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Yee Yup

Posted 2016-05-28 by Judy Wight Branson
Weekly Arizona Journal Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory
Wednesday, February, 6, 1907, page 1, column 1

Chinese Cook Hangs Himself

(From Tuesday's Daily)

Disheartened at his ill-luck at cards and his failure to secure sufficient money to take him back to the Flowery Kingdom, Yee Yup, aged 57, member of the Hop Wo Tong, committed suicide.

His lifeless body, suspended by a half inch rope around his neck, was found hanging from a rafter in his room, back of the Chinese Joss house, on Granite street, last night at 8 o'clock, by a fellow countryman. He had apparently been dead for at least twenty-four hours.

Yup had been missed from his customary haunts in the Chinese quarters for the past two days, which fact led to an investigation last evening, with the above results. The dead Chinaman had tied the rope around his neck while standing on a box, which he had afterwards kicked from under him.

A coroner's jury was at once impaneled, which, after viewing the remains, adjourned until this morning at 10 o'clock, at which time a verdict will be rendered.

Yup was a cook and laundryman by occupation.
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Prescott Journal Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory
Thursday, February 7, 1907, page 5, column 4

Chinese Suicide Buried By Hop Wo Tong

Papers Scattered To Keep Spirits Away

Grave Covered With Roast Pig And Other Food

With the Oriental solemnity, attended by the usual beating of drums and cymbals, the remains of Yee Yup, the Chinese suicide, were laid to rest in the Citizens' cemetery, yesterday afternoon, at 3 o'clock, to await the time when the fleshless bones will be raised and transported to the Flowery Kingdom for re-interment, to mingle with the dust of his fathers.

Under the auspices of the Hop Wo Tong, the funeral procession started from the Ruffner undertaking parlors at 2:30 o'clock, and as it slowly wended it way to the cemetery, an Oriental friend of the deceased, seated on the hearse, scattered small pieces of paper to the four winds, to keep the evil spirit of the deceased, in observance of an ancient custom of his race, where traditions ante-date the time when Noah escaped the ravages of the deluge.

Following in the wake of the funeral cortege, came an express wagon, loaded with roast pig and Chinese delicacies, and the bed of the deceased, which was buried in the vicinity of the grave, to smoke the evil one and his imps from the habitation of the dead.

When the usual Tong ceremonies were concluded, the roast pig and a number of delicacies were deposited on the grave, after the roast pig had been covered with a purple colored gravy and a decoration of black tea, in which the leaves were almost as predominant as the liquid.

In depositing the roast pig and other food on the grave, the usual custom was departed from somewhat by covering it with earth. This is said to have been done as a precaution against it being stolen, which, it is claimed, has been done in some instances in large cities, the spirit of the deceased thus being compelled to travel on its way to
heaven without food or drink.




Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.

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