Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-10-10
Wiss ann qtbermise.
ilsde of Administering Judicial
Oath to Chinese in California.

WI JIG IL III VI jul d DdlCiI "a
Celestials were arraigned before
Judge Crenor, in the District Court
of Sonora, Tuolumne county, for
the murder of one of their coun-
trymen at Big Oak Flat, some
months since. The Sonora Demo-
crat, thus describes the striking
scene in Court during the trial:
When the witnesses were placed
upon the stand, considerable DIFF
ficulty was experienced with rel
gard to their taking the required
oath. The interpreter, an intelli-
gent Chinaman, who took the OBJ
legation in the usual form, inform
ed the Court that in order to ad-
minister an impressive oath to the
witnesses, it would be necessary to
conform to the custom of the Chi
nese, which was by eating off
chickens heads ana going through
certain other ceremonies, such as
burning paper, candles, &c. This
announcements must be confessed,
rather staggered the Court. Judge
! c. had never before been called ON
to do anything Of the kind, al
though he had seen ten years of
: active service on the bench In Cal
ifornia, and it was somewhat of a
poser with him how to go about it.
Finally, after being satisfied that
by no other means could they be
made to understand the solemnity
: and import of an oath, the requi-
site number of shanghais were Or
dered, and pretty soon they made
themselves heard in Court.
! Then followed scene which at
tracted the attention of all, and
which we shall not soon forget
The chickens were taken out on
the balcony of the court room, and
:. there the half dozen witnesses re-
paired, after each received a piece
of marked yellow paper, about the
size of mans hand. On the
railing of the balcony, four colored
candles-each SIX inches in length
were lighted, on the right and
, left of which were bundles of thin
sticks, 1--WE believe they were
called Josh-sticks,) also on fire.
Pretty soon after all the prelimi-
i !naries had been satisfactorily ar
, ranged, one Of the Cinnamon
f stepped forward, and, after num-
bling over some words, the exact
meaning of which we failed to
comprehend, knelt upon one leg,
seized hold of a chicken with one
hand, and a Ratchet with the other.
and in twinkling, dealt the for
rImera blow across the neck, which
iput an end at once to its earthly
career. Then rising, Immediate
lily after the bloody act, he bowed
reverently three times before the
lighted altar, which probably rep
resented his Josh, lighted his yell
low paper, cast it on the floor, and
retired. Another came forward
and went through the same oper-
alton, each sacrificing a chicken,
until the whole number were sworn
to tell 'sthe truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the TRUTH" so
help them Josh. After this cere-.
mony was over, the trial proceeded
in the usual manner, with the ex-,
ception of there being a little more
gesticulation and loud jargon than
is general in the Court. All this
Joshing was very funny and very
novel to the '1outside barbarians,"
who seemed to relish it greatly,
although Josh was in no wise dis
concerted at their eager. curiosity |
and derisiye smiles 1t was one
of the scenes which are not wit
messed every day, even in Califor-
MIA, and we doubt whether in any,
n IL A :