The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-06-13
Gbicaoo's Chinatown.

escape for him; he may travel half
way around the globe, but sooner or
later the highbinder overtakes him;
and as the ''statute of limitation" does
not apply to his case, it is all over but
the funeral. Il will say something
about Chinese funeral later on)
But the question naturally arises,
why is it that the highbinders are not
arrested and punished? They are
sometimes arrested, but seldom, or
never, convicted, for the simple reason
that one Chinaman will not give evil
dence against another. do not think
there is case on record in this coun-
try to show that there ever was
Chinaman who voluntarily took the
witness stand against another. Here
is case in point: Mock Duck, the
notorious highbinder of New York,
assassinated two of his countrymen IN
the Chinese theatre in Mott St. and
was arrested, but when he was brought
to trial he had an allbi as long as from
here to Omaha. Every Chinaman this
side of the Flowery Kingdom was
ready to swear by the blood of a chicken
that Mock Duck was somewhere else
at the time the crime was committed.
But not one to give evidence against
him. So of course he was acquitted.
when Chinarnan takes All oath he
doesn't hold up his right hand and say
$50 help me Godw Neither does he
kiss the bible. He swears "by the
blood of a chicken" and that blood
must be from freshly decapitated
fowl or what he says don't go.) will
finish with the highbinder by saying
that he is a Chinese institution, dear
to the Chinaman's heart and protected
/ by them all alike.
4 A Chinaman's religious belief is
founded upon superstitions of the
rankest sort, and no matter how Chris
tianized he seemingly becomes, he still
clings to his idols with all the tena
cious strength of his stolid nature. He
may only have two or three gods, OF
he may have twenty, he is free to ust
> his own judgment in the matter, anC
of course has as many as he really
thinks he needs. They are made in th'
image of all sorts of things, and some
| of them are hideous beyond descrip
tion, and the Great Chinese Dragon
will always he found among the col
lection. These idols range in size any
I where from four-inches tall west pocke
: edition) to six-feet tall. The large
4 one usually being his Joss-house deit.
1 and remains stationary as long as tn
D owner resides in the community; tn
8 smaller ones he moves about from
r place to place, anywhere he thinks the
: will do the most good. They art mad
! out of anything from pure beaten gol
s down to ordinary pig-iron; that all dc
/ pends upon the wealth and persona
Q taste of the worshipper; but bronz
i and brass seem to be the favorite metal
I UoCUS WulAO OVuOAo oAO WoVO Vi POuUOA
Is But no matter what they are made o.
q or how hideous they are, the poor CT
9 lestial offers up his supplication wit
Q the firm belief that his idol has th
J. power to hear and answer his praye
q Yes, q Chinaman's whole system
n saturated with superstition, hut 6
s. that we must not consider him foo
g for in things temporal he displays
4 wonderful amount of sagacity. hay
( known and had dealings with gres
D. many Cinnamon, but I have never mi
one of deficient mind; and the reaso
Dr. for this is very obvious, for it is Gu
q. tom with the Chinese to "Oslerize" q
y. helplessly crippled, imbecile, and II
u sane.
- THE CHINESE FUNERAL RITES.
M Now from q curiosity seekers pot
ct of view this would be considered Il
,ir most interesting feature Of Chinatow
A. After a Chlnsmsn has been dead thir
o. hours the remains are placed in he
is metically sealed metal casket and co
nod oaveyed to the Joss-house followed