People v. Ah Sum

Appellant was tried and convicted upon an information charging him with perjury com *649 mitted as follows: That on the fourth day of April, A. D. 1890, there was pending and on trial in the police court of the city of Oakland “a certain action and proceeding wherein the people of the state of California were plaintiffs and said Ah Sum was defendant, and said court, having competent jurisdiction to hear, decide, and determine said trial, action, and proceeding according to the laws of the state of California, was then and there fully empowered to administer the law in said trial, action, and proceeding; that it then and there became and was material on said trial, action, and proceeding, to know whether or not the said defendant, Ah Sum, did furnish, sell, and transfer to one John Ferrin, in the city of Oakland, county of Alameda, state of California, on or about the twenty-second day of January, 1890, a certain document, instrument, paper, and lottery ticket in the words and figures following, to wit.” A space of about two inches square is occupied by Chinese characters. And then the information proceeds as follows: “ And said defendant, Ah Sum, was then and there duly called as…