Judge — May 21, 1904 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Nervy Nat as the Brother from Bombay" This comic series satirizes a common con-artist scheme of the era: an imposter claiming to be a long-lost relative from abroad (here, "Bombay") to extract money or favors from gullible victims. The protagonist "Nervy Nat" poses as someone's brother returning from India. Through six panels, we see him progressively manipulating his "sister," requesting increasingly audacious favors (funds, introductions, library access) while exhibiting crude behavior and poor manners that should expose the deception. The satire targets both the con man's brazen audacity and the victims' naive willingness to believe implausible stories about distant relatives. The title's emphasis on "Nervy" highlights the scheme's boldness—the sheer nerve required to carry off such an obvious fraud.