Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-04-11
The Burial Of = Chinaman.
NATIVES OF THE FLOWERY KINGDOM
CARING FOR THEIR DEAD.

| CARING FOR THEIR DEAD.
On Sunday Coroner NORTH Ellinger held
an inquest over the body of poor Chris
| tian Chinaman, Lo Chung, who died on
Saturday in the Chambers Street Hospital.
After the verdict that it was case OF
opium poisoning had been rendered, the
Coroner gave permission to number OF
Cinnamon to take Lo Chung's body away
for burial.
Lo Chung was stranger to the greater
part of his countrymen here; but Mingo,
one of the few who speak English, having
heard that native of China was lying
dead in the hospital, asked permission to
bury the body assuring the officers in charge
that it should be done decen1ly and in or
der. "Me like for belly my own people"
he said. ''Chinaman no need beg; and
Chinaman makee die, odder Chinaman bel
ly he.'' So the body was turned over to
Mlngo, and he took it to James Naugh-
ton 9 at, 40 Mott street, where it was duly
| prepared for interment. As soon as it had
| been encased in a neat coffin. lighted can
dies were set about it, silver plate bear
ing Lo Chung's name was affixed to the
lid. and yesterday morning the funeral
| rites were performed.
ssThey ale bound to have a good funeral y
| MI Naughton said, to d visitor, s'for these
! Cinnamon take pride in paying respect to
! the dead They ordered silver nails and a
! silver plate for the coffin, and stipulated
| for four nice carriages and my best
] hearse.''
The body was lying IN the back room.
At about 10 clock it was taken into the
| front office and the coffin was placed upon
trestles Two by two appeared the China
men who were to attend the funeral; and
all having arrived, they surrounded the
coffin, Wah Ling and He Boy standing
near the head. The lid was lifted, and the
almost 1eshless face Of LO Chung was re-
vealed. 1t bore the smile of one who had
passed into the happy tea grounds under
the most favorable auspices. Wah Ling,
holding package of colored papers In his
hand, bent his head and talked in a low
tone to the dead man, and He Boy passed
his fingers gently over the cold lids of the
dead mans eyes Then He Boy had talk
with Lo Chung. and all the Cinnamon de-
posted their colored papers in the collin.
The coffin was then closed and put into the
hearse, the mourners entered their car
riages, and the funeral cortage moved on.
''Will there be any preaching at the
grave?" the reporter inquired OF Lee Sho,
who remained behind.
'Pleachee? No pleachee. Mi got no
joss pidgin man. He Boy and Wah Ling
makee Lo Chung in holee, flow in papel,
piece eye lookee sharp up so fashionable
same mi-talkee littee small, ALA same you
say chin chin Joss and chop b'long bobbe-
ly, belly culio Bymeby flow in glound.
no can stop, come back chop chop all same
gong"
In plain English this means:
'sPreach? There'u be no preaching, for
we have no preacher He Boy and Wah
Ling will put Lo Chung into his grave,
throw some papers in, look upward as do,
talk little just as you do when you pray
to joss, and such kinds Of Robbery, all very
curious. After while they throw earth
into the grave, and as they can stay no
longer, they come back as fast as they
VENT
How comes it that you bury Chris
tian-a man who did not believe in your
religion"
, ALA same. He Chinaman. He 'lig1on
maskee-makee no difflen. Same Joss one
man, same Joss odder man. Some TEEN he
GO China, maskee how long. One piece
> eye lookee so. My Joss he see so. Cischin
man JOSS he see SO. Some TEEN ALA same
Joss; maskee, no diffien. He Chinaman.
He hungly, my give he lice, blead; he colo,
my give he coat; my talkee long, same
, |
Lee Sho meapt by this: It'sall the same.
We don't mind his religion-it makes no
difference to us. Joss is the same for one
man as for another. Some time he 1.-THE
dead mani will go to China no matter
when. He has been k oking to one side
and to the other. Our Joss he sees On one
side, the Christians Joss ON the other
Dome time it will be one Joss to him; new
er mind. He is Chinaman. We don't
mind cold, we don't mind the devil: they
make no difference. He is Il Chinaman.
When one his hungry, we give him rice,
we give him bread; if one is cold we give
him coat, AMI when one is sick we speak
kindly to him. It's all the same, if be is
Chinaman."
Eyes," Mr.. Naughton said, after Lee
Sho had gone. ''what that Chinaman tells
you is true. They are very kindnearted
people. They take care of their poor, their
sick, and their aged countrymen; you never
see them drunk; they don't beg or steal
Their great faults are that they work, they
keep clean, and they mind their own bust
ness. Some of them gamble and some
smoke opiun-so do few Christians
Mr.. Naughton. when asked about the
Chinamen's burial place, showed the re-
porter the deed OF tWo plots in Evergreens
Cemetry, bought in 1877 for $315 by the
"Polong Congsee Company" This com
pany is composed of young Cinnamon who
look after the interests OF their fellow coun
trymen here in many ways. New York
San.