The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-11
LEE VANS FUNERAL.


HOW Chinaman was Burned fn a
BroOklyn Gem etery.
A funeral cortege that passed mn
Broadway in Brooklyn toward Ever
greens cemetery was regarded with Curl
osity and interest by hundreds of people
on the sidewalk, and many of the
gamins were overheard irreverently adj
dressing the occupants of the vehicles.
The faces seen at the carriage windows
were those of Cinnamon. A consump-
tive Monaghan sat upon the hearse
throwing slips of rice paper into the
street. The handsome walnut coffin
seen through the glass doors of the
hearse bore the name Lee Wan upon a
silver plate. The deceased was dealer
In Chinese groceries, a native of the
howery kingdom, but OF late years a
tenant at No. Mott street, New York.
he died Of heart disease. The process
sion, after turning. through an avenue
OF beer saloons and marble-yards, en-
tered Evergreens cemetery at the same
rapid pace that had been preserved ali
the way from the Broadway ferry. The
grave was in what may be termed the
German quarter of the cemetery. After
the Cinnamon had alighted and gathered
about the narrow pit, several stalwart,
drivers removed the coffin from the
hearse and laid it upon the trestle over
the grave, after which two German seq
tons lowered 1t. Some Of the mourners
then advanced and tossed in a few hand
fuls of earth. Just as Christians do.
Then began the curious part of the
ceremony. Fagots of slow matches were
bound together and planted in basin of
ashes and loose earth at the foot of the
grave On being ignited they sent up a
fragrant smoke. Red candles richly
decorated with figures in gold, blue and
green were placed in a row near Che
fagots, and quickly burned down to the
little sticks, ON the end of which thew
were fastened. The dead mans clothes.
including a white shirt. somewhat the
worse for wear, freshly Numbered COL
Lar and handkerchief, blue silk blouse
and straw hat were then rolled into a
bundle and cremated near the grave.
and the briRht-colored and gilded wrap.
pings of the candles and slow matches
were added to the burning heap. A
cocoa-nut mat was then unrolled beside
the grave, and the Cinnamon, coming
up one after another, took formal leave
OF the departed. This was done by
clasping the hands, lifting them to the
chin, and letting them drop, repeat
ing the operation three times. AZ
ter this the mourners dropped upon
their hands and knees upon the mat, and
made triple salaam, bowling their fore
heads close to, the earth. Tea was
poured from quaint little pot of blue
and white porcelain into minute cups Of
egg-shell china, and each man, as he
bade farewell to the dead, sprinkled
a spoonful of tea upon the ground.
Three pans of rice, broiled chicken
and plate of mutton were allowed to
stand before the grave for some time
that the dead man might refresh him self
and prepare for his long journey. It is
customary to leave these dishes beside
the grave, but just before the cortege re-
turned, a Chinaman whom opium had
bleached, bleared and sallowed into the
resemblance of a corpse, gave a sus-
picious glance at certain OF the small
boys who had gathered about the place,
and shufied them back into tea box
whence he had taken them. Cigars
were passed around, and then the yellow
faces were once more shut up in the
Carriages, the drivers mounted to their
seats, cracked their whips, and the pro-
cession disappeared rapidly in the dust.