The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-25
OBITUARY.
POLICE CAPTAIN THOMAS J. KENNEDY.

POLICE CAPTAIN THOMAS J. KENNEDY.
Captain Thomas j. Kennedy, of the Thirty-Af
police precinct, who has been suffering from con-
sumption for some time past. died early yesterday
morning at his residence in East Eightysxth street.
near Third avenue He was born in 1888 near SIAM
tord Conn.,, from which village his parents removed
while he was still infant to this city. Here the
Captain received public school education. and.
after leaving school. learned the trade of house.
painting, and was employed for while by Marley.
the old furniture in Broadway In the
spring Of 1860 he appointed patrolman
on the Metropolitan Police force receiving the APP
pointment from the republican party. although he
was then and always had been democrat. He was
assigned to duty in the old Sixth precinct under
Captain Joseph Bowling. and in 1868. when Captain
Bowling was appointed police Justice by Governor
Seymour to succeed Matthew I. Brennan, who mad
been elected Comptroller of the city, Sergeant John
Jourdan was promoted to the captaincy, and Ken
nedy who was then a roundsman, was made SER
geant OF the Same precinct. During Jourdans cap
taincy Kennedy considered his right hand
man. 1t was Sergeant Kennedy who found the
trunk on tho sidewalk addressed to Captain Jourdan
and when opened found to contain large guam
tity of securities stolen from the Ocean Bank. In
1870, when Jourdan was appointed superintendent
Of Police in place Of the late John A. Kennedy the
sergeant was promoted to be captain OF the Sixth
precinct In that capacity he was mainly fnstru-
mental In causing the extirpation of all those rock
cries and dens of vice and crime in the Five Points
which had gain for that ward the suggestive
designation OF ''The Bloody Sixth" Hitherto it
had been and not without reason considered un-
safe to walk through portions of such streets
Baxter, Worth. Park and Mulberry the localities in
the aggregate being known "Cow Bay" At the
time OF the Nathan murder Captain Kennedy
garded as the mainstay of superintendent Jourdan
during the search tor the guilty party, rs Jourdsn
placed the utmost confidence in his abilities. 1t
Captain Kennedy. aided by Detective Dolan. who in
1871 tracked DR.. Lookup Evans accused OF mall
practice. to his place of concealment ut Maspeth. L.
l.. and brought him back to this city. where he was
afterward convicted and sentenced to seven years in
state Prison. He remained In command OF the
Sixth precinct until the fall of 1876. when he
transferred to the Ninth. after remaining
there few months his health began
to fail and he transferred to the Thirty fifth pre-
cinct, at Kingsbrdge the Police Commissioners
thinking the country mir of that neighborhood would
prove advantageous to him. His health did not i'm.
prove. however. and about year ago he was granted
q leave of absence. He went to Florida, remaining
there for time, but returning apparently little
benefited by the trip. About throe weeks ago his
debilitated condition compelled him to go on the
sick list. 1t il said that his life shortened by
grief at the sudden death Of his only daughter which
occurred about twelve months ago. Captain Ken
ncdy was universally beloved on the police force for
his amiabe, obging disposition and his invariable
courtesy to ALL Those who knew him best say that
he was also model husband and father.