The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-10

Hast two weeks. Eugene Birmingham, banore5 ssuperintendent of the. depart ment of police for 21 years, oleu
 at II: 50 Saturday night at his nome, 135 Washington avenue. Surrouhueu .e' bv members of his family, Superln- tendent Birmingham entered deep sleep at 11:15 o'clock and tbreatneo his last at 11:50 while Rev. J. B. NJ hill. pastor of St. Augustine's church and a lifelong friend of the oeceas- ed. knelt praying at the bedside | Grouped about the bedside were his wife his sister, Miss Hannah Birrn-
 ingham, and three daughters Mrs George A. Haux, wife Of Detective | Sergeant. Geore A. F1aux, and the | Mi sses Lena and May Birmingham, his
 son. Eugene Birmingham, Jr., Detec- | tiye-Sergeant George A. Haux, his son-in-law, and his nephew, Walter Birmingham, 792 Myrtle avenue. Members of the family were unable to get into communication zWl1n | Charles J. Birmingham, super1nten- dent of the New York branch Of the I Iocomobile Co. of America, son of inc deceased. Charles was busy at his desk in an office on the 9th floor Iof the sales building almost all night The telegram reached Athe building and when the messenger boy found l the lower offices in darkness he re- turned with the telegram undenVer- l ed'' It was not until II o'clock yes ] terdaM morning that the young man was apprised of his fathers demise 1 vhen he saw the story of the death in a local Sunday paper. He then hur- ried to this city in an automobile l Another son, Dr. Edward Birming- I ham, ,a veterinarian, was out on a
 call at the time and he did not ar lriye home until after his father had Isllccu1nbed. The only surviving brother Of the late Superintendent, | John Birrningn am, plumber and Fea1 l estate man, of 792 Myrtle avenue, could not be reached as he was out CT town.
 The death of Superintendent Bir- nningha4n not only shocked the entire city but was a complete surprise 70 the members of his family Even up l to an hour before his death his recoy- ] cry was confidently expected He
 was talking to the members or @hls family asE late as 10:3O Saturday
 night. He was jovia1 and carefree,
 as was his wont, until about II o'clock
 when he suffered a sudden shock.
 From that time until 11s:15. when he l went intosa state of coma, Super1ntenr
 dent Birmingham was unable to rec I ognize any member of the family. l Until the time he passed into the l state ofN connae however, he was at all times cognizant of the fact that Rev i T. B. Nihil1 was at his bedside. The clergyman was Sgrasping3 his hand un- til he relapSed into tunconsclousness' It was at this time that the mem
 bers of the family became aware od the seri iousness of the nature of the
 illness. 4a Hurried calls were sent, call ing other near relatives to the bedside eI but the superintendent expired before 7 many Of the calls could be answered < With a peaceful smile upon his face 1 he heids the hand of Father Nihil Il while. the priest was chanting tht rosary. The superintendent was snnil. ling upon the members of his family until 11:15 when he suddenly, reposee in sleep.
 The members of the family. were al . most prostrated with grief when in form that the superintendent hae
 passed away. His breathing was nor,
 mai up to within a few minutes of hi' | death and the end came nostNpeace
 fully:
 The first intimation obtained by th' 7 family that the superintendent was il , 1 was on Friday afternoon when he re : turned home at the usual hour, :5'
 o'clock. His youngest daughter, Ma. { Birrnfng am, as was her custom, wa . standing at the gate awaiting thu ! homecoming. or her father
 Miss Birmingham noticed that. thu : footsteps of her parent were some : what faItering as he mounted Wash : : ington avenue hill. Running toward !, him she grasped him by both hand
 and said:
 Father, you look ill- I know vol . do not feel weI1.%
 . In his ever happy manner, 4Superin o tendent Birmingham put his arm about the shoulders of his daughte
 and said .sTush, my child, I am al
 fright lam a, little fred, that's alIs
 the matter with me- Conversing il
 this manner and with his arm abou
 the shoulder of his daughter, the cour tao of walked to his home
 : The Superintendent appeared tire'
 and worn when he sat down to suppe S Friday evening. HeI partook of
 light supper and then went to his del : where he read the evening papers a. s he smoked.
 All this time Mrs Birmingham wa ' beside her husband and conyersinl lII I with him at intervals. Along about o'cloc4 he asked a few members of tn
 family about an incident published il = an evening paper referring the pur = suit of General Francisco Villa. Tn '- family had failed to read the articl s and in a tFcuIar manner the Superin
 ltendeut said: Why am surprises E at you children. You are missing tn e enjoyment of your life when you fai ), to read the newspapers. Indeed I ar | surprised. The newspaper, my ciga = land my good family are my chief en f Ejoyments of Hfe," said the Superin ;- ltend6ntf as ne epTepdTSu lO IelIe" { # Upon arising on Saturday mornin l. he appeared worn out. He was or
 dered by his physician, Dr. Michael T. Rowe, to remain at home but in spit a lof the Efforts of his family to induc
 him to remain away from his duties
 kthe courageous Superintendent dome ,+ This coat and walked to police head . quarters.
 Detective-S Sergeant George A. Hau1
 son-in-1aw of the Superintendent, wis
 ited him at his office at 8 o'clock an
 I asked how. the latter felt. He said h
 was suffering from slight attack o
 the grip but that he was feeling wel
 lenough to remain at his. post Wf1ei
 asked the time the Superintenden
 Hooked at the hands on the clock