Judge, 1919-02-15 · page 7 of 32
Judge — February 15, 1919 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Their First Grizzly Bear" - Judge Magazine Satire This page satirizes judicial inconsistency and bias. The main cartoon depicts a judge harshly sentencing poor defendants—a vagrant gets six months, an unemployed man gets a year—but then leniently punishes "Dr. John Smith," a wealthy driver who struck a child, with only a suspended license and $100 fine. The irony is reinforced by the ending: the judge's name is also Smith, suggesting possible favoritism or that the judge simply has more sympathy for the respectable classes. The title "Their First Grizzly Bear" (drawn by Cesare Sart) likely refers to the menacing judge as an unpredictable threat to the powerless. The page also includes humorous shorts mocking modern inconveniences (pushing cars to garages as punishment worse than Sisyphus's boulder) and social pretense, typical of Judge's satirical style criticizing inequality and hypocrisy in early 20th-century America.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Drwen by Carvenr Sarr Tuem First Grizzty Bear in during the absence of our regular court reporter. ‘There was a long line of panhandlers in the pen, when John came in, followed by his lawyer. I couldn’t speak to him then, but we exchanged a nod of greeting, and I fell to wondering what had brought John within the range of the law. ‘The judge was in an angry mood that morning. A seedy-looking bum got six months. The next was a man who said he had been out of work a year. “Tl find work for you,” said the judge. ‘One year on the Island.” I looked over at John and saw he was whispering nervously with his lawyer. The judge pounded for order. “Next,” he bellowed. The clesk droned off John’s name and the nature of his case. John had struck a little girl while driving his machine through the park. About the only place that John ever drove was in the park. He was too nervous to attempt travel in heavier traffic. His lawyer stood up and addressed the judge. “Your honor,” he said, “my client, Dr. John Smith, is a reputable citizen. I am sure that his own truthful state- ment will convince you of his innocence.” Then the lawyer pulled John out of his chair and shoved him forward. John stuttered a few minutes and then told how the accident happened, but the scratching of the judge’s pen was the only thing that broke the silence of the room. “License suspended _and $100 fine,” he said. “Next case.” o hy BOA Saypnnes Tue Speciat Tape When John and his lawyer left the room I hurried out after them. “The old hoodoo is certainly after me,” said “The kid ran in front of the machine before I coul it. Her name was Smith.” I tried to comfort him with a few words, but it was useless. “I don’t mind the fine so much,” he said, “but I hate to lose my license. That judge didn’t seem to have much sympathy for anybody this morning. Is he a new judge?” “No, he’s an old-cimer, John,” I said. ‘“He’s been on the bench several years. His name is Smith.” ohn. stop Worse Willis—In the Greck Hades a man is punished by being obliged to roll a heavy rock to the top of the hill. Gillis—That’s too easy. Why didn’t they make him push his car to the nearest garage? A Mean Rejoinder Great Editor — Yes, sir, we employ a man in our office just to get things into the paper that are absolutely correct. “Have you ever tried to print any of his things?” The Dismal Association The guests were speaking of Grant’s Tomb. “Have you ever seen it?” one of them turned to her hostess. “I’m not sure, I have, though.” looked puzzled. “In my mind it has some very dismal association. Paul, where did we see Grant's Tomb?” she turne:! to her husband “On our wedding trip,” was the quiet response. It seems to me Mrs. Thornton comicbooks.com