The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-03
money and FOOD
WITH The DEAD.
The Body Of a chinaman Was
Buried in Oakwood
Yesterday.

with money in his coffin to pay his Ter
rage across the river of death; WITH 1000
piled on the fresh soil which covered MS
grave, and with the blessings OF JOSS ana
lis constituents resting upon him, a Chi-
Hese, Lee Ong Sing, or Charlie Lee, as
more widely known in this country, was
laid to rest yesterday in lakewood. This
is the first Chinese funeral which has TAX
en- place in this city during the last ten
years, and all the prominent Chinese were
present The body lay in the undertaking
establishment of Billups. in Main Street.
near Fifteenth. and from there was taken
to the cemetery. Some hundred or so per-
sons viewed it while it was in the estab-
lishment. a large crowd gathering around
the coffin.
Those rites peculiar to the worshippers
Of Joss were all observed in this case.
Mtney was placed in the coffin. nine quar-
tel5 being used. and food was placed on
the grave at Oakwood. where the inter-
mcnt took place. The money is to pay
for the ferryage across the river OF
death into the Chinese heaven. wherever
that may be locat the food was placed
there to stay the appetite of a man, who
d:sgraced at home because he died in the
land of what the Chinese are pleased to
call "the foreign devils was yet shown
the honor of burial according to the rites
of his religion by his fellow-countryme en-.
gathered some dozen or moro Chinese and
these followed the coffin to the grave.
where the last rites were observed
Among these were the leading Chinese
Of the city, Wing On Wo, Charlie Long.
Sam Yick, the merchant, being of this
number. The Chinese themselves, naturally
taciturn. would say nothing to any one;
they moved about noiseleSSly, silently,
sre aking in whispers among themselves
and in their own language. The laugh
Ing crowd, which was SO great that the
doors of the place had to be closed. adj
hitting only few at a time, nudged the
Chinese aside as they moved through the
lover part of the undertaker's place to
reach upstairs, where all that was to
be seen was a dead man, with the wan
paleness of DEATH the set rightly OF life
lessness in his face. with five twenty-five
cent pieces on his breast and one in each
&C rner of his coffin.
Mr. E. w Miner. superintendent OF
the Chinese School of the Calvary Bap-
fist Church. of which school the dead
man was member, was on hand to see
that everything was done. He only knew
of the death yesterday. and imme-
dately took steps to assist the chinese
in every way. With Mr.. Miner they all
shook hands smilingly; to others they
were sphinx-lke.
coffin containing the body was closed
up. four of the Chinese present being
appointed pall-bearers, and then 1t was
borne downstairs, and later placed in
the hearse in front. AS the door of the
hearse was closed one of the Chinese
flung handful of small coin over the
hearse. which act was Immediately fol-
lowed nv a wild scramble by the curious
and laughing ones, and then the hearsa
pulled away.
When the body arrived at lakewood the
coffin was again opened. certain foods
placed in the coffin and then the coffin
was closed and the body lowered into
the grave Over this grave We're thrown
other articles of food. the Chinese indl,
eating a certain suspiciousness of joss
care for a subject by substantial means
of preventing starvation of the dead
man. And at last, when all had been
done. the Chinese returned to the city