The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-06-02
RURYING A CHINAMAN.
Christian and Aeathen Rites Com
mingled I'm New Jersey.
New York Truth.1

Christian and Reathen Rites Com
mingled I'm New Jersey.
New York TRUTH
The Chinese inhabitants of the town
of Belleville, New Jersey, mourn the
demise of All Foo, the "old man" OF
Casebolt's Passaic steam laundry, whose
obsequies took place on Monday after
noon, with strange admixture of Chris
tan and heathen ceremonies. All Foo
was fifty-six years old, and when he
breathed his last deputation of China
men waited on William Vreeland, a
Newark undertaken, to arrange for the
funeral. John Chinaman drives a close
bargain, and is very suspicious less ne
might be cheated.
"Me wantee niece hearsee." said the
spokesman to the party, "and lottee
chickee felle (referring to plumes) on
toppee hearsee, aud nice cleffin, and lottee
flowee, How muchee you askee meW
After some time bargain was struck
at $34.
"You givee me thisee samee clofinH"
inquired the Mongolian, placing his
hand upon a cone-top coffin, silver
mountings, and highly vanished.
The undertaken assured him that he
would furnish that very box. Still John
was incredulous. He made some hierog-
lyphics on the bottom Of the coffin, and
the undertaken then began quizzing him,
saying he could make marks like those
himself if he wanted to. The almond.
eyed customer locked downcast. He
proceeded to make apparently minute
examination of All Foo's "wooden over
coat" and soon after the undertaken dis
covered that he had scratched off the
varnish with his finger-nails so that he
might know that he was not cheated.
On Monday afternoon the funeral was
attended by one hundred and fifty Chi
namen. The body of All Foo was laid
out in q room in the laundry, the walls
of which were decorated with heather
designs. Nine pieces of silver We're
placed in the coffin, underneath the
body-three at the head, three at the
foot, and three Others in the center The
dead Chnaman's head was wrapped in a
large towel to keep it warm, and then
the remains were placed on the hearse.
The Chinese "high priest" mounted the
hearsc, taking a seat with the driver,
and, as the procession moved along to
the place of interment-a short distance
from the laundry-he scattered pieces of
buff tissue paper, five inches long by two
inches wide, all along the route. At the
grave all the dead mans effects, consist
ing of old shoes and boots, old hats,
coats, pants, ETC., and the mattress upon
which he had slept, were piled up and
cremated. One of the Mongolians, find
ing the grave had been dug too deep,
had it filled in one foot and the bottom
fattened out, after which the coffin was
placed therein.
One of the Protestant ministers of
Belleville now read the Christian burial
service, recited the Lords Prayer and
pronounced the blessing. Near by were
numerous Chinese candles, lighted, and
pieces of substances resembling punk,
about six pounds of boiled corned pork,
two boiled eggs, two large bowls of
boiled rice, and teapotful of tea and
three tea cups. After the Christian
. prayers had been recited, the heathe;
rites were begun.
; At the foot of the coffin were buried
r the pork, eggs and boiled rice, and two
Cinnamon filled the teacups from th'
: teapot, and then spilled the tea upon tn
+ side of the grave, until only three cup
fulls were left, and these were afterward
\ placed upon the grave. When the grav
was covered in, all the crockery ant
. chinaware belonging to All Foo wer
p smashed into sinithereens. Flower
a were placed around the grave, and upoI
;. it were left the burning punk AM
lighted candles. Each Of the Monge
lians made genufections toward tn
grave and slowly retired. a...
On the way back to the laundry tw'
l, Cinnamon, one bearing a large platte
n containing rock candy broken into sma
S. pieces the size of hickory nuts, tine othe
le plate Of pennies, intercepted the pr'
l. cession, and each Of the MongoliaI
E. helped himself to rock candy and
ID penny, and this closed the ceremon.
E. When All Foo's friends came to pay tl
r undertaken they refused to pay him So
$. because they claimed he had not flu
e. -nished flowers enough to make wreat
m around the whole grave, and compr
to mise Of $33 was agreed upon.
If