The sun., 1879-06-05
TRYING A CHINAMAN.
Some Confusion ns TO the Parties In n Trial
In the General Sessions.

In the General Sessions.
Cheng All Wung, an ironer in the Chinese
laundry at 147 Forsyth street. was tried yester-
day in the General Sessions on the charge OF
stealing $50 from Chang Nung. proprietor Of the
laundry at IS Thompson street. on the morning
OF the 2lst inst The trial was particularly inter-
esting. both because it was probably the first
trial OF Chinaman on a charge OF theft ever
had in this city. and because 1t was an illustra-
ton OF the extreme difficulty oftryng any Chi
naman in this city. Cheng All WunR and Chang
Nuug were about equal in the respect OF friends
Each had a strong delegation from Mott or
Baxter street about him. All the Cinnamon
We're In truly Celestial attire including luxu-
RANT pigtails coied about the top OF their
otherwise smooth-shaven heads. and turn-up
toed silk sandals. Cheng All WunR had his
Interpreter and Chang Nung had his. But
neither OF the interpreters was Of any service
on account OF an inability to understand that
questions We're addressed TO them as proxies
w iloIlhl} hc'cpu,u QUESTIONS as meant
only Tor themselves, and answered out OF their
own knowledge Of the case. The we'll paid in
trrprrters Of the court paed before the guttu-
rails Of the voluble Chlnamen.
Jus, as Assistant District Attorney Lyon the
prosecutor, was about to begin. the trial. Clerk
Hall discovered that Cheng An Wung's in
terpreter, through II mistake on the part of the
bewildered court officers. was comulacently
seated upon the witness stand. while Chang
w VuLi"lhhHA' alD''l ny MS Slhts
amahly ready 10 interpret Tor him. There was
loud laughter. and then Chang Nung was en-
sconced in his proper place in the witness chair
ana the Interpreter wns sent. wondering back to
1heng All Mung's side. Meanwhile Cheng All
Nung ghzed lstessly about him. Me fcelee
6ickee," he snd to his lawyer, and thereupon
there was Il burst Of laughter. But tho lawyer
explained that confinement In the pestiential
Tombs had really made his client sick
whether the trial could be proceeded with
WAS doubtful when Cheng An Wung's lawyer
saw Moy jim hee, the founder Of the Chinese
Mission at IA Mulberry street who Is at liberty
under $500 bal! pending trial upon the charge
ot stealing silks and porcelain ware from
Henry c. PMrke OF ls6 Front street. among
Sheng Al Wungs friends. He called upon
Moy jim kee 10 Interpret, and the latter who Is
lar above the average of his countrymen in in
telllgence und education. did so easily.
Chung Nung's testimony WAS that he put $50
IN the right pocket OF his trousers and Sl2 in
tho LETT. Just before he went to bed in "A room
behind his laundry ut 10 THOMPSON street on
the evening Of the goth inst. Cheng All Wung.
who shared the room with him. went out at 81 \
O'Clock next morning, ana did not return. He
miss id the $50, and had Cheng All WunR ar
rested
Cheng All Wung testified that he did not steal
the 500 lie did not return to Chang Nung's
laundry, because he had no motley to pay his
part Of the room rent He went to work 10 earn
II IN the laundry AT l41 FORSYTH street
All Loy. Cneng An Wuugs cousin testified
that Chang Nung told him that he lost only sl5
and that ne believed one OF his cousins stole 1t.
The Jury acquitted Cheng An Wung and he
and his friends and Chang Nuug and his
friends pattcrei, with unmOyed countenances
out of the court room.