The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
GRAVE WRECKRRS.
Nho LARK In the shadow st thS Tsms aad
DesPsn the Last hesiiaH place Of the
Ioolte.


who IurE In the shadow Of the Tsms aad
Despeil the Last HestiAE place sf the
Csolie.
Most of our citizens, says the San
/ Francisco Echo, are doubtless familiar
with the not uncommon spectacle OF n
| Chinese funeral. But few are fully aware
Of the incidents which are attached 10
the mortuary professions and which are
developed at the burying ground. Re
Gently some facts in connection with the
funeral rites Of the Coolie population
have come into the possession Of All Echo
reporter. Rnd they are Of sufficient in
tcrcst "a be given 90 the public. One ii
I the funeral customs Of these people 10 tO
take to the grave of the deceased sub
stantial feast, including those articles
both edible aud potable which the de-
funct most affected while IA the flesh.
When wealthy aud important Mon
gulian " shuffies off this mortal coil,
the feast II elaborate, varied aud plenti-
fnl, including roast pork-generally a
whole hOg-chickeus, duck, rice. gan or
brandy, and ii few other articles the
names Of which have no equivalent in
our veruacular. The feast thus set Out
upon the grave, is renewed once z year,
until the bones Of the departed Coolie
are disinterred 10 be sent 90 China, there
30 mingle with the dust Of the empire.
The renewal Of these substantial fayors
begins generally M the first week of -,
aud continues about two weeks. The
nearest living male relative Of the de-
ceAsed-no matter how poor or lowlv the
latter may have been in life-attends IA
the matter, and always some slight sub
stAntial tribute at this season Is placed
upon the grave. During the o0nhnu-
ance Of tIis annual festival hundreds Of
Chinese NAV be seen trotting along
under the load of couple Of baskets. on
comfortably riding ia an express wagon
toward that portion of the cemetery
which is allotted for the burial Of the
Chinese. Daring the two weeks IN
which this festival prevails there are IN
the graveyard between dawn and dusk,
generally between two and three hun
dred Coolies. each II whom has brought
some Offering. When 20 this is added
the amount which is contributed at the
time Of the funeral, II will be seen that
the total in considerable. The particu-
lars here set forth in regard to this Gus
tom of the Coolie are widely known
among a crew which In this article may
bv known Hs graveyard wreckers. This
class, which 10 composed exclusively of
yNgAbunds. trainps and thieves. burrow
Ia the DAY time ia the lowest and most
wicked qusrter ot the town, and II no
criminal ur vugabond adventure prumis-
ing richer reward is on hand, they skir;
Il q
early dusk and, hiding in the shadows
and gloom, wait until the last Coalie
watcher has vanished eastward, when
the plunlering commences. and the
graves are systematically and thoroughly
despoilel OF every article OF food or
value. Generally the gin-the fayorite
tipple uf the Coolies-is seized first
aud then such articles Of food as are
placed on the grave are appropriated
Often there is a dispute among these
grave wrcckers. Ne 20 the possession Of
the spuilR thus sacriligiouEly obtained.
and quite often personal encounters
occur between rival claimants of the
same lot. Over the mounds which mark
the graves AZ the assembled dead, and
in the dArkening shadows uf night these
fonl birds Of prey ight over the posses-
sion Of some tribe with a vindictivcness
which the Sacrcdness II the place does
not in the least abate Since the Chinese
have noticed this despoiling Of the graves
% their dead the practice Of placing any
considerable quantity OF food upon them
has fallen into disnse, 30 tha, through
the evil efforts Of these grave wreckers
partial good may follow. in forcing the
Coolie into an abaddonmcnt Of heathen-
ish and superstibous rite.