The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-08

! as a direct result of that crime. He put on a diving suit to explore the bottom of the lake at Lakeview, and died from the effects of cold contracted while per forming that duty
 Something of His Private Life.
 Some ten years ago Conrad W. Austin was married to Miss Dora Mcintosh, whose family were from Georgia. He lives in modest comforts with his wife and two children at No. 1928 Huntsville avenue, in a rented house. Many men holding the office of chief of police for four years in city like Birmingham would have owned their houses and sever al more into the bargain. Chief Austin l owns none, and he appears to be en- tirely lacking in those graspng propen- sities which are so common to this age and clime His bump of aequsitive- ness" as the old phrenologists would say Is conspicuous by its absence. He cares nothing for gain for its own sake and perhaps the most salient feature of his record is that he found no source of revenue in or about his office, except the compensation paid him by the city
 To realize how much this means to Birmingham and to the men who trust and esteem the defeated chief of police, 1t Is only necessary to consider for moment the condition and history of many of the police departments in Amer iean cities today. Take that of New York [ lone of which many of those through out the country are rank limitations At the time of the famous Lexow investiga- tion it was proven that almost every known species of vice was established and carried on under police protection In l, all parts of the great metropolis; that in some cases the captains of entire precincts were concerned in the opera tion of unlawful joints of thA most shocking and demoralizing c'aracter, and that patrolmen and wardmen were reg ularly paid by the proprietors of these resorts That the excise. or liquor law, was broken with impunity by collusion with the police, and that some of the highest officials of the department had realized large fortunes from their con- nection with all manner of unlawful schemes.
 There has been marked improvement since those days-say in the last ten years-and there is no denying that higher tone prevails generally in Ameri- can police matters. But it can be said broadly and emphatically, that 1t would be difficult to match, in any city of the size of Birmingham, the absolutely in- corruptible character of Chief Austin's administration. 1t is a record of which he Is justly proud, and upon which the city may pride itself for all future time
 It may be denied that he was an able chief of police, for this is a question which depends largely on the point of view-and on many ulterior considera- tions. But 1t cannot be denied that he was strictly honest and fearless in the performance of his duty. In this one respect, at least. he may have an equal in the office which he now fills; he cannot have a superior.
 Plans for Future.
 When asked about his plans for the future Chief Austin says simply that he intends to go into business in Birming- ham. He has not yet decided definitely upon his course and will not do so until l he retires from his official duties in May. | Those who know him best say that he is certain to be heard of in an honorable way in the future. Dr. J. H. Phillips, i superintendent of education, told me that