The Connecticut labor news., 1921-09-02
Death Takes
 Tom Brennan
 From (. F. L.
Vice President of State Federation, All His Life a Worker in the Workers Cause, Sud denly Laid Low.
Brother Gave Blood
 Trying to Save Him
Funeral Yesterday in Norwich One of Greatest Ever Seen There, While Floral Tributes Require a Truck to Carry Them.

Organized Labor in Connecti- cut, and particularly in the south eastern part of the state, was given a sad blow this week, when Thomas F. Brennan, vice presi- dent of the Connecticut Fedora tion of Labor, former head of his local and the central labor bodies of Norwich, died. His death came suddenly at Waterbury hospital where his brother, Dr. P. J. Bren- nan went to the extreme of giving a pint of his blood in a transfusion operation to save the life but all to no avail. The funeral of MT. Brennan was held yesterday and to say that all Norwich paused to pay him tribute would be but part of the facts. The factory where he worked as a polisher closed down while all the em- ployes attended the funeral, and that being a part of the Interna- tional Silver Comany. was indeed a tribute. s4ne floral tributes sent from not only Norwich but all parts of the state, required a big truck to carry, while the funeral cortege was unquestionably the largest ever seen in Norwich.
 About Connecticut Thomas F. Bren- nan perhaps was not as we'll known as some of the other leaders III the A. F. of L., but he was so we'll known to his fellow workers in Labor's cause as to bring his reelection as vice president at the Bridgeport convention a few months ago without dissenting voice. Tom Brennan had proved himself before as a Real Labor Man, willing to do what he could for his fellow worker regardless of whether he was organized or not When 1t came to a question of his re- election as vice president of the State Federation he got vote that would en- title him to be known as first vice pres ident' if there were any distinction in the vice presidencies
 Two weeks ago Mir. Brennan in com mon with the other members of the State Federation Executive Council attended a meeting in New Haven. Then he was apparently in the best of health and dur ing the six hours or so session, laughed and joked with the other members at times the business before the meeting permitted such levity He had never thought of dying no more than had any of the other members of the council thought that within a fortnight they would be called upon to bury him.
 However, week ago he was suddenly stricken with a malady, which while not yet determined definitely, is put down to his work as a polisher, and while in Waterbury he was taken down His brother, Dr. Brennan, at once got into attendance upon him and with the full staff of St. Mary's hospital in Water bury did everything possible to save him. An operation was performed last Thurs day and he seemed to recover from 1t. But day or so later he took turn for the worse and on Saturday blood trans fusion was decided upon as necessary.
 Dr. Brennan came to the fore and gave a pint of his blood to save his brother and until late Monday 1t seemed as if the transfusiOn was to be a success. Dur ing the late afternoon of the day, a sud- den change came about and his family was sent for. Before they arrived he had died and the workers of Connecti- cut had lost one of their best friends.
 Only B years old, MT. Brennan had asserted himself in Connecticut's affairs. He was born in Thamesville, son of the late John and Catherine Kennedy Bren- nan. He attended the schools in Nor wich and after grasping what education was available went to work in the h. ternational Silver company plant as a polishers apprentice and has been at work there for Is consecutive years.