The herald., 1896-08-03

groans of the mourners rose the shrill
pipe of the clarinet and the clash of the
cymbals, at times muffied, then bursting
forth with crash and dying away like
mufiled thunder. A large crowd had
assembled to see the ceremonies, but
were kept at a respectful distance by
force of police who allowed none but
Chinese in side the lines After a time,
however, line was formed and those
who wished were allowed a last look at
the face of the dead before the casket
was closed. Then eight pail bearers
raised the coffin and placed 1t in the
hearse. The mourners were placed In
carriages and the parade formed. An
express wagon was loaded with the flu
neral meats and dishes, preceding the
cortege to the cemetery.
At the head OF the procession was the
hearse. followed by the carriages con-
tanning the immediate relatievs and
bus containing a full Chinese band,
which kept up a constant din all the
way to Evergreen cemetery. Further
down the line was second band, the
rest OF the line being composed of hacks
and carriages. There were fully 100 We
hicles in all, and they made a process
sino half a mile long. The start was
made little after l o'clock, and after
winding the plaza once, it proceeded
straight to Boyle Heights.
Another large crowd had already
gathered at the cemetery when the pro-
cession arrived. The services here were
held at the altar erected for such pur-
poses. 1t consists of a long flat plat
form of cement, f1anked at either end
by furnaces in which the clothing, bed
ding and all personal effects of the de-
ceased are burned. Ranged on the
platform in order were the edibles which
had been sent on ahead and fresh
supply of punks was smoking at a
great rate. The casket was deposited
just back of the platform, the mourn
ers once again took their position, and
about the same ceremony was gone
through with as before. The priest
chanted his prayers, the cymbals clang-
ed, ana the service proceeded. Into a
large furance were thrown the dead
mans effects, together with a lot of slips
or paper representing money with which
to pay his way on his long journey. A
blaze was started, and the smoke pour
ing out OF the chimney told that the
fire was doing it's work.
Finally the service was over and the
pail bearers once more grasped the cas-
ket and carried it to the grave where
1T was lowered, and with a few last in
carnations, the ceremony was over The
clodS were ShOveled in on Wong Chez
not to be removed for years. Eventu-
ally the bones will be removed and
scraped, being boxed up and sent back
to China. Unless this We're done he
could not rest in peace. The funeral
feast was dumped Unfortunately on
the platform, hogs. chickens ducks rice.
fruit dough biscuits and all in one pile
and left to it's fate. For a week or more
fresh supplies of food will be laid on
the grave daily, so that Chez shall not
be hungry on his journey; then he will
have had time to get there, and this
will cease.
A slight accident occurred Just as the
BODY was being borne to the grave
About the furnace in which the clothing
was burning were crowded a mass of
people damned like sardines in an en-
deavor to see all that was going on The
smouldering blaze must have generated
quantity of gas in the oven-like struc-
ture. as suddenly with puff the iron
doors were blown open and a blaze shot
out and number of persons standing
near were scorched. One man had his
mustache and eyelashes singed off and
a suit of clothes ruined, and several
others were nearly as unfortunate.
The crowd was well-behaved, although
morbidly curious. Chief Glass had pro
vided an adequate force of officers. and
any tendency to overrun the celestials
was promptly checked. Chez had
swell funeral, and may now rest in
peace.