Judge, 1891-12-19 · page 1 of 16
Judge — December 19, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1891 Judge cartoon satirizes political corruption through the figure of "Bill Tweed" (likely referencing William "Boss" Tweed, the infamously corrupt Tammany Hall leader). The skeleton in striped prison garb represents Tweed himself, now deceased or imprisoned. The living politician in the top hat kneels before Tweed's ghost, confessing he's following Tweed's corrupt methods: appointing judges to do his bidding and accepting bribes ("being steeped in corruption"). However, he claims superiority—he had "the check to aspire to the Presidency," implying ambitions beyond Tweed's reach. The satire condemns the persistence of Tammany Hall-style political corruption into the 1890s, suggesting the system survived even after Tweed's downfall.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOL.2!1 NO.531 DECEMBER 19 1891 PRICE 10 CENTS.- ENTERED AT THE Post Orrice AT New YORK AS SECOND-CiASS MATTER, Coprmionr [891 By THE Judee Pustisnine Co. TWEED’S PROTEGE AND SUCCESSOR. Bit. Tweep —* Dave, old pard, you beat nfe hollow. Like you, I did my own counting in, and appointed judges to do my bidding ; but, after being steeped in corruption, / did not have the cheek to aspire to the Presidency.” comicbooks.com / |