The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-03-13
Started From Memphis With
Body Of Chinaman Who
Died Here.
TuP WILL REQUIRE . WEEKS

Weird incaDtations. superstltlous
ceremonies and all that Is incompre.
hensible to the average American cit
izen took place yesterday afternoon
in local undertaking establishment
when Sam Sing and few other local
Celestials performed the last sad
rites over the body of Ling Sing. says
yesterdays Memphis Commercial
Appeal.
The body OF Ling has rested peace
fully In vault OF one of the local
cemeteries for two months. Sam, his
brother, drove out with the under
taker yesterday afternoon to arouse
his dead brother from the dreams OF
death and carry him back to his ma
tive land. On the way to the cemetery
he sprlnkled small cards in the street,
perforated with lnnumerable small
holes.
The soul OF Ling travels through
these small ape?tures aud Is pursu.
ed relentlessly by the devil If the
devil overtakes the soul II is lost. The
cemetery was reached. When the
vault door was thrown aJar, Sam
cried out loudly for his brother to
wake up. The call was repeated sew
cral times and at last Sam shook his
head. Ling was really dead and
could not be aroused.
Then the funeral train proceeded
back TO the morgue of the undertake
er, but not until Sam and his friends
had placed upon the floor of the vault
a tempting dish OF chicken, sausage
and other edlbles, condiments and VI
ands to feed the soul of Ling after
the remains Lad been taken away
Snail wax candles were lighted in
TIE morgue and San and his friends
sang the Oriental hymns, that are de-
void of sentiment or harmony. and
prayed in the language of the East.
The ceremony was over and Sam
began his long trip across the world
to the home OF his nativity, armed to
the teeth with a through pass from
Memphis to Hong Kong, and return
permit from the United States gov
eminent that assured his safe pas
sage over the quarantine set up by
the Geary Chinese Exclusion act.
At the undertaking establishment
he left tempting dish of chicken.
sausage and basket OF delicious
fruit. all OF which was intended for
the Unsuitable hunger of the soul of
Ling. but which was devoured by the
drivers as an incidental relish.
Ling Sing was a Paducah China
man. He died more than two months
ago at that place where a funeral
ceremony was held, and after which
he was shipped to Memphis to be
placed In charge of his brother Sam
lie was embalmed with rigid fluid
and placed In vault where his
bones and flesh have been kept in a
splendid state OF preservation. There
is no sign OF decomposition. The body
of the dead Oriental is an immense
one. II is believed he is the largest
Chinaman in the south.
Ling had to rest in the local vault
until Sam could get his passport and
credentials from Washington TO en-
able him to safely return to Ameri-
ca. lie went before notary public,
and a photographer. Before the lat
ter he had his likeness taken. Then
he made AFFIDAVIT that he was the
same man as was represented by the
photo and that he had lived In Amer
lea SO many years, after which the
affidavit and photo, under a noto-
rial seal, was forwarded to Washing
ton, approved and returned, and then
Sam was able to leave. He goes to
Vancouver, u. c., which takes eight
days, and there takes a steamer for
thirty days travel on the briny deep.
Sam will return 10 Memphis In about
three months and promises good
story to tell when he comes back.