THE PHŒNIX PARK TRAGEDY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3483, 5 September 1882, Page 4

THE PHŒNIX PARK TRAGEDY.

According to a despatch, dated July 2(?th, the Foreign Office confirms the arrest ab Puerto Cabello, in "Venezuela, of one of the assassins, of Lord Cavendish and Mr Thomas Henry Burke. A detective of the Irish constabulary, has been sent to Caraccas to receive the prisoner, who gives his name as O'Brien, alias Westgate. Tho Hew York Herald's St. Thomas special says that he was arrested on the 16th July, on his own confession he shipped on Bth. of May, under the name of O'Brien, on the British barque Gladstone, from Swansea to Caraccas. He says that he left Dublin on the night of the 6th of May by a steamer for Swansea. The names of his accomplices and other details of the murder were taken by deposition before the British Consul. He is a Scotchman, and in figure tall and slender. He says that he was employed by Mr O'Connor and other persons, and that the price of the deed was £20 to each person concerned. In his opinion £20 was more to an Irishman than an Englishman s life. It is belived that the Venezuela Government will surrender him, although there is no extradition treaty. Parties who have seen the man give credence to this confession ; but the Dublin detectives are disinclined to believe the story. There is no doubt that two of the men engaged in the murders did escape abroad, but not to Venezuela, and neither of them is named O'Brien. A later despatch from Dublin says:—"From information gleaned here it appears that Westgate or O'Brien sailed on the day of the tragedy from ISTorthwall for Swansea ten minutes before the assassination occurred, consequently he could not have been a participant. Some of his friends were with him at North■wall an hour before the vessel sailed. The Dublin authorities are confident that Westgate is innocent, but it is thought that he •will have to be brought to Ireland to satisfy public feeling." In London the belief is on the increase that Westgate's story has some foundation, On July 27, the Home Secretary refused in the Commons to answer a question relativo to the'arrest, on the ground that it would be inconsistent with the public interest to do so.