Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-03-07
A Chinese Mason Buried With Great
Ceremony.
SOME ODD sUPERsTITIONs OBSERVED BY
THE CELESTIALS,

THE CELEsTIALs.
baltimore American, February 1871
The body of Loon Hing, the Chinaman
who died Wednesday, was taken from his
laundry, 119 Liberty street, yesterday at
ternoon by his fellow countrymen, and
placed in the grave with all the rites OF
Chinese Free Mason. Loon Hing had been
sick for some tim e, and up to the last re-
fused all medical assistance. Last Wednes-
day morning at half-past 6, he died. Mr..
Matthew Cadogan, undertaken, corner
Myrtle avenue and Mulberry street, took
charge of the remains. He removed them
to his establishment, where they were EN-
balmed. A plain vanished coffin was at
first ordered, but committee of three Chi
namen called on Mr.. CadOgan and said the
coffin would have to be covered with black
CLOTH They called again yesterday morn
min, and dressed the body for burial: The
body was first dressed in suit Of Chinese
clothes, including shoes made especially
for the occasion, and sealSkin cap was
placed on his head Chinese coins were
put around the whole body, and oneplaced
in his mouth, to pay the toll when he
reached the other world. The body was
then wrapped in white cloth, which is an
emblem of Chinese mourning, and over the
white was placed a red Grape cover, and
after the lid was screwed down the whole
was covered with black cloth. Loon Hing
was Mason, and the red and black cloths
| were the colors of the lodge OF which he
was member.
After dressing the body the committee
| left, giving instructions to MI. Cadogan to
bring the body to the laundry, 119 Liberty
street, at fifteen minutes past two. In a
few minutes the committee returned, bring
ing with them a pair of trousers of rather
peculiar cut. the legs being fully three
| feet wide. These were substituted for the
ones they had previously placed on the
body Grand preparations had been made
at the laundry Gong Hoa, grand master
of the Masons, had charge OF the arrange
ments, and Sam Lee was his assistant The
Baltimore Light Infantry band had been
engaged, and at half-past the procession
was to start for the cemetery. Long before
O'Clock Cinnamon began TO arrive at the
him, and it was not long before it
was all Captains Cadwallader and
Farnan could do to manage the
men gathered in the two small rooms in
the laundry, and each one smoked tobacco
with very strong aroma. A large dish OF
Chinese candy was placed on the wash
board, and was eaten with the greatest
relish by all present.
At half past 2 the body arrived, headed
by the band and followed by about twenty
carriages belonging to Mr.. Jas. Lean. The
hearse stopped in front of the laundry. Sam
| Lee ran out and placed on the coffin two
floral designs, tributes from his brother
Masons. A live hen was placed under the
table from the laundry and placed it just
back of the hearse. On the table was set
dish containing cold-boiled chick
Ell and large slice of boiled ba-
con. There was also bottle OF
beer, pot of tea, three tea-cups, a box filled
with Chinese nuts, ginger candy and sew
eral unknown objects; also tin box full
cense sticks in it. After all had been az
ranged on the table, one Chinaman took up
the teapot and filled all three of the cups.
| Then each Chinaman walked up, made a
low bow, and sprinkled a little of the tea
on the ground. A wagon was filled with
cemetery ahead of the rest. All the Chi
namen were placed in carriages, the band
struck up a lively air, and the funeral
started for Mount Olivet cemetery.
In the front carriage was Mr.. Charles
steiff and Mr. David Buck, friends of Loon
Hing. The second carriage was opened
and contained for Cinnamon, two carrying
all over them. These were supposed to
tell who the dead was and all about him.
The other two in the carriage continually
threw out little slips of red paper with
Chinese letters, which gave the wrong To-
cation of the cemetery, and which are sup
posed to be picked up by the devil, who
reads them and follows the direction. At
the cemetery large crowd had gathered.
Captain Baker was there, and would not
letanybody in. The grave was in the ex-
IRENE northwestern section. Before the
body was taken from the hearse, the bask-
cts were arranged in a line front of the
grave. Then the body, carried by six pail
bearers, and followed by all the rest in
line, was brought down and lowered into
the grave. AS the coffin sank out of sight
the band played "Nearer, My God, to
as the grave filled up, each Chinaman took
from his coat a bunch Of red, black and
white ribbons and threw them in, together
with his old clothes and bunch Of papers
which looked like wash-tickets.
The two flags were placed at the head
and at the foot was put stone, with
Chinese inscription. Around the grave
were placed burning candles and incense
sticks. The contents of the baskets were
also placed around the grave. They CON
tanned three boiled chickens, three slices
of bacon three cakes of soap, lot OF cakes
apples, oranges, cigarettes, chop sticks, a
bowl OF boiled rice, nuts and candies. a
large tin dish-Dan, an iron pot, bottle OF
beer, a pot of tea, tea cups. two baskets
and a pack of cards, all OF which Loon is
supposed to enjoy on his trip from this
world to the next. After sprinkling lit
tie more tea On the grave and making a low
bow, the party left for the laundry, where
all bills for the funeral were settled. Yong
Haw stated that Chinese death was al
! occasion for rejoicing, as the dead was sup
posed to have gone to better world.