The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-04-11
THOUSANDS PAY
LAST RESPECTS
TO POLICE CHIEF
Men Weep as Funeral Pro
cession Passes Through
Streets of City.
HIGHWAYS THRONGED
WITH HIS MoURNERs
Pastor Delivers No Eulogy
Over His Body, Acced-
ing To Request.

/
Men whose cheeks have been guilt
less of tears since their babyhood
stood in the busiest streets-of Bridge
port today wept openly. The funeral
| of Superintendent of Police Eugene
| birmingham. who died last Saturday
was held this morning, and-the whole
city united in mourning
Fairfield avenue and the highways
that border on it was thronged this
~Tnorning with Immense crowd. "A
| deep sense of loss to the community
was manifest in the bearing of the
people. When the procession, es-
corting the body, of the late police
chief from St Adgustine's church to
| the grave in st. Michaelss cemetery
and children.
A pail of grief settled down on the
| city today and with flags on the pub
lie and many of the private buildings,
at half staff, it was a day of uri-
feigneds undemonstratiVe, though new
erthe1ess acute, sorrowing.
The thousands who witnessed the
procession barred their heads at the
approach of the hearse bearing Supt.
Birmingham. The strangers in the
city, who didn't know the man who
was being incurred, but had know1-
edge of~n1In. Expressed sorrow too.
Funeral services were held at the
home and in St. Augustine's church.
The body was inferred in st. Micha els
cemetery.
AS the funeral procession was ap-
preaching headquarters orders were
given to dip the flag as the cortBge
passed. All vehicles were kept clear
Of thej building in which Superintend-
ent Birmingham had presided for SO
many years. Motorcycle policemen
saw that the orders were carried out
explicitly. -
+13a xx1T,oaJov e, 1xyi1so1, 1a,,7 Loo a.
ing the cortege passed headquarters
the funeral dirge was sounded.
From an early hour in the morning
| throngs beganto assemble in Fairfield
j avenue, from West avenue to the rail-
road depot. At police headquarters
/ the crowd was particularly dense,
even the roofs of the adjoining build
ings bearing persons.
/ Stratford avenue as far east as
Union avenue was crowded on both
sides of the street.. Old men and. old
women and children ranging from
to 10 years of age stood on. the curb
stones wiping tears from their eyes
as the hearse bearing the body Of the
late superintendent passed by.
Long before the funeral procession
had even reached Seaview avenue st.
A1ichael's cemetery was crowded with
friends of the family who wished to
take part in the services at the grave.
i "A Ir1OuCe was Qa1o TO the Sup0E44-
tendent by the city officials who head
ed the long line of carriages. Mayor
Wilson, City Auditor Keating, City
Clerk Alexander H Robinson and
Henry Parrott, the only surviving
member of the police board that ap-l
pointed Birmingham. to the police
force, rode.
st. Augustine's church was thronged
during the funeral services and it Is
estimated there were fully 1000 people
in attendance. Delegations. from the
State Police association of which the
deceased was treasurer, were in. at
Tendance. A delegation from the cen
trail Labor Union attended and 1ndi-
vidua1 unions sent representatives and
floral pieces.
Hundreds of persons prominent in
all walks of life attended the solemn
mass, many coming from distant
cities. The choir loft was crowded and
the aisles and corridors of the church
were filed to overf1owing. Police we're
compelled to close the doors of the ed
lice before the ceremonies began.
AS the body of the late superintend-
ent was being borne from his late
home the Wheeler & Wilson band rem
dered Nearer My God to Thee" As
the funeral procession wended it's way
towards the church the Final Ca1l.''
by Meyer, was played. The streets
leading from the late home to the edi-
fee We're dense with weeping men, wo-
men and children
AS the body was borne into the
church the funeral marchlwas played.
AS the casket was moving UP the CEN
ter aisle borne by the six 1ieutenants
of police. the church choir sang Come
Unite. Me-"
A solemn mass Of requiem was then
celebrated by Rev. J. B. Nihil1, P. R.
The deacon was Rev. J. J. Kennedy
of Bethel, and the sub-deacon Rev.
Robert J. Bowen of st. Augustines.
The master of cerem onies= was, Rev.
w. H. Blake of Fairfield. Seated with
in the chance1 were Rev. Hubert
Dahme of st. Joseph's. Rev. T. j.
Kelly of ST. Peters, Rev. T. P. Mooney
of Sacred HeaftI Rev. Henry Gala
han of st. Stephens, Rev. James v.
Huston of st. Charles churches of
this city. Rev. John 'Dooley of South
Coventry, a native of st. Augustinea
parish and a brother Of Detective
James DooIey. was in attendance.
(Continued on Page 2.)