The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-22
WITH CHINESE oBSEQUIES,
Wong poy. Native of Flowery Kong
dom. Laid Ia Rest In Lake View
Cemetery by Celestial Friends.

With all the pomp and ceremony becom-
ing the obsequies Of A member OF the
Chinese Masonic fraternity. Wong roy.
a native of the Fiowery Kingdom, was
laid TO rest In lake View cemetery yes
terday afternoon by his sorrowing irlenus.
AS the body was lowered into the grave
amid the fumes OF burning punk, the Chi
nese musicians, with ciashing cymhais'
staccato flutes, tom-tous and stringed IN
struments. played doleful dirge In honor
of the dead. \ piece OF paper was spreau
at the foot Of the grave, and, kneellng on
this. the friends Of the deceased bowed
thrice to the ground and then poured out
a lihation of wine from small cup. Ii
was the last farewell.
Wong Poy was a coast pioneer having
arrived In oregon twenty years ago from
his native land. lite came TO Seattle IN
1896. and worked for George Myers. the
cannery man. In China Wong Poy was a
ptgHist. He died of consumption Sunday
night at the general hospital
The funeral services yesterday were on
orthodox Chinese lines, The body lay IN
state at Butterworth'S chapel until
O'Clock, when. after a lot of Chinese
money had been placed In the casket, ii
was removed to the Chinese hospital, on
Fifth avenue south. between Lesler way
and Washington street. There punk
was burned and American money placed in
the coffin.
The funeral procession formed at the
hospital. A wagon containing all the per-
sonal effects of Wong Poy was in the van.
The hearse followed. a Chinaman occupy
ing a seat beside the driver and scattering
siips of perforated paper. This was TO
keep the devil behind the funeral, the be-
lief being that he has TO crawl through
all the holes in the paper as he endeayors
to follow the dead. A carriage containing
the intimate friends of the deceased fol-
lowed. and then two more. occupied by
tho musicians. who kept up continuous
strains of plaintive noise on their instru-
ments. Six other carriages followed. On
the windows of all were pasted notices OF
the funeral.
AT the grave all the friends assembled,
bearing offerings of punk. chickens. candy.
fruit boiled eggs and wine, TO appeaSe
the hunger of Wong Poy as he set out
upon his last long journey. The personal
effects were collected in a heap and
burned according TO the ancient Celestial
custom. The punk sticks were lighted,
pieces Of paper with cahalsic signs were
dropped into the grave. and all the time
the mournful music ebhed and flowed IN
shrill measure.
The casket was finally lowered into the
grave, pieces of money being flung in, so
that Wong Poy might journey in ease TO
his own heaven. In the casket was placed
a brick bearing the name. age and date OF
death Of the deceased. in tndestructibie
ink. BY this he VIII be identified IL his
bones are ever shipped to the land of ms
birth.
Tea was made and the Chinese present
were each presented with a cup of the
beverage. Cigars were then handed around
and money distributed among the mourn
ers The final act was the placing of the
food at the foot of the grave. Following
this was the farewell libation. and Wong
Poy was at rest.