The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-24
Was Once Favorte of the fope
But Lost His Power and lnflu-
ence With tho
Church.
INTERESTING CAREER
Brilliant Future Before Young Scholar
But He Could Not Resist
the Many Tempta-
tIons.

SACRAMENTO, Oct. A-Mgr.
Thomas ]. Capel, world-famous Cath
olic prelate, whose career ranged
from unknown parish priest In Eng
land to private chamberlain to the
pope and then down the gamut to ex-
He'd priest and finally private tutor
and western ranchman, died here.
For several years Mgr Capel led
precarious existence in the United
States, accepting aims from friends
and working when and where he could
and mingling daily with people
none Of whom knew his romantic his.
tory, which at one time had made him
the most talked Of Catholic mission
ary in the world. the converter OF
noted English peers and peeresses
and then the conf1dant of the pope
| himself.
| To the first two of the unlucky trim
ity Of wine. woman and song is the
downfall Of the once brilliant prelate
attributed. Scandals in England and
in this country, too fragrant to be
overlooked, time after time, brought
about his humiliation at a time when
his power seemed at it's height.
4 He was ordered to leave England
by Cardinal Manning after financial
scandal had been followed by other
excesses. Similar occurrences in New
York and Baltimore. when he was the
lion Of the hour OF eastern society,
Catholic and protestant alike. caused
Cardinal McClosky to send him to
California Here he lived in seclus-
ion for years, acting as private tutor
to the son OF the Countess Valensin on
a ranch near Sacramento.
Recently, he became reconciled to
the church and died at the home OF
Archbishop Grace here, having preach
ed at the Catholic cathedral Sunday
, Thomas John Capel was born IN
Brompton, Kent, England, seventy
FIVE years ago, with touch of Irish
blood in his veins. At the age of "a
t he entered the Catholic priesthood,
n being ordained by Cardinal Wiseman.
d The eloquence, bearing and suavity OF
8 the young priest won as converts to
Catholicism many noted men and
e women of the Mid-Victoran era,
Y, among them being the wealthy Mar
G quis of Butte, Lady Jane Hastings and
1t the Prince Doria. The conversion OF
Y, the marquis created such stir that
r Lord Beaconsfield satirized it in the
It novel Lothian
Is His success brought him recogni
q ton from Rome, and in 1872 he was
made domestic prelate, as we'll as re
3, ceiving the title of monsignor anc
r being appointed private chamberlain
l. Financial dimculties which he foune
r, himself involved in led him to e1
r cessive indulgence In liquor. A re
I: monstrance from Cardinal NeWmai
:" brought about a temporary reforma
g ton. His fondness for brilliant so
st ciety and an unfortunate escapade o.
two which he allowed his impulses u
t. lead him into finally brought about
g severe reprimand from Cardinal Man
J: ming, which was followed by order
: from Rome for him to leave England
j. He then came to the omitted States
'r In New York his brilliance and WI
IN won him place in the highest socta
circles, but soon his fondness TO
h wine and other indulgences closed a
ID doors against him.
le In San Francisco it was reporte
x that he had been reduced to accep
s. charity from friends and finally tha
he had gone to ranch He the
er dropped from view.