Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-03-14

From the Philadelphia Times.
Lee Chung Pock, a young China
man who labored at ironing shirts for
E. Hop, in a little room in Locust
street, below Ninth, died of consump-
ton q day or two since. The deceased
Mongolian was only nineteen years Of
age, and had been in this country
about six years, four of which were
spent in California, where first he plant
ed his feet upon American soil. AS
Lee Chung Pock was alone in the city,
without brother or relative of any
kind, the funeral arrangements fell
upon E. Hop and the deceased China
mans fellow-workmen, All Sing, Chin
Fun and All Charley. A consultation
was held, and it was agreed that, as
their accommodation for large fun
eral were not great, and the general
depression in business had emptied
their pockets, to spend much money in
laying out the corpse would be unad-
visable. The main rites of the Chinese
mode of treating the dead, however,
were carried out. E. Hop and the
three workmen, after the death Of
Pock, commenced weeping and Ia
menting. Glover and cassia and
myrrh were sent for and placed in q
bowl, out of which, no doubt, Lee
Chung had often eaten rice. Spices
were placed over layer of ashes, and
then set On fire. and candles were
lighted and placed on table beside the
cot on which Lee Chung lay. The
1roverb of the Chinese is: "One living
is man, but dead is q spirit" and the
spirit of Lee Chung was therefore con
sidered fit to receive the odor of the
incense; the light of the candles is sup
posed to light the spirit Of the dead on
its dark way. What is called
a "bridge ladder" was then
prepared by All Charley. A long
pole was found in the cellar, and ON
it Charley placed a lot Of sticks, which
diminished in size as they neared the
top of the pole. 1t is the Chinese GUS
tom for the nearest relative of the
deceased to take hold of the lowest
stick and turn the tree around, but as
Lee Chung had no relatives to perform
the sacred office, E. Hop officiated.
The idea of turning the bridge ladder
is to help the spirit on it's way up and
river. The little devil. which the
Chinese believe is furnished by the
kings of Hades to conduct the dead
man to the Internal regions, was not
supplied with money as he usually is.
An ordinary coffin was bought and it
was 80 small it was found impossible to
put the FIVE coats and three pair of
trowsers on him ordinarily placed upon
the dead Chinese. e. Hop, All Sing,
Chin Fun and All Charley all got
together, and in loud cries informed
the ten kings of hell that Lee Chung
was dead. Instead of keeping the
body the great length of time that the
Chinese believe necessary, Lee Chung's
body was put in carrirge and taken
to the Ronaldson Cemetery, at Ninth
and cambridge, where number of
Gilman en- in this city own lot.
A Times reporter who was present at
the interment said to Chin Fun: Why
don't you put some food in the grave
with the body, as they do in China ?"
No makee suchee tingee in Mel
lica," said Chin; ikee MelIican man. I"
"But the American don't put in
food" said the reporter.
You no unerslanee. You no be-
longee here. Me Gomez and puttee
Lee in gravee."
Lee was placed in the ground, and
the seven or eight Mongoians who had
come to the burial returned in their
carriages to the house.
Lee Chung is the only Chinaman
who has died in this city within the
past two years.