q number Of agitators. smcng them John P. Kesr
ney, who blew up the Csledonisn Railway Station
at GLASGOW and afterward escaped to America
he sailed in the Belgrsvia, and kearney
was TO follow three days late. In the
plan 10 blow mp the Queen after the passengers
Edinburg Pheisn ssked Kearney why he hsd not
carried out the latter. He replied he had placed
pyramids in the vessels hold. but when the ship
and the passe myers were taken ashore IN tender:
fifteen pounds OF dynamite. which would
probably explode in aDout two weeks
later, after il had begun to rot, and would i'm
peril hundreds Of lives Phelan determined to
go TO Liverpool and warn the officers. Kesrney
G peTsissed " ana u'' visited Il % me Queen and in.
formed the officers. and learned they had received
q cable message from New York fifteen minutes
led to the discoVery ei the explosive and and saving
the vessel. Phelan remained day two in
siy00b stansly sbadoSed @ % By detectives. s he V was
approached by Inspector Marsh. OF Liver
Pool,. and Head Constable Murphy, Of ire
the criminal prosecutions In Ireland, sll of whom
tried to get him into the service of the Govern
tended Irish patriots who were working for the
Government, and he began TO see how the author
tiles secured some of their information. He could
@ plot, as Sesrney had SAID Was Known only to
ODonovan Rosa, Kearney and himself. He sup
posed some one had dropped upon Kearney's
ciaddi ecading his sn narrati1e f5eIan said 0I" he
was finally permitted to leave Liverpool When
he arrived at Glasgow he found his valises had
been broken open and searched; done. he thought,
by man who introduced himself in Ecinburg as
British detective. who had shsdowed him from
New York and endeayored 10 get into his con-
fdence; Kearney had 20 lay very low. but Phelan
disgusting himself as Kearney and throwing the
| detective of the track.
..what." asked the reporter, was Kearney's
"Oh, just to get up some excitement and scare
England little," was the reply.
The Captain described the mechanism OF the
deadly battery. The machine is simple, but
works with fatal precision. 1t consists OF reser-
| yoir OF acid. which drips upon tube enveloped
in sheets Of tissue paper. 1t takes q minute for
| the acid TO eat through each sheet of paper. In
| this case 40 sheets were wrapped around the
| tube. When the last sheet is eaten through the
| acid runs down the tube and upon the percussion
| cap beneath, and then comes the explosion. The
machine is noiseless and almost infallibe in its
| working Of terrible injury.
| Speaking OF himself, the Captain said that
| he was dynamiter out and out, he belonged to
| the Irish Nstional Society and was obedient to
their call, having participated in many Of their
plans for terrorizing the English Government.
| He determined to return 10 Liverpool and save
the Queen in order to protect the lives or the
4 hundreds of people VINO would sail on the next
voyage many OF these his own countrymen men,
women and children going to Join their friends in
| America.