New Britain herald., 1916-01-17
MICHAEL KENEALY
 DIES IN STAMFORD
Was Counselor for Defense in New
 Haven Directors Trial
WELL KNOWN IN POLITICS
One Time Clerk Rose to Position of Prominence in Iaw-Changcd From Blaine Campaign.

Blaine Campaign.
 Stamford, Conn, Jan. 17.-Michael kenealy, well known as a lawyer, and one of the most prominent men poi- tically in the state, died early today at the Stamford hospital. He was Cnc of counsel for the defense in the trial of eleven directors of the New York, New Haven and Hartford rail- road in the government suit at New York and collapsed there recently after making an argument in the case. He was brought back to this city and taken to the hospital. Some en- COuragement for his recovery was given by reports the latter part of the week that he was showing improve ment, but late yesterday he began to gl ow worse and sank rapidly.
 The funeral will be held Wednes- day morning from St. Johns Roman Catholic Church at 10:30 o'clock.
 Michael kenealy was born in Stam- ford, the son of John Kenealy, n grocer, who had come here from Waterford, Ireland, and had married Johanna Fitzgerald. The son, Mich ael, was born July s, 1855 and there were two other children, James, now l dead, and Mrs Mary O'Brien.
 Joins Bar.
 As a boy, Michael was studious and i progressive. He was a clerk also for 1 his father until 1873 when he enter l ed the law office of Olmstead t& Sec | field, the head of which was states l attorney of Fairfield county. Michael l Kenealy, the student, became a mem- Der of the Bar in 1876 and three years later when the firm of Olm- stead & Scofeld was dissolved he be. came associated with MT Scofeld, continuing in that relation until 1893. MT. kenealy than established his own office and later took in John r. Heating who became his partner and continued so until 1912. Tn Sep i tember, 1904 MT. Kenealy formed an i association with Senator Brandegee and became an active member of the . law firm of Brandegee, Kenealy & 1 Brennan, later Kenealy, Brennan &5 i Whittlesey, dividing his time between Stam ford and New London. but sDend- ing much of it in the courts for i Mir. Kenca1v'S chief work in cOnnec- ! ton with the New London law firm 1 was in tho trial of cases in court. 1 About d year ago he decided to give up much of his active practice, and | became associated as consulting coun- sel with the new law firm of Fessen- den and Kenealy, of which one of l his sons, Edward is a member. Elm plOyed as counsel in the suit against 1 the Now Haven railroad officials he l devoted much time to a study of the case and to the trial, making one of 1 the closing arguments when his phy- sical conditions was such that he col l lapsed and was very near death when l he summed up the case before the jury in New York, in behalf of Ed l ward D. Robbins, one of the indicted i directors.
 Was Blaine Supporter.
 AS a young man MT. Kenealy allied with the democratic party. When ! Elaine was the republican candidate for president MT. Kehealy came out openly as one of his supporters The change involved a good deal of self sacrifice. His progress in the repub- lcan party was not rapid but in the end he took a leading place in the councils of the party, in town, city l county and state. He became prosecu- l ting attorney in the borough, prose- 1 cutor in the Court of Common Please. ! and Wept to the House in 1897, 1899, and was the floor leader the latter y ate, and in 1903 was speaker of the
 House, and returned to that body at l the next session at the urgent re- 1 quest of the late Samuel Fessenden who then was ambitious to go to the i United States senate. MT. Kenealv labored hard to aid his fellow towns man, even at considera be personal sacrifice.
 Chairman State Committee
 At the republican state convention in May, 1904, MT. Kenealy was elect cd to succeed Andrew F. Gates as | chairman of the republican state ccn- i tral committee. In 1904 he was Il delcgat e-at-largo to the republican national convention, and again i'll 1908. He held the place of state | chairman for eight years. At that time, because of his long service in the General Assembly, and his ac- tivity in public affairs he had a wide acquaintance throughout the state and his popularity was we'll establish cd Keeping in close touch with every part of the state. harmonizing where differences existed within the party stirring enthusiasm and encouragi l4s aggressive work everywhere he was able to make safe prediction as to the majority the state was to give for the national ticket. He was not much his forecast on the eve of an election | was invariably correct. Tn the sen ntorio1 contest of 1909 MT. Keneol;, was an open supporter of his as sociate, Mr. Brandegee. He favored
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