Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-05-28
THE EMPRESS Of
JAPAN BORltD
Rites Were Most, Solemn and
Followed the Ordination of
Fifteenth Century.

Toxic, May ga million torches
and lanterns illuminated Toxic to.
night when the body of the Empress
Dowager Haruko was borne through
the streets in a beautiful funeral cal
drawn by white There had
been no pageant of such solemn
grandeur here since the funeral OF
Emperor Mutsuhito, a year and a
half ago..
Americans Had Good vitw.
Practically the entire American
colony viewed the procession from
various points Of vantage. 1t is a
rule that no Japanese subjects may
look down upon a royal parsonage
from elevated points, whether the
royalties be dead or alive. In strict
observance of this, every door and
window above the first floors along
the funeral route vas closed, and
dark.
The ceremonies tonight were the
elimination of a series of services
held daily since the official death of
the Empress DOwager on April II.
Her actual death occurred two days
earlier at Numadzu, but tradition pre-
scribes that no member of the I'm.
perial family can die outside the cap.
ital, so the body of the Empress
was conveyed to Toxic, and driven
smartly to the Aoyama Palace in q
closed private carriage. At the palace
she Politically" died a few hours la.
ter.
Temple Erected.
In the six weeks since then, a sDeC
ial temple was erected on the Yoyogi
military field, southwest of the city,
where the main funeral service was
held. In the morning the service of
installation of the spirit" was per-
formed with great ceremony. The
emperor, the Empress, Princes and
P~rincesses Of the blood were present
to pray before the shrine. I
BY noon crowds, augmented by
thousands from the country, filled the
streets. The people stood for hours
waiting for the cortage.
At dusk when the illumination OF
the route had been completed the
Imperial coffin was placed in the fun
eral car at Oayama Palace, and the
procession formed with a large mill
tary force at its head. Amid dull yell
,ow and white banners and torches,
came the funeral commissioners, &C.
cOmpanied by their secretaries, and
court servants : dressed in ancient
robes. lnterspered were men bearing
evergreen trees. i'' '"tri~ .
Street Sounds Deadened.
The advance of the cortege was al.
most noiseless, the streets having
been covered with a thick layer of
sand. 1t was led by Baron Hatano,
minister of the Imperial household, a
striking figure in white, whose way
was emblazened by torches.
Funeral Car Drawn by Oxen.
Three white oxen in reserve plod.
ded ahead Of the two which we're
yoked to the funeral car. The car was
OF cubic form, with it's interior ex-
quisitely lacquered, partly in black
and partly in chestnut. Bamboo
blinds hung from the square open
lngs, and brass curtains from the side.
The oxen were covered with a rare
white cloth and their horns were
wound with material of the same tex
ture.' The people bowed and wept
as the Imperial hearse advanced.
Later came hundreds of priests
and bearers of the court gongs and
the tambours, and of many colored|
streamers and banners, The Princes
or the blood, each with mis- retinue
holders OF high Imperial orders, Lords
In-waiting, members of the Diet and
several regiments of military and
Dooles OF marines swelled the line.
Rulers on Their Throne.
A sacred gateway marked the en-
trance to the temple ground. The
Emperor and Empress had already ar
rived and were seated on a throne