Thomas McGrady
 

Kentucky Post, Tuesday, 10 February 1903, page 5

Father Thomas McGrady will leave the latter part of this week for Erie Pa. where he will deliver a lecture next Monday evening. On Tuesday evening he will speak at Sandusky O. Dr. George W Galvestin of Boston, is expected the latter part of this week to arrive in Bellevue and will be the guest of Rev Thomas McGrady.

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Kentucky Post, Monday, 25 May 1903, page 5

Rev Thomas H McGrady has gone to New Orleans where he will deliver a number of lectures on Socialism. Rev Father Haggerty of Montana, will visit Bellevue early in June and will deliver lectures on Socialism. While in this city he will be the guest of Rev McGrady.

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Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 3 June 1903, page 5

The Socialist Party of Campbell County will hold its county convention Thursday night at 8 pm at its hall, corner of Fifth and Monmouth streets. There will be no candidate for Circuit Judge on the Socialist ticket, as there is not a man in the party in the county that is qualified to take the office under the Constitution of Kenucky. One of these requirements is he must be a practicing attorney for eight years. Rev Thomas McGrady of Bellevue, will be the chairman.

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Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 11 November 1903, page 2

Father Thomas McGrady, who for years was pastor of St Anthony Church in Bellevue, is preparing to enter the legal profession. It was while pastor of St Anthony Church that Father McGrady became involved in a controversy with Bishop Macs of the Covington Diocese and resigned the priesthood. Father McGrady's books, "The Two Kingdoms" and "Beyond the Dark Ocean" both of a Socialist nature attracted national attention. He has entered the law school of the Cincinnati YMCA.

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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 4 August 1904, page 1

Father Thomas McGrady, whose resignation as pastor of St Anthony Catholic Church, Bellevue, a few years ago caused a sensation, has decided to enter the legal profession. The necessary certificate, preparatory to being admitted to practice was secured Wednesday. Father McGrady's Socialistic views did not go with the higher church dignitaries and a conflict followed. He is a noted speaker and has delivered lectures for the Socialistic cause throughout the country.

While Father McGrady has resigned from the priesthood he has never severed his connection with the Catholic faith and attends church like the ordinary worshiper.

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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 11 August 1904, page 1

Father Thomas McGrady, ex-priest of Bellevue has announced his intention of practicing law in Campbell County. He was enrolled a full fledged member of the Campbell County bar by Clerk Hub Schwartz Thursday morning. He went to Owenton, Owen Co. Ky. and took the examination, and received his certificate to practice law in Kentucky receiving a percentage of 95. According to recent changes in the State law relative to admitting students to the bar, they must be examined in another county from where they reside.

The enrollment in any county is unnecessary, but Father McGrady wanted it that way. This is the first time he announced he would practice in Campbell County, as it was understood he would go elsewhere to locate.

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Kentucky Post, Monday, 26 September 1904, page 5

Thomas McGrady, formerly pastor of St Anthony Church, Bellevue, and whose abandonment of the Roman Catholic priesthood created something of a sensation a few years ago, has adopted the legal profession and is now a practicing attorney at law in the Woolsack Building in Newport.

McGrady is well known as a public speaker and is an enthusiastic Socialist having written several books on the subject and lectured throughout the country. It was on account of his Socialist leanings that he got into trouble with the Catholic Church, which finally led to his leaving the pulpit.

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Kentucky Post, Monday, 24 October 1904, page 1

Angels and spiritual matters were discussed before Federal Judge Cochran Monday morning with a little something thrown in about heaven and the human soul when Attorney Thomas McGrady, formerly priest in charge of St Anthony Church, Bellevue, and whose Socialistic speeches finally made it necessary for him to resign his charge and take up the study of law, appeared to plead for his client, Newton Jones, who was charged with counterfeiting.

Jones was present with his wife and daughters. They lived in Bellevue and for eight years were members of Father McGrady's congregation. "The common law is represented in the saying an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, your honor, but there is a heavenly law, a law a little nearer to the angels which is more merciful."

