The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-06-06
TWO SACRED CHICKENS
Were TO Have Been Used in a Pa
gan Rite by CelestialS.
But nm Oath To Tell the Truth VIII
men over Their Bodies-Tbey Es-
capped and Detective weldon Got
Them and Ate Them for Dinner.

There is CONSERVATION and grief in
Chinatown. concern IN the Police Depart
Inent and a feeling akin to exultation
among certain officers Of the Humane So
ciciy this morning. There is also a feel
ing Of gastronomic ease and comfort which
affects Detective Weldon, although he may
be afflicted with a degree OF mental per-
turbation. And all those situations were
brought about by a peculiar chain OF cir
cumstances connected with a little com
edy which followed a police court episode
Of yesterday morning. The comedy was
enacted in front Of the Lawyers Club in
Louisiana Avenue about o'clock yester-
day afternoon. and those in the cast, in
addition to Detective Weldon, were Frank
Hull. manager OF the club, Arthur TOLL
yer, a boy. and two Cinnamon Of the
house of Sing. whose Christian names. or
rather first names, are respectively All
and Hop
The comedy grew out Of the arraignment
before Judge Kimball yesterday morning
Of Lee sing, whose establishment, on
PENNSYLVANIA Avenue northwest. was raid
ed about week ago by Detective Wat
son and a squad OF policemen from the
Sixth Precinct under Lieutenant Moore.
Lee Sing was accused OF setting up a
gaming table. and when he was originally
arraigaed made il clear that he was not
ready for trial and was granted a cCntin-
uance. He came into court yesterday ac-
companied by his attorney, and after en-
tering a plea of not guilty, demanded a
sfrrg rrfn 10
usual Police Court variety, and there was
nothing about il TO attract the attention
Of the casual observer. Those who had
been initiated, however. had confidently
expected that something oct Of the OTdina-
~ was to be enacted.
Il had been made known 20 q chosen few
that the heather oath was 70 be admins
tered in court. II was reported that the
Chinese witnesses objected 10 swearing in
the regular court method. and that as
the Mclean" oath had little weight with
the Celestials anyway. il was deemed adj
visable in order 10 compel the witnesses to
adhere to the truth in their testimony that
the heather oath should be administered.
Ii was explained that the heather oath
consists in swearing Chinaman over a
bleeding live chicken For instance. as
the oath is being administered a sharp
knife is drawn slowly oyE- the neck Of the
fowl and as the blood pours forth the per
son being sworn solemnly swears to tell
the truth, the whole truth. and nothing but
the truth Such an oath. il is said. Is
held by the Cinnamon to be absolutely sa-
cred II was further explained that threS
persons could be sworn al one time and as
there were six witnesses IL would be nee
essary to sacrifice only two chickens.
After much parley and argument it was
finally agreed, It is said. TO acquiesce -
the demands Of the Celestials. II shouI
be explained here that the prosecuting wit
nesses who asked for the heather oath,
were All Sing, Charley Lee, and Moy Jim.
all Sunday school scholars. When it was
rumored that the sacrifcial oath was to be
administered in court the Humane Society
officers looked wise, but said nothing.
Whether the oath as described was TO
be eountenanced in the Police Court does
not enter into the matter now. as Lee
Sing put a temporary end 10 all proceed
ings by demanding jury trial. The Incl
dent too, would probably have been clos
ed. at least for time. had il not been for
the misfortune Of All and Hop Sing. To
them was given the custody of the sacred
chickens, which were carried in a large
paper -four sack On their way home with
the chickens after the court had adjourned
the Sings met Charley Lee. The>meeting
occurred in front of the LAWYERS Grub, just
after a quantity of ice had been stored
within Where the ice had rested for a
while was left pool Of water. and unwit-
tingly the bag containing the chickens
was deposited On the wet spot.
The three Chiuamen were greatly en-
crossed IN the suAjecr Il their discussion,
and knew nothing "a the gradual weak
ening Of the paper Sack until the chickens
were at liberty. Thea began a chase of
some duration as tie fowls lost little
time in getting through an aperture which
led into the cellar of the Lawyers Club.
The baffied Cinnamon made every effort
to capture the chickens. and failing. en-
listed the services of the colored boy Ar
thur Tolliver, who was equally as unsuc-
cessful
Meanwhile the noise made by the China
men and Tolliver and the cackling of the
chickens attracted a large crowd. and con-
siderable mirth was created. with the re-
suit that the Cinnamon. in disgust. aban-
doned their hunt just as Detective Weldon
appeared on the scene. Weldon thought
murder had been committed or a thief
captured. and was chagrined to find moth
ing of the sort. He hailed the Cinnamon,
and offered to protect them while they re-
covered their fowls. but &c no purpose
The Cinnamon were through. and so ex-
pressed themselves. About this time Toll
liver. who had disappeared, emerged from
the cellar. bringing the chickens. which
he handed over to Weldon. That officer
thought the matter over. recalled what the
Cinnamon had said. and giving Toliiver q
cents, despatched him to the Weldon hone
with instructions that the fowls we're TO be
killed and dressed for dinner. Tolliyer had
scarcely received his instructions. wen