THE WILY CHINEE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 625, 10 April 1874, Page 3

THE WILY CHINEE.

_ The following amusing scene occurred in i the Clermont Police .Court, Quesusland recently, daring the hearing of the case, '‘Tip v, Pa Loon-” The Court was crowded with Celestials. The displaylof-the countenances, all wearing “ the smile that was childlike and bland,” was grotesque in the extreme ; and when the first witness entered the box and was asked how he would be sworn, he said “like it blow’im out match." This was opposed by the friends of the prisoner, who, through their attorney, informed the Court that the only tine and ortnodox manner of swearing a Mongolian was hy cutting off the head of a rooster, land the Court was informed hy prisoner’s friends that they had a hag full of poultry outside This assertion was immediately repudiated by the prosecutor's]) adherents, who entreated his attorney to inform the Bench that “ roostcrcnle ” was only committed in the Joss House, and not in Court. However, after an animated discussion and argument between the legal representatives of both parties, the Bench decided that they could only swear the witnesses in such manner as they asserted-was binding on their conscience ? A great deal of amusement was caused by one 5 gentleman in the Court assorting thatjthe interpreter, Willy Cce, in translating the’ oath to the witness Ah Sam, said that ths translation of the oath, as rendered into Chinese hy the interpreter, meant “('All the same like-here's good luck, you make it fortune.” One of the interpreters informed the Court that ho was a Christian, and produced his baptismal certificate, signed by the Bov. Father Lonergan. This person was of course swrrn on the bihle in the usual manner. During the hearing of the whole of the case the Chinese manifested a great deal of interest in the proceedings, but the virtuous assumption of ignorance of the English language, as displayed by the prisoner was the richest part of the whole affair. Jemmy, who is well known in Clermont, retained a most stolid expression of countenance throughout the examination, and would not understand anything that was saidiu English—for to every statement made, on his being asked if ho understood it, he simply shook his head and said “ no saves. ”