Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-01
BACK TO THE ORIENT
Bones of Departed Cinnamon
to Be Sent Home.
THEIR BODIES EXHUMEO
Return to Native Soil Enjoined by
Religious Belief.
UNIQUE SCENE IN CEMETERY
Remains Will Be Shipped Tuesday
to New York Whence They
Will Be Taken to China.
UNIQUE SCENE IN CEMETERY

Will Be Taken to China.
AS the winter sun crept over the hills
back of Anacostia early yesterday morn
ing. casting pale light over a sleeping
city and dispelling the chill msts of the
Eastern branch, it's rays fell upon rs
grim and cherries a sight as ever greet
ed dawn. Hudded in the far eastern
corner of Congressional cemetery. against
the board fence that meets the river
bank. was a small band of Chinese, brac-
ing themselves against the bitter west
wind with determination demanded Ivy
a grisly task.
In front of them bent half dozen
gravediggers engaged in disinterring the
remains of twenty-five Celestials. the last
of whom had been buried at least five
years, for shipment to their native soil
for Chinese may not lie forever under
foreign soil if he would enjoy perpetual
happiness in paradise. Around them. 81
lent and ghostly. arise the headstones that
mark the resting places of dozens Of
other Chinese.
Twenty-Five Bodies Exhumed.
Throughout the morning the grayedig-
had exhumed all the bodies designated
by the Chinese committee which had the
affair in charge. The remains removed
from the earth were those of Lee Gong
Moi Won Shan. Lee Look. Moy Guam Kee.
Ching Win. Moy Lung Tung, Lee Gong
Moon, Moy Dan, Moy Sing. Lee You. Lee
Gin. Moy Coon. Moy Gle Me. Lee Fin
Wing. Lee Mon Sock 10y Gam. Moy
a fa; NJ
Gar and Yeun Hing.
Permits for the disnterment were is
sued to relatives of the deceased during
the past few days by the health officer.
The greatest secrecy was observed by
the Chinese concerning the disinterment.
When the digging was begun a party OF
Chinese was on hand They watched
everything until the last body was ex-
stout, heavy-cheeked man of middle age.
remained TO keep guard while the most
grisly part of the ceremony was per-
formed. That was the boiling of the
corpses, which occupied the entire after
noon.
This was necessary becausce only the
bones are to be sent to China. The bones
will be put into metal boxes for shipment.
When they reach China they will be cra-
mated and their ashes placed in urns.
Chinaman on Guard.
The gravediggers attended to this gr7ie-
some work. But ever at their elbows was
the watchful Chinaman. and no stranger
was allowed to come near. Several tried
to do so-persons who were at the ceme-
tary for enc reason or another and who,
from idle curiosity. sought to find out
what was going on within the shed-but
they would be met by one of the grave
diggers. who told them they could not
approach.
To the inquisitive the stolid Chinese
guardian would give black looks. He was
far from prepossessing. with his heavy
overcoat and thick cap. the flaps Of which
were pulled over its owners ears to pro-
tect from the biting cold.
To Leave New York Thursday.
Arrangements have been made by the
Chinese to have the bones of their friends
taken home on a ship which sails from
New York Thursday. The disnterment
was put off until the last possible day.
and was kept quiet But for the necessi-
~ of obtaining permits for the disinter-
ment of the bodies it would probably have
been accomplished without anything being
known about it.
OF the bodies that were disinterred yes
terday none was buried later than 1903.
Several were buried in 1896. Usually the
remains are allowed to remain in the
earth fer five years, but sometimes the
relations of the dead are unable. for one
reason or another. to attend to their re-
moval when the five-year limit is up and
SO let them lie until the proper arrange
ments can be made. The twenty-five sets
of bones will probably be sent Tuesday
from Washington TO New York, whence
they will start on the long sea journey
home.
Most of the deaths of Chinese i'm WASH
ington are due to lung diseases. consump-
ton and pneumonia being the most fire.
quent causes. The close quarters i'm which
the Chinese live and their use of opium
and other drugs hasten their end when
they are attacked by such diseases
Feeding the Dead.
Interesting to an American is the Chi
nese custom of feeding the dead. This
occurs four or five times year. and those
i'm charge of Congressional cemetery
nese drive into the grounds. 1t is the
Chinese belief that while the bodies lie
buried they must be cared for i'm sub
stantial way. Cooked food usually rice.
pork roast chicken and wine, compose the
feasts. They are taken from the stove
and placed i'm a carriage and carried i'm
a hurry to the cemetery and placed on the
graves with ceremony. The wine il placed
In small cups and set with the food. In
cense is burned and bundles of imitation
paper money are placed by the head
stones Real money is never left there.
y few years ago Chinese funerals at
Congressional cemetery attracted hun
dreds OF persons but the Chinese became
tired of this. so that now when one dies
his friends have the undertaken notify
the superintendent of the cemetery only
x.,. hnfn he time MT for