A Leyden Jar (萊頓瓶) is just similar to a parallel plate capacitor. It consists of two metal foils lined on the inside and outside of a glass jar. These pieces of metal foils act as the "plates" of a capcitor, whereas the glass jar acts as the "dielectric". The is a metal rod connecting the inside foil to the outside so that the two foils are easily accessible from the boutside.
When the jar is brought near a charging machine, such as a Wimshurst machine or even a small van de Graaff Generator, with the inner foil connected to the machine through the mtal rod. Charges flows from the machine to the inner foil. Because of electrostatic induction, opposite charges are produced on the outer foil, which is ususally earthed.
When is connection to the charging machine is withdrawn, charges are stored in the Leyden Jar.
You may watch the animation given in the following web-page on how to charge and discharge a Leyden Jar.
http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/tutorials/java/leydenjar/index.html
The following web-page gives an account of a type of electrostatic charging machine, the Wimshurst machine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wimshurst_machine