Judge, 1885-12-12 · page 16 of 16
Judge — December 12, 1885 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This political cartoon depicts a courtroom or judicial scene with exaggerated caricatures. A central figure labeled "THE JUDGE" presides while others appear to be engaged in physical conflict—one man is being struck while another figure (labeled "Davy" in the caption) protests from the sidelines with "Oh! Don't hit him again, Davy." The cartoon likely satirizes judicial corruption, abuse of power, or favoritism in the legal system. The "fence" reference in the caption suggests someone remaining neutral or complicit during wrongdoing. The chaotic composition and violent imagery mock the failure of the justice system to maintain order or fairness. Without additional context about the specific date or political figures caricatured, the precise historical reference remains unclear, though the satire targets institutional dysfunction in American law.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
E fo} Q an x [o} fo} Q 2 E ° oO RMONY. Dawa (on the fence)— Oh! Don’t hit him again, Davy.”