189
It was not only the pious part of the community in San Francisco that noted the arrival of A-chick in 1852. His appearance brought forth press comment. He did not fit the general stereotype of the Chinese immigrant. The Alta California in May, 1852, headed an article: “An Educated Celestial." It began with the statement: "A well-educated and intelligent Chinaman is a being rarely met with in this country, although the Chinese population is so large.
The article then mentioned the occasion on which A-chick attracted public notice and proceeded to introduce him to the reader.
His advent in California was important because of his fluency in English. The courts in San Francisco faced much the same problem as those in Hongkong in dealing with cases involving Chinese. There was no proper interpretation of evidence.
The paper noted: "A great deal of difficulty has been occasioned by the want of a good interpreter and in many cases in which celestials were parties, it has been impossible to elicit the facts, for want of a person who is well versed in the language.”
Suddenly A-chick appeared in court, an object of surprise and amazement, “speaking our language with remarkable correctness and fluency, and exhibiting the marks of a highly polished and refined education,”
The reason for his presence in court was the belligerent threats of one Mr. Simmons against him and a companion. Mr. Simmons had threatened “to stave in their heads and pull their pig tails out by the roots." The incident reflected the hostile treatment frequently experienced by a Chinese in those days.
But in A-chick Mr. Simmons had dealings with no ordinary Chinese. Knowing the workings of the law by reason of his employment in the Hongkong courts before coming to California, he was not to submit meekly to such bullying. He asked the court for an order against Mr. Simmons. In defence, Mr. Simmons said he had used abusive language because the two Chinese had been rude.
189
It was not only the pious part of the community in San Francis- co that noted the arrival of A-chick in 1852. His appearance brought forth press comment. He did not fit the general stereotype of the Chinese immigrant. The Alta California in May, 1852, headed an article: “An Educated Celestial." It began with the statement: "A well-educated and intelligent Chinaman is a being rarely met with in this country, although the Chinese population is so large.
The article then mentioned the occasion on which A-chick at- tracted public notice and proceeded to introduce him to the read-
er.
His advent in California was important because of his fluency in English. The courts in San Francisco faced much the same problem as those in Hongkong in dealing with cases involving Chinese. There was no proper interpretation of evidence.
The paper noted: "A great deal of difficulty has been occasioned by the want of a good interpreter and in many cases in which celestials were parties, it has been impossible to elicit the facts, for want of a person who is well versed in the language.”
Suddenly A-chick appeared in court, an object of surprise and amazement, “speaking our language with remarkable correctness and fluency, and exhibiting the marks of a highly polished and refined education,”
The reason for his presence in court was the belligerent threats of one Mr. Simmons against him and a companion. Mr. Simmons had threatened “to stave in their heads and pull their pig tails out by the roots." The incident reflected the hostile treatment fre- quently experienced by a Chinese in those days.
But in A-chick Mr. Simmons had dealings with no ordinary Chinese. Knowing the workings of the law by reason of his em- ployment in the Hongkong courts before coming to California, he was not to submit meekly to such bullying. He asked the court for an order against Mr. Simmons. In defence, Mr. Simmons said he had used abusive language because the two Chinese had been rude
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