Judge — February 17, 1883 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon critiques New York City governance and police corruption. On the left, seated judges appear complicit with crime—their heads are literally replaced with criminal faces, suggesting judicial corruption or that judges are indistinguishable from criminals. On the right, "Bergen's Police" officers (marked on their uniforms) oversee a chaotic street scene: a woman with a birdcage, a child in a soap cart, and general disorder. The cartoon satirizes the failure of law enforcement and the judiciary to maintain order. The title "Gone Wrong" suggests systemic breakdown where both judges and police are corrupted or incompetent, unable to protect the city. This appears to be commentary on turn-of-the-century New York political corruption and institutional failure.