Judge, 1913-03-22 · page 6 of 26
Judge — March 22, 1913 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American get-rich-quick schemes and stock fraud of the early 20th century. The top cartoon depicts a London salon where wealthy people gather—likely representing gullible investors. The main narrative uses an orientalist frame (a con man visiting a Caliph in Baghdad) to mock a classic American swindle: a prospector claims to have struck gold, then offers inflated stock certificates in the "Mulekick Mine" at increasingly absurd valuations (starting at par value, escalating to 99 percent markup). The punch line—"Sh! Play soft, boys; I think this is a hospital"—suggests the scheme belongs in an "Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb," implying only the mentally disabled would fall for such transparent fraud. The joke targets both con artists peddling worthless mining stocks and the speculators foolish enough to buy them, a common American financial scam of the era. The ornate language mocks how such schemes dressed up their deceptions in grand rhetoric.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AN “AT ““And who art thou,’? demanded the Caliph of the stranger, “‘and what is thy errand in Baghdad?"’ The Wazir, who spoke seventeen languages and more dia- lects than the denizens of Gotham, interpreting these questions, gave the answers thereto thus: “Oh, Illustrious Geezer, I am known as Bingo, and my front name is Jason, in honor of the ancient who had to do with the Golden Fleece; and, verily, I have a strange tale to tell."” venan MoUT ASYLUM FOR THE QEAEL avo OUMB FORETHOUGHT i oo re HOME” Cars Tee t. Sande IN LONDON Whereupon Kara Kahn, the Wazir, listening to the words of the stranger as they fell, repeated them thus to the Caliph: “T hail, oh, Mighty Noise, from a vilayet called Ahrab- zonah, in the land called the United States. One day, being strapped, I accepted a grubstake, and with my mule set forth in search of gold. I suffered much, and, being nearly to the end of my ration, was about to give up in despair. The mule stepped upon and crushed into the dirt my last can of beans, and I was thereby wrought to great anger, insomuch that I handed the animal a swift boot in a place where akick would do the most good. Veri- ly, a miracle then came to pass. The mule, resenting my kick, thrust his hoof at me. It went wide, as I was spry, struck an overhanging rock, and disclosed a lead that assayed four thousand plunks to the ton. I had found a mountain of gold.’" “And these scrolls?’’ quoth the Caliph. “Certificates of stock, oh, Most Puissant Gink, representing the Mulekick Mine, which is capitalized at twenty million sequins. I came hither, knowing thy great gifts of mind, hoping to sell thee forty-nine per cent. of the mine at par. 1 will part with the whole of it at ninety- nine per cent., and if thou buyest it thou shalt find more wealth in it than Aladdin ever lamped.”” “"Sh! Blay soft, poys; I t'ink dis is a bospital."’ comicbooks.com