The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-13
OATH By THE CHICKENS HEAD.
How to Get the Truth Out of the Hea-
then Chinee-A Curious Ceremony.

then Chinee-A Curious Ceremony.
From the Seattle (Wash.) Post.
An event of unusual interest took place
in the municipal court yesterday after
noon during the trial of Chin Chew on the
charge of assaulting and robbing Chin
Gee Long in the Wa Chung Block June
Is. The truth was obtained through the
assistance of J. E. Gardner, the mission
airy, who speaks Chinese as fuently as he
does English, and who is well known on
the Pacific coast as having been Chief
of Police Crowley's right bower in
breaking up the San Francesca organized
high binders. Mr.. Gardner introduced
the Chickens head oath, - under which
no Chinaman dare tell an untruth under
penalty of becomins walking ghost, the
greatest of Chinese horrors. The binding
effect of the oath may be judged by the
action of the defendants principal wit
ness, who arose and declared that he
would not swear by the chickens head
for $4,000, and Immediately left the
court.
Clerk Crawford learned that Mr.. Gard
ner, who is now living in Victoria, was in
the city and persuaded him to appear in
the municipal court as an interpreter in
the case. The defendants, Chin Chew
and Chin Long, demanded separate hear
ings,- and il was decided to proceed with
the case of the former Mr. Gardner
was first sworn as Interpreter and then as
a witness to testify to the oath neces-
sary to bind a Chinaman to tell the
truth Mr.. Gardner told the
court how the truth was extracted
in China from witnesses He said there
were three methods in vogue, one called
swearing by the light" which consists
in burning paper at the same time re
peating the oath 1.-THE sccond.was breaking
a saucer, but the best and most binding
consisted in having the witness cut off a
rooster chickens head, at the same time
taking an oath calling on all the gods
they knew to curse them, their children
and their children's children if they fal.
sify
Judge Glasgow inquired why it was
that the oath was especially binding, and
MIR. Gardner replied that Cinnamon think
great deal of being honored after death
According to the bath, not only they die
if they falsify, but their children and
their children's children. This leaves no
one to worship then. and they become
wandering ghosts, the most horrible
thing that a Chinaman can think Of
Once in great while a Chinaman will
falsify but as a rule not one out of ten.
He then spoke of a case in British Co
lumbia where a Chinaman took the oath
falSihed aud in less than a month died
from wOrrlment.
Chin Gee Long, the prosecuting wit
ness, was anxious to have the oath ad-
ministered, but Chin Chew, the defend
ant, refused absolutely to take it. 1t was
discovered that All Kim, the states i'm
portant witness, was missing, and De-
tective Corbett was sent after him with
a bench warrant. In the meantime tall,
smallpoX-scarred Chinaman, who had
been called by the defense, arose and in
formed Mr. Gardner that he would not
take the oath proposed for 500 and
then, stating that he knew nothing of the
case left the room.
After the detective refunded with All
Kim. Mr.. Gardner said it was necessary
to administer the oath N the open air, so
the proecuting witness. All Kim, and All
Gar, another states witness, were taken
into the alley at the back of the city hall
and the ceremony performed. All Kim
didn't want to swear, but finally con
cluded he would. Chickens were brought
forth, joss sticks lighted, oaths
written in Chinese characters on long
strips Of paper, and knives with keen
edges The oaths were taken separately
but without variance of manner. The
Chinaman took the chicken in his hands
and as he cut its neck repeated the oath
Then he burned the paper and ate some
of the Chinese food. After everything
was over and the chickens all killed, the
defendant suddenly came to the con
clusion that he was not afraid to take the
oath,