Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-23
Passing of Rev. Thomas J.
Ducey in New York.
FRIEND OF RICH AND POOR
Always Said He Would Die Pursu-
ing His Work.
WAS KNOWN BY MANY NAMES
Pastor of Church He Founded
Until His Death-Rare Ability
as an Orator.

Special Dispatch to The star.
NEW YORK. August 23.-Rev. Thomas
J. Ducev. rector o. St. Lees Catholic
Church 2Sth street near sth avenue, died
early this morning at his country home in
ST. James l.. l.. at the age of sixty-seven
years.
Father Ducey had refused TO follow the
advice of his physicians. who told him ne
must have complete rest. and spent sew
eral days last week in his parish. When
he returned To his country home Friday
evening he was exhausted and steadily
declined. Death was due to dropsy.
Since last Christmas Father Ducey had
not been well, but his associates were I'M
able 70 persuade him In take the rest
which was needed for his recovery. He
declared he intended TO die working. The
body was taken TO the rectory in East
29th street this evening and the funeral
services will he held from the church.
probably Wednesday.
Man of Varied Activities.
The varied activities and manysided
nature OF the priest were in no way more
plainly revealed than by the names by
which he was known. Priest of the
Stage Priest of the Hotels, Friend
of the Workmen' and Friend of Wealthy
Society" were some of his titles. Father
Ducey's career and the history of ST.
Ieo's Church are almost synonymous. He
was its originator, in 1880 and its
pastor until his death.
During these twenty-nine years the
church has represented peculiar phase
of metropolitan life and few priests have
been so widely known and discussed as
he His originality and outspoken OPP
position To corrupt forces of politics. with
his constant effort to better conditions
among the poor, kept him much before
the public.
Part of the congregation of St Leo's
Church was made up for years of resi-
dents in hotels. among which ii is To-
Gated.
Known to Every Hotel.
Father Ducey was known in every hotel
in this section, and was frequently sum-
moned TO administer the last rites to
strangers in the city. 1t this work
which led several years ago to his build
ing mortuary chapel. where bodies are
left until arrangements are made for
burial. Use of the chapel was open to
all. regardless of creed or nationality.
Father Ducey numbered among his
friends hundreds of actors and actresses,
who were his frequent visitors. He also
visited them in their homes and on the
stage. Others of his friends were promi-
nent families in society.
Though his church was regarded one
of the wealthiest in the city, Father Du-
cey's sympathies and much of his efforts
weat 10 the poor. During the period of
business depression last winter he main
tanned bread line at his chapel, and fed
several hundred hungry men every night
Ordained in 1865.
Born sixty-six years ago in Lindsmere.
Ireland, Thomas James Ducey was
brought TO New York by his widowed
mother in ls4S. Judge James T. Brady,
seans the boy and conceiving a strong
attachment for him. formally adopted
him, and thereafter his life was one of
comfort. even of luxury He first attend
ed the college of st. Francis. but fancy
ing he felt a vocation for law, he left
before graduation and entered the law
Office OF his foster father. He soon
gave up law, however. and studied for
the ministry. and ordained in 1850
in ST Joseph's Seminary, Troy, n. Y.
There was a great howdy-d do in the
early summer of 1884, when Father
Duceys close friend, John c. Emo. pres-
charged with defaulting for s2,OO0.nO0 or
SO. Eno disappeared, and it was rumored
that he was concealed in Father Duceys
rectcry. Father Ducey denied that, but
when Emo was arrested in Quebec Father
Ducey was with him under the name of
Mr.. Priestman. Father Ducey said he
went TO Canada at the solicitation of
Mr.. Emo. sr.. and was the guest or
the archbishop OF Montreal, who wrote 10
Cardinal McCloskey and Archbishop Cor
rigan concerning Father Ducey's activi-
ties. They approved of his conduct to-
ward one of his flock.
Father Ducey's name again came
prominently before the public in 1885,,
following a denunciation of him by
James g. Blaine. Secretary of State.
Father Ducey had married Secretary
Blaine's youngest son to Miss Marie
Nevins It was secret marriage and
turned out unhappily.
War on Tammany Hall.
In the early nineties Father Ducey
drew the attention of the public .
himself by his unsparing denunciation
of Tammany Hall and his subsequent:
appearance before the Lexow commit
tee. The latter step brought him INTO
fiict with many of his fellow-clergy.
and his further appearance at the hear
ings was finally forbidden by Arch
bishop Corrigan. In the course of the
discussion mordant letters were ex-
changed between the priest and thos.
who sought to discipline him.
Less militant OF recent years, Father
Ducey always had his own way of work
ing out the problems OF his pastorate. and
they sometimes subjected him TO misun-
derstandine. He was nevertheless deeply
beloved by those within the church and
without and the influence he eXerted was
broad and beneficent.
No one ever doubted that he was in the
lists in behalf of social. civic and political
purity. and he never spared abuses that
seemed him 10 make for corruption.
From his pulpit In the little Twenty
eighth Street Church he was often heard
to illuminate against unrighteousness in
every form Even the stage came in for
periodic rebuke. II is interesting to re-
member that understanding these occa-
SIGNAL seventies the actors of New York
held toward him an attitude of peculiar
affection. and in 1905 raised $4,000 at
benefit for the furtherance Of his work
al st. Ieos
St Leo's Church. while not large. cost
about s1.GD.OOo and in 1905 the congre-
CATION raised large sum to meet mort
gage which was due. In addition TO his
varied duties Father Ducey found much
time for study and had wide knowledge
Of the classics.