The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-01-30

Tho High rrie't Ifit. Him with Club,
hnoci;ing Him into thc Fire.


1t is wcll-known fact among those
: who are acquainted with the character
of the Chinese that Monaghan Is OF II
very treaehcrou naiUr' and on all oc-
: casions viii bear watching. This
: treachery is a?I only .?'.rejblc among
! the poorer glasses Of tao rec. but it
extends in.o the circle of their priests
and oficnimc~ marks their most SOL
emu rcligicl: tc=liva'@,
A ease of hi, character took place in
Chinatown. San Francisco, few nights
! since, whom one OF the Chinese socie-
ties lurcd one of their many gods TO the
fatal board and there destroyed him in
most ignominious manner
| 1t appears that one of the spirits in
| the Joss housc had been source of
| great annoyance for year past, and
he was continually bringing the men,
/ bcrs Of tho society into trouble, so it
was resolved that no should be
+ summarily destroyed. OF course the
immolallOn of the evil one was haz.
ardou5 undertaking and could only be
success fully carried out by treachery
and strategy combined. Preparations
for destroying him had been going on
! for two days previous to that very
night the evil spirit was doomed to
meet his destruction.
The night was one most suited for
the carrying ont of the trcacherous
work. A chilly fog had rolled in from
the ocean, and the wind sighed mourn
fully around the rookeries in the
Chinese quarter. The light of the
81. h.r A., kAo f.>.x
and all without was bleak and dreayy.
About 8 o clock the members of the So
ciety formed in procession headed by
the priests and marched ont from the
temple. A hideous image representing
the evil spirit was borne in the pro-
cession by attendants, and by their
side was number Of Mongols carry
ing braziors of lighted coal The mu-
sicians, mock mandHrins and lantern
bearers followed in the rear of the i'm
age and rendered their selections with
telling effect on the nerves of the few
white people who were in attendance.
Notwithstanding the inclemency of the
night
The procession marched through tho
alleys and by-ways in ChinstOwn, and
at various points along the ronte punks
and candles were lighte and placed by
the sidewalk, and mock money was
consumed in the braziers.
While the services were being carried
on in the temple the image was left in
hallway sitting on Il throne. His
right hand was upliftcd, signifying that
he would strike down the mensb rs of
the society who were planning his
death, were it not for the intervention
of the Greas Joss. A dozen circular
paper frames, in which were placed
lighted tapers, were standing in front
of the doomcl image, showing tho
twelve lesser spirits who were power
less to help him, inasmrch as he was
powerless TO help himself, and on
table about a half dozen feet away from
the evil-one was an assortment of nuts,
candies and confectionery and piece
of pastry consisting of three hands ex-
tending from one wrist.
The hands represented the benign
power by which the good people were
protected from the vengeance Of the
evil spirit, who by this time was sup
posed to be chatting at his power of
rcvenging himself having been taken
away from him. An attempt to con-
ciliate him was made by placing q
bounteous repast of the choice morsels
in front of him, and when the high
priest and his assistants had concluded
their services before the Great Joss,
they gave the evil spirit their attention.
The image was carried out on his
throne and placed at the hca of the
banquet table. The banquet was COM
menced, and when it was at its hight
one of the priests ignited a bonfire, and
in few minutes tile street was in q
blaze for distance of about thirty
feet. When the fire was at its hight
the high priest cautiously emerged
from the temple, and crept up behind
the unsuspecting guest, who had been
mred to tho banquet table to be as
sassinated.
The priest drew a club from under
the folds of his garb, and held it aloft
in the air awaiting the signal to de-
stroy the spirit. The priests were all
cycling their bowls, when a clang on
the gong announced that the oppor-
tune moment had arrived. The high
priest struck the image with the club
and knocked il into the lire, and in q
moment it was in blaze. His throne
then followed him and it was de-
stroyed. Then the high priest
sprinkled water on the ashes, the mu-
sicians burst forth in an ear-piercing
strain and the priests cried forth in
tones of joy. Thus it was that the evil
ono was treated. The priests returned
to the temple and informed the Great
| Joss of the success of the scheme, and
thanked him for having prevented the
evil one from being able to protect
himself against their wiles. The Co
lestial spectators took their departure
for their dens and in ashort time wer
unconscious from opium smoking