The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-03-20
DRAMA DARK AND vAIy.

iuN NhbhArI &huFSs
and Sings of Chinatown Called rs Experts
on the Moral and Religious Teachings OF
Chinese Success Imported ora Run at
the Theater In Chinatown Early Last
Summer.
New York, March 19.-All the Chings,
Fungs, elbows, Tops, Leos, Abs, Woos,
Dongs, Dings, Moys, Soys, and Sings
from Chinatown visited the court of
general sessions to-day to hear the
trial of Chu Fong, president of the
Greatness of Heaven" That's what
Pc 70 Hen, the name of the Chinese
theater in Doyer street, means in Eng
lish. The New York Evening Suns
account of the case is as follows:
Mr.. Chu was in court, too. at
tired in checked tweed, wearing the
historic diamond Of the stage on his
spotless shirt front, and having his
queueless hair parted in the middle.
At his side was All Lup, the Henry
irving OF Chinatown, gorgeous in six
silk coats OF as many colors. This
light of the Celestial stage is tall man
and clean shaver, who struts in
manner distinctly Irvingesque, not from
desire to initiate. but because his
loose sandals compel him to drag his
feet. Then there was Sam Lee, the
Celestial Bernhard, who impersonates
the bad Wife, ''the good queen" the
beautiful female slaye,p and such
characters. Off the stage Mr.. Sam
wears Bowery made trousers with the
hat of his native country. Then there
We're the Chongs, Tong and Wong, who
do the light comedy parts, and occa-
sionally swallow fire and knives. Chong
Lee, the female impersonator," as the
bills call him, or the Acknowledged
Lillian Russell" as the Bowery knows
him, sat stolidly near his fellows, with
a mass Of wigs. and costumes, over
which he was keeping guard, at his
feet The Chongs say that the Chinese
stage has drawn its lights from their
family for a thousand years; they are
born with love and aptitude for the
drama. A number of Chong's cousins
in court this morning upheld this as
Sertion.
The charge against Chu Fong is that
he conducted dramatic performance
at his theater on Sunday, July IA, 1895.
He contends in his own defence that
the performance was of a religious
character, in proof of which he proposes
to delve into the past, to lay before
the court the 5000 years of the history
of Chinese drama. The teachings of
Confucius will be expounded; their ef-
feet on the Chinese drama viii be ex-
panied by experts; and arguments
brought forth to show that the par
ticular play ''Seu Ching Den Cling"
which was presented on July IA last,
was written and played in China 1000
years ago. abounds with the tenets of
Confucius and is intended to inculate
great moral lesson. that good ever
prevails over the wicked
The prosecution put in its case this
morning. The evidence was intended to
prove that ''Seu, Ching Den Ying," was
purely a secular play. In English it
would be called "A Representation of
Little Ching" In reality 1t Is the ad-
ventures of a. servant girl, but she Is
not any ordinary maid, but one who
can stand on, stage and spout the
philosophy of Confucius for full half an
hour without pause while her adoring
lover, a scholar, stands by in mute won
der. 1t takes eight days to complete
this play, the actors working daily
from $50 O'Clock in the evening to 10
O'Clock
Assistant District Attorney Weeks
placed DR.. Toms on the stand and had
him interpret to the jury the bills
which were posted in The Greatness of
Heaven" on July IA.
Slowly the doctor read the headings:
Aged receive homage. Acquiring a
concubine. Intimate with servants.
f'aithless wife injuries husband Chen,
the perfect, came to the rescue Rem
iniscences of former wife. Two beau
tiful women fight for a husband (These
two were the Chongs.)"
There was a little tiff between the
counsel when DIR. Tom translated one
act as follows:
"A reflection Of oneself, that Is an
image Of oneself in a looking glass,
causes regret"
1t was discovered that reflection
causes regret" was the true transia-
ton.
In order that the jury might fully
comprehend the play the prosecution
put in evidence a condensed account of
it written by Chinaman who, for
eight days attended the theater in or
der that he might give a description
of the servant girls adventures A
translation of this was put in evidence.
and it read as follows:
Il have been to Po- Yo-Hen, the Chi
nese theater in Doyer street, and I see
the actors reality play toll act on the
stage, and 1 seen actors, false bed
and tables and chair. One is to be
scholar and the othere is to be maidser-
want. The scholar have sat by the
table to writing essay. When 1t is
done the maidservant also to sit by the
table and wirteing essay. When 1t is
don too then poth looked at each other
and the maidservant beg the scholar
must be sworn to marry her. Soboth
sworn on the ground, then the scholar
sent her home.
Second act.--The maidservant was
home so she parents ask why dose she
be home so late She says she was
writeing the essay with the scholar
therefore she be home SO late. Then
she parents looked at essay and he say
very well. And he just call out the
school and ask the scholar what for
yor think first time concerning maid
servant. The scholar answer she is
your maidservant. then the rich man
said she is moi by maidservant she is
my daughter and I give her to marry