The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-08-29

Mode Of Administering q Judicial Oath "a
Chtnese In California.
on the 1Ith OF July batch Of Celesti
were arraigned before Judge Creanor, In the
district Court Of Sonora, Tuolumne county.
ior the murder Of one of their countrymen at
Big Oak Flat, some mon tbs since The Sonora
Democrat thus describes q striking scene In
Court during the trial:
when the witnesses were placed uuon tho
stand, considerable dificulty was ex periepced
with regard TO their taking the required oath.
Inc interpreter,-an Intelligent Chinaman.
whs took the obligation In the usual form ,
informed the Court that in order to admins.
ter an impressive oath to the Witnessed n
would De necessary to conform to the custom
OF the Cninese. which was by cutting chick
ems heads on and going through certain other
ceremonies, such as burning paper, candles.
ETC. This announcement, 1t must be confess.
cd, rather staggered the Court Judge O. had
never before been called on to do any thing of
the kind, although he had seen ten years. active
service on the bench In California, and it was
somewhat Of poser with him how to 90
aboutit. Finally, after being satisfied that by
no other means could they be made to under
stand the solemnity and import of an oath. the
requisite number of shanghais were ordered
and pretty soon they made themselves heard
in Court.
Then followed scene which attracted the
atten tion of all, and which we shall not soon
balcony OF the courtroom, and there the half.
dozen witnesses repaired, after each received a
piece OF marked yellow paper, about the size
OF mans hand. On the railing of the hal
cony, four colored candles-each six inches in
length--were lighted, on the right and left of
which were bundles Of thin sticks. I'VE he
lieve they are called Josh sticks,) also on fire
Pretty soon, after all the preliminaries had
been satisfactorily arranged, one of the Chi
namen stepped forward, and, after mum bling
over some words, the exact meaning of which
we failed to comprehend, kneIt upon one leg
seized he Id Of chicken with one hand and a
hatchet with the other, and in a twinkIiug
dealt the former a blow across the neck. which
put an end al once to it's earthly career. Then
rising, Immediately after the CO n ANIMATION of
the bloody act, he bowed reyereutly three
times before the lighted altar which probably
represented his Josh, lighted his yellow paper
cast it on the floor, and retired. Another came
forward and went through the same opera.
tion, each sacrificing chicken, un til the whole
number were thus sworn to tell "the truth
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth u
so help them Josh. After this ceremony was
over, the trial proceeded in the usual manner
with the exception Of there being a little more
gesticulating and loud jargon than is general
in the Court. All this Joshing was very fun
ny and very novel to the 'Neutside barbarians.r ~
who seemed to relish it greatly, although John
was in no wise disconnected at their eager Gu =
riosity and derIsive smiles. 1t was one OF the
scenes which are not witnessed every day.
even in California, and we doubt whether in
any other State Of the American Union, such
proceeding has ever transpired. Truly may
it be said, that our people enjoy many sights
to which their brethren of the Allan tic States
are entire strangers.