The Cairo bulletin., 1908-11-20
LAST DAYS OF
CHINESE RULERS
ACCURATE INFORMATION AT
Lk15 OBTAINED FROM oFFl-
GALS OF PALACE.
EMPEROR MADE SPEECH
human Formalites Attending
Passinn Of Dowaner En-
press Described.


peking, Nov. 19.--Accurata infot
nation concerning the last days CT
the emperor and dowager empress
was obtained today from officials of
tae palace. valf0us foreign legat ons
in attempting to determine tie
eauses Cf the deaths have abandoael
the poison theory and have conclrd-
ed that the symptoms Of the emperor
Indicate that death resulted from
1eurasthenia and cardiac weaknesses
together with other complications.
Rad Just Made Speech.
The emperor made a speech less
than one hour before his death. He
passed away durirg q period Ct great
excitement o"l confusion His native
physio'aas had been temporarily dis,
hetd under the impression that
acre was no change in the condition
II his majesty and that ne might live
tor some time There was a sudden
change for the worse, however, ami
hey were quickly recalled. They at
once gave orders IN accordance with
the custom cf the imperial family OBJ
served for centuries past, that the
emperor be dressed for detah and
that the imperial yellow clay be
Iread over the read leading feam
the winter palace to the Forbidden
City. At the same time the inn
periaI conveyance was made ready
to convey the dowager empress to
The death chamber.
The last Illness or the dowagef
empress dated from November lst,
On this day the court was terrified
sy an outburst of uncontrolled ter-
ncr from her majesty On the 18th
sha Suffered a naraiytie stroke ,upen
clDr Informed or tie precafious con-
iit'oG Of the emperor On the 18th
Prince Chang returned from her
marsoleum IN the eastern hills viii
their she had sent him to make
religious offering in the hope OF
nropitiatmg the ghost that in their
lreams had beckoned her to follow
cut to these hills
lnhuman Customs.
An official OF high standing said
today that the empress had died OF
apcplexy Both OF these majesties
awaited the coming of the grim
reaper clad in their full official robes
arl surrounded by hundreds Of
court officials and followers, II was
a harbarous exhibition OF the souliess
and inhuman formaity and etiquette
Of the court
Members Of the grand council in
q tCstamentary statement written
expressly for her majesty, have
drawn a pitiful picture of her last
suferings This account reveals the
feelings Of an eye witness who
stood awe stricke I'M the crowd at the
prescribed distance from the bedside
Of the dying woman in sorrowful
contemplation of her majesty lying
upon her couch and awaiting the
coming of death
The night of Novemoer -, tha
iowager empress called the mem
beers of the grand council together
md talked with them for some time.
At . O'Clock the next morning edicts
werr prepared announcing succession
TO the throne 70 is reported tHat
ner majesty was able to signify her
assent to these particular edicts. bat
Immediately after having done hif
she declared. Il can bear no more.
and relapsed into uneonsciousucss
Panic Ensues-Eunichs Flee.
As soon as it was actually known
Throughout the palace that their ma
is-tes were dead panic ensued.
The widow OF TungChi a'temI tel
suicide because she perceived that
She would not Dee made dowager en-
nrese. There was an ortbreat OF
aaHnE and geenral uandemCuium.
Nsuy of the palace eunichs fel car
ving with them such ,a'uahIes as
.tier could lay their hands on.
To-Day tho euniches returned and
have been rcinstated, ana except lcr
q continuance OF the frueral OBJ
seruIes and obs hserFancrs conditions
at the palace are normal The rri1-
riuaI concubinez 81 The late kuaae-
1-I have been reusionel
Pu-Yi the baby emperor. has been
"a ken from hts family and IS
zeruouzls cared for within The PAL
eco precincts