The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-23
SOME STRANGE CASES.
How Chinaman Took an Oath In q Now
ork Police Court.


HOW Chinaman Took an Oath In o Now
ork Police Court.
Tho police courts of this citv furn;sh
more amusement in one day, than the
average theater does in week. A day
spent at the Tombs, the principal police
court in this city, whore one can sit and
watch tho curious throng that continu-
ally moves in and out of the room, and
listen to the many interesting dialogues
spoken In languages rich with accent
amply repays person for his time. 1t
will give you lots and lots of opportu-
nifty to SEQ the ups and downs of life and
furnish your brain sufficient matter to
feed upon for months. Strange sights,
although sometimes sickening ones, arc
soen daily, and they tend to instruct
person i'll the vagaries of human life.
Tho mode of swearing of the different
prisoners and witnesses who arc brought
before tho magistrate are sometimes
very amusing. Ninety-nino out of
hundred witnesses and prisoners in
police court arc satisfied with taking
tho usual oath, holding up tho right
hand while tho justice repeats tho oath
and then pressing tho lips against tho
cover of the well-worn Bible, but once
in while an objector against this mode
OF oath-taking will turn up. Recently
case, involving an assault on China
man by gang of Mulberry street hood
lums, was brought before Justice Smith
in the Tombs. Several witnesses, in
Guiding the assaulted Chinaman, and an
Italian bootblack, who had seen tho
assault, were sworn in tho usual man
| nor, whom witness was encountered
that proved rather obstinate. He was
Chinaman, with u fair knowledge of
English, and dressed in very rich APP
| parel. lilo was somewhat above tho
| ordinary New York celestial both
| in appearance and manners, and
when he took his seat in the
inclosurc set aside for witnesses, every
eye in the court room was upon him.
| The clerk handed him the Bible, but tho
Chinaman took it not. lie knocked the
clerk silly by requesting to be sworn in
accordance with the ancient custom OF
his country by the ceremony OF lighting
Il fire, placing it on n saucer, and then
breaking tho saucer to pieces; but tho
difficulty was that the requisite article
was not at hand. The clerk told tho
Chinaman that such a thing could not
be done. Tho Chinaman persisted and
tho clerk expostulated. Finally Justice
Smith thought that he would settle both
tho Chinaman and the question by re-
marking, Let him take the usual oath. E"
Very we'll" answered tho Chinaman,
'givo mo your book; or ask mo qucs-
lions and trust me-" Neither of tho al
ternatives was accepted; but tho witness
persisted that it was no business OF his
to provide Il saucer, though ho suggested
that saucer could be obtained from a
nearby crockery store, and, diving his
hand down into the inside pocket of his
silken blouse, no brought out we'll
hlled pocketbook, selected dime, and,
by permission OF the court sent police
man out to procure tho required article.
The policeman. no doubt anxious to see
tho fun, was not long in obtaining tho
saucer, and when he brought il into the
court room. and placed it on tho desk
before the Justice, every neck in tho
court room was crancd toward tho desk.
several sheets of paper were placed on
the saucer, lighted match applied the
burning paper reduced to ashes, the
saucer broken into fragments, and tho
following oath administered by another
Chinaman: Duly, in the reign of
Iluong Sue, in the sixteenth year, second
month and seventh day, arrived in this
court to be sworn to tell tho truth. and
to tell every word of it. If tell false
hood my soul will be extinguished like
this incense" Thus tho testimony was
obtained. Once Week.