Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-11-20
LAST EO|CT Of EMPRESS.
ooWaQei 10 Dreams Saw Ghost
Beckonibg Ae'.
no RESPITE FROM AnA|ET|ts|
Real Ruler Of China Expresses on
Death Bed Belief That Reforms In
Government Of Her Country Will
Be Developed.

dent Roosevelt 4 personal F'ter III
the name OF Pu vi, the infant EN-
peror of China, setting forth the criSiSl
through which the throne has passed
during the last week.
Similar letters have been sent tcl
all the other powers friendly 10 chr
ma. appealing for sympathy for ana
understanding of the new rulers OF
China. I
The provinces still are quiet ana
the governmental machine c0n;inu'sI
to work we'll
An edct ordering pOsthlmOus non
or; for the late dOwager empress was
issued today and 1t enum"rat"s lot
the fourth time since the death on
her majesty. tn" program CT reforms
TO which the new regime Is commit
ted
AnO, her edict that las issued in the
name of the late dowagtr empress
says:
..rhc wear before last the prepare
tory measures for constitutional gov
ernRent were compared and putE'sh
Fed, AMI this year decree setting
forth The time limits for the granting
of a constitution has been promulgat
ed.
Refers to Declining Strength.
NV attention has been given to
m, Rad Of affairs and my strength ana
nv hear, are exhausted. Since ia'
summer I have been MI and not able
TO assist in the multitudiEous afa1rs
of the government with tranquility.
For long I have been without appe-
tite. nor have I been able 10 sleep.
On November IA came the sorrow Oh
the death of the emperor. and II was
then impOssible for me- to exercise
self control. Following this day. my
illness increased until now ! am NOT
able to rise from my couch.
II look back today over fifty years
OF sorrow and trouble ard even At
the end of my life. my anxiehes stiii
are with me and | c"n ma no
respite.
Reform in the method OF govern
mert has begun and these Ideas VIII
he continued and develOned. The re-
gent a~d all other officials should eS-
ert themselves to strengthen the
foundations of the empire. Let 'he
Emperor Pu vi make the afal"s OF
the empire of the frs importance
End to this end let him be Adequately
instructed
Emp.ror's Fatal AiIment.
Accurate information concerning
the last DAYS of The emperor and the
,'owager empress was obtaiEed TO-DAY
from officials OF the palace.
The symptoms OF the emperor IN
Loot
' neurasthenia and cardiac weaknes IS,
together with other complications.
The emperOr's nativ" physicians
had been temporarily dismissed I'M
der the impression that he might h'e
for some time. There was sudden
turn for the worse. however. eni 'he'
were quickly recalled. They at once
gave orders. in accordance with
custom of the imperial family. that
the emperor he dressed for death ana
that imperial yellow clay be spread
!. over the read leading from the winter
palace to the Forbidden city.
Last Illness Of Dowa1er.
The last illness Of the dowager en-
press dated from November !. On
| This day the court was terrified by
an o,thurst OF uncontrolled temper
from her majesty On the 18th OF
| November she suffered a paraiytic
I stroke. On November IL Prince
Ching returned from her mauso'eum
| ir- The eastern hills. whittier she ma
sent him II make religious oHer'ns
! in the hope Of propitiating the ehoS'
that in her dreams had beckoned heT
To follow him out to the hills. Al
Official Of hisA standing said today
tina, the empress had died OF apo
plexv.
| Both their majestics awaited the
| coming OF the grim reoper cad IN
| their full Official robes and snrrouhn-
cj ~ hundreds Of court officials ana
| followers II was a barharous eXhi-
| hilton of the souliess ard inhumah
fornaiity and etiquette of the corr'-
/ Soon after the deaths were an
/ pornced hundreds Of mon collected in
the palace and remained there foF
| FIVE dsys
| Called Council Together.
On the night Of November u. me
Jo~ager empress called the members
q. the Grand council together a.
talked With them for some time. She
was lying prone. hut fully dressed.
After one hours conversation N"
! councillors were dismissed hut they
| were told 10 return Al two oc'ock IN
the morning with the cdicts prepared
70 announce the Succession to the
Throne. Immediately after signifyins
hcr axscnt 10 .hem she d"ciarei:
81 can hear no more" and relapsrd
into upcousciousncSs. Tho emperor
and the aowager empress were dead
or morihuud when the regency edtc's
were issued
Pm Vi. tho baby emperor. has h""n
i taken from his family and IS sedn
lo,rsIy cared for within the palace pre-