Judge — September 27, 1890 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This four-panel satirical comic depicts a courtroom scene mocking judicial proceedings in a working-class neighborhood. The title "Judge" at the top and courtroom setting suggest this ridicules how informal justice operates in poor urban areas ("shanty-towns"). The panels show: 1. A disheveled plaintiff presenting a case 2. A judge presiding over the proceedings 3. The plaintiff becoming increasingly agitated 4. A chaotic brawl erupting in the courtroom The satire targets the perceived disorder and lack of decorum in lower-class justice systems, contrasting with formal courtroom propriety. The final panel's violent melee—with the chorus crying "Kill th' scorpion!!!"—exaggerates this chaos for comedic effect, suggesting that shanty-town courts devolve into violence rather than reasoned judgment. The caricatures appear to use ethnic stereotypes common to Gilded Age humor.