Judge — November 12, 1904 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Nervy Nat and the Hansom Cab" - Explanation This comic strip satirizes a character called "Nervy Nat," a scheming con artist who exploits naive people through various tricks. The narrative arc shows Nat using a hansom cab (horse-drawn taxi) as cover for his schemes: 1. He tricks an old gentleman into hiring a buggy 2. He claims to need cab fare money for a supposed "Hay Rube special" 3. He deceives a deacon with flattery about his daughter 4. He orchestrates an elaborate scam where passengers encounter planted "evidence" (fake glasses/beard) 5-6. The con culminates in theft—Nat steals money while his accomplice distracts the victim by overturning the carriage The satire mocks urban con artists' manipulative tactics and the gullibility of their victims. It reflects early 20th-century concerns about street crime and dishonesty in American cities.