Judge, 1915-01-23 · page 5 of 24
Judge — January 23, 1915 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon depicts a crowded small-town street scene with working-class figures discussing ordinary matters ("fish," "cabbage," "picture show"). It satirizes small-town gossip and recreation. The larger story below parodies courtroom drama, specifically objections to witness testimony. A lawyer repeatedly objects that questions are "vague, misleading," or "not in accordance with the rules of procedure." The humor comes from the absurd technicality: a witness's own name and genealogy are challenged as "generally known" yet somehow prejudicial to his credibility. This mocks legal procedure's Byzantine rules and how attorneys use technical objections to obstruct justice or truth-telling. The title "The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But—" ironically undercuts the oath's noble intent through procedural gamesmanship.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Did yuh git th’ fish fer t'morra >” The Truth, 6sP)\O YOU solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?’’ “I do,"’ replied the witne: “Please state your nam the lawyer for the plaintiff. “My name is’ said “T object, errupted the lawyer far the defe *‘on the ground that the witness not compelled to in- criminate himself. His father was a train robber, his grandfather was a pirate, and his great-grandfather was a ticket-of-leave man—all his- torical names which are generally known. Were the witness now to speak his own name in open court, it would injure him irreparably in the eyes of the public and be ex- tremely deleterious to his standing in the community."’ “Objection sustained,”’ the judge. decided “Uh-huh.” SATURDAY NIGHT—SMALL TOWN An’ th’ cabbage 2” “Uh-huh.” come on; let's go to a movin’ picture show.” the Whole Truth, “1 wish to ask if you know anything about this case,’’ resumed the lawyer for the plaintiff. “1''—began the witness. “The cowards ! Every time I lok back they stop laughing "’ “ An’ th’ cheese an’ th’ onions?” and Nothing But de “Yep.” “Well, “T object,"’ broke in the lawyer for the fense. **On what ground?’’ demanded the judge. “On the ‘ground that it is a vague, mis- leading and unparliamentary ques- tion and not in accordance with the tules of procedure laid down in the Talmud."" “Objection sustained,’’ the judge. “I will ask the witness if he ever lived in Boston?’’ “As to that, I will say’’—— **T object,’ thundered the lawyer for the defendant, ‘‘on the ground that the question is not competent or germane. It is absolutely obi- ter dicta. That is to say, it is an insidious attempt to impeach the witness's competence by showing that, having lived in Boston, he is incapable of impartiality toward any one who hasn't a speaking, arguing decided comicbooks.com