Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-28
Funeral of DOwager HarukO
Greatest Pageant since That
of MutsuhitO.
SERVICES BEGAN APRIL I
President Wilson Sends Silver
Wreath, and Imperial Edict
Commutes Sentences of
Many Prisoners.

Toxic, May GA million torches and
lanterns illuminated Toxic tonight when
the body of the Empress Dowager
Haruko was borne through the streets
In a beautiful funeral car drawn by
white oxen. There had been no pageant
of such solemn grandeur here since the
funeral of Emperor Mutsuhito. a year
and a half ago.
Practically the entire American colony
viewed the procession from various points
of vantage. 1t is 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 win
dow above the first floors along the fu-
neral route was closed, and dark
The ceremonies tonight were the
elimination OF series of services held
daily since the official death of the EN-
press Dowager on April II. Her actual
death occurred two days earlier at
Numadzu, but tradition prescrbes that
no member of the Imperial family can
die outside the capital, so the body of
the Empress was conveyed to Toxic, and
driven smartly to the Aoyama palace in
a closed private carriage. At the palace
she Officially" died a few hours later.
SPECIAL TEMPLE BUILT.
In the six weeks since then, special tenn
pie 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 performed with great ceremony. The
Emperor, the Empress, princes and
princesses of the blood were present to
pray before the shrine.
BY noon crowds augmented by thou
sands from the country, filled the streets
The people stood for hours waiting for
the cortege.
At dusk when the illumination of the
route had been completed the Imperial
coffin was placed in the funeral car at
Oayama Palace, and the procession form
ed with a large military force at its head
Amid dull yellow and white banners and
torches. came the funeral commissioners
accompanied by their secretaries, and
court servants dressed in ancient robes
Interspered were men bearing evergreen
trees.
The advance of the cortege was almos
noiseless the streets having been covered
with a thick layer of sand. The funera
flutes were heard a. the funeral car itse!
approached 1t was led by Baron Hatano
minister of the Imperial household,
striking figure in white, whose way wa
omhlazened by torches
CAR IN THE CUBIC FORM.
Three white oxen in reserve ploddeC
ahead of the two which were yoked Il
the funeral car. The car was Of cubic
form, with its interior eXquisitely lac
quered partly in black and partly il
Chestnut. Bamboo blinds hung from thu
square openings, and brass curtains from
the side. The oxen were covered with {
rare white cloth and their horns wer'
wound with material of the same texture
The people bowed and wept as the I'm
perlal hearse advanced.
Later came hundreds of priests anC
bearers of the court gongs and the tam
bours. and of many coored streamer
and banners. The princes of the blood
each with his retinue, holders of higl
imperial orders. lords-in-waiting, mem
bers of the Diet and several regiment
Of militarySand bodies of marines swelle
the line
A sacred gateway marked the entranc
10 the temple ground. The Emperor an
Empress had already arrived and wer
seated on throne near the principa
shrine. while the diplomatic corps. in
gliding George W. Guthrie, the America
ambassador, had also taken their place
In a reserved section.
Standing watch fires, in imitation {
those used in the imperial court yard
In daU M
gots, were ablaze in various parts Of tn
temple in iron baskets set on tripods.
When the funeral car had been draw
up before the chief shrine the drge wa
chanted and food offerings were givel
Other offerings included gold brocad
damasks, silks and silk thread, all place
in a box made of willow branches.
The Emperor paid his homage by reaC
an address. He was followed h
others representing the court and II
Empire These over, the curtains wei
drawn before the shrine and the imper
coffin was borne to special train col
veying it to Momoyama, near Kioto,
be laid away in a plot of land near II
Mausoleum OF the Emperor Mutsuhit
At the departure, cannon Numbered fro
Shinasawa bay, several miles away, ar
vast body of mourners bowed their la
reVerences.
The President of the United Stat
sent a silver wreath and there We're flo
Al tributes from the heads of many 9th
nations.
In commemoration, an imperial orc
nance was issued committing the punis
ment of many persons serving terms
Imprisonment.