"There is no more painful duty I have to perform than to sentence a prisoner" said Judge Cochran. "But when a man has a wife and children dependent upon him, he should consider them before and not after he has done wrong." He then fined Jones $100 and gave him three years in the Atlanta penitentiary.

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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 15 December 1904, page 7

Attorney Thomas McGrady who fell and sprained his wrist several days ago, is better and able to attend to his business.

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Kentucky Post, Friday, 16 June 1905, page 7

The Socialists of Campbell County held their convention last night at their headquarters Fifth and Monmouth sts. Newport and named candidates for all offices to be filed at the coming November election. The county ticket is headed by Thomas McGrady, ex-priest, who is a practicing attorney at the Newport bar.

The nomination is as follows: County Judge, Thomas McGrady.

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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 22 June 1905, page 3

Attorney Thomas McGrady was prostrated by the heat Monday and was removed to his home on Poplar st. Bellevue, where he has been confined to his bed. He is improved today and no more serious consequences are feared.

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Kentucky Post, Saturday, 12 August 1905, page 5

Attorney Thomas McGrady well known Socialist lecturer and ex-priest will leave the latter part of the week for San Francisco Cal. and will make his home there permanently. He has associated himself with the Blanchard & Venter Musical and Lecturing Lyceum.

"I am going to locate in the West and will lecture on sociological subjects, rather than adhering to any special school of economics. I will continue my practice of law. My lecturing tours will extend over 14 Pacific states. I will also be the President of a large grocery concern of which Henry Kessenbrock, formerly of Bellevue, will be Vice President.

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Kentucky Post, Tuesday, 8 May 1906, page 8

Word has been received from Attorney Thomas McGrady, who was formerly pastor of St Anthony Church, Bellevue, announcing his safety. The letter was written from San Francisco and says; "Today I received a clipping from the Post stating that my fate was unknown and I wish to inform you that I am alive and well and worth a thousand dead men yet."

After describing the disaster to the city he predicts it will arise from its ashes greater than ever. So numerous will be the activities in the recovering city, that he foresees for the next five years a period of unparalleled prosperity. He says he has received letters from people in various parts of California asking about business chances and seeking real estate investments in the city.  He says he will remain in San Francisco, as it is the most inviting place on the globe. He has a number of engagements at the Southern and Western Chautauqua and he expects to visit his hold home about the middle of July.

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Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 27 November 1907, page 2

Word was received this morning by Father McNerney, of Newport, that Thomas McGrady formerly a priest of the Roman Catholic Church, had died in San Francisco. He died a member of the church; that the rites of the church had been administrated and the remains would be shipped to Lexington Ky. for burial.

Father McGrady was about 50 years old, a hard student and a good speaker. He was for years priest in charge of St Anthony Church in Bellevue. He became a convert to the doctrines of Socialism and his talks along those lines brought him into frequent conflict with the rules and orders of his church. He was a conspicuous figure at Socialist conventions, where he made some of his best speeches.

On Dec 6, 1902, Rt. Rev Bishop C Maes of the Covington Diocese, gave him five days in which to retract certain expressions which the authorities of the church deemed erroneous. Failing in this, he was to be suspended. Two days later he resigned from the priesthood of St Anthony without having made the necessary retraction. He was suspended. His leave taking from his congregation was a mot pathetic one, many of his parishioners crying and begging him to retrace his steps and remain within the folds of the church as their beloved parish priest.

For a time, he continued to live in Bellevue, being admitted to practice at the bar. Later he removed to San Francisco where he practiced law. He was in the city during the earthquake of April 1906 and the first rumors reached here said he had been killed. This proved erroneous. In addition to practicing law McGrady became more active than ever as a talker on Socialite themes. He also contributed articles to various magazines, one of the last of these being on the attitude of the Catholic Church toward Socialism.

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Kentucky Post, Thursday, 5 December 1907, page 5

The body of Rev Father Thomas McGrady, 44, who died at St Mary Hospital, Los Angeles, Cal. last week, was interred in the Catholic Cemetery at Lexington Ky. yesterday. The funeral services were conducted at St Paul Church by Rev Father James P Barry.

 

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