Judge — April 14, 1883 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Judge" - April 14, 1883 This cartoon satirizes the **Star Route Mail Trial of 1881**, a major corruption scandal. The image shows a courtroom scene titled "COSTLY AND INTERMINABLE: Ingersoll's Closing Address in Star Route Trial, 1881." The cartoon depicts what appears to be **Robert G. Ingersoll** (the famous lawyer and orator) delivering closing arguments. Two figures are labeled "BRADY" and "DORSEY"—likely defendants or associates involved in the Star Route fraud scheme, where post office contractors allegedly inflated mail delivery costs. The satire criticizes the trial's extraordinary expense and length. The "Evidence" documents overflowing on the left suggest the case's complexity. The cartoon mocks both the criminal conspiracy and the legal system's inability to efficiently resolve it, with Ingersoll's lengthy oratory contributing to costs.