The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-11-02
Rauma Singh, nindoo. Will Be
Cremated Today.
Mr.. CHERRY LENDS THEM AID
Funeral Pyre viii 30 Beyond tho City
limits--Rumor That Hume Slab
Furnace viii Be Utilized
First Event Of Kind Here.

During the month Of August ther
, arrived In this city from up Seattl
way group OF four Hindoos. The!
were the first Of their race to reacl
this city in the guise OF workmen
though many have been here ant
passed through as sailors on the for.
eign vessels that touch here. Theil
names were Rauma Singh. q. Saigel
d. Nanan Singh and G., Angaram, and
they found work almost instantly o,
the Tongue Point mills and have
worked there ever since.
There were quiet. orderly. unob-
strusive set. but with nothing espe-
cially friendly about them. They have
an intelligent look and their odd cos
tunes invariably made them conspic-
uous in any sort OF crowd. They
have worked faithfully and well in
the lines set for them by the man.
agement OF the mills. and no fault
has been found with them In any
way.
Rauma Singh was a consumptlve.
This developed lately In such fash
ion as to compel him to seek the aid
OF the authorities He was without
funds to support himself In his ex-
tremity and at once became a county
charge and was sent to ST. Mary's
hospital for treatment He died on
wednesday morning last at 8 o'clock
and his remains were turned over to
Coroner w, c, Pohl for burial at the
public expense.
Just at this point the rest OF the
Hindoos step In with request that
the body OF their dead comrade shall
be turned over to them for burial In
accordance with the customs and the
religion of their country, which in
wolves the burning Of the remains
upon pyre and the scattering of his
ashes to the wide winds OF Heaven.
They preferred their request and Cor
oner Pohl, however willing he might
have been to accord them the favor, |,
was without the authority OF law in
the premises and was compelled to
deny them.
AZ this point they realized that they |
were subjects of the British crown
and Immediately invoked the assist
ance Of British Vice Consul P. L.
Cherry, who, being intimately ac-
quainted with the Hindoo faith and its
practices and knowing how dear 1t Is
TO the nature Of the faithful. at once
gave his aid in securing the release
of the body for the purposes Of bur-
al and upon this adequate endorse
nent, the three were successful, as
he following letters will indicate.
The funeral will be held some time
.oday, and the body of Rauma Singh
will be burned to atoms, but just
where no one has been able to find
,ut, except that II will occur beyond
he limits Of the city A report was
.urrent late last night, that the Hume
mill people had granted them per-
mission to use the huge slab furnace
Il the mills for the ceremony, and
hat its use was sought because 1t
would spare the three friends the pub
lefty that might attend an open bur-
al in the country. At all events,
hey will dispatch the remains by fire
oday and with all the unction and ,
eremony Of which they have COM
nand.
Following is the correspondence :
eading up to the release Of the body
or this sacred purpose: .
From the three Hindoos to Coro- ,
er Pohl: /,
Astoria, Ore, Nov /, 1906.
To VIM. C. "A. Pohl:
I'VE, the undersigned, hereby ask =
ou to surrender to US the remains
( Rauma Singh, who died at AS 7
oria, Oregon, on the 31st day Of Oc- .
ober, 1906, for the purpose of dis
osing of the same with the customs
I his country and his religion.
1--WE are and he also was native !,
Z British India and the customs re- =
erred to are that he be burned on .
pyre and his remains converted y
ITO ashes, under the rituals Of his
eligion.
1--WE would prefer to do this even
, having him cremated in crema-
,ry and we have not the means to
IKE him to a crematory. We are
,iends of the deceased, he having no 9
nown relatives in this country. (,
"G. L. SAIGEL, r
I'D. MANA SINGH, Q
&c. ANGARAM, h
T, P. L. Cherry, British Vice Con- a
u, most respectfully request that T
ie above demand be granted. .
Up. L. CHERRY,
british Vice Consul"
From Coroner Pohl to Judge Thos q