Judge, 1925-10-17 · page 12 of 42
Judge — October 17, 1925 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The End of an Imperfect Story" This satire mocks sensationalist newspaper journalism. Editor Mr. Crabbe complains that a murder story in *The Evening Blah* lacks clichéd phrases—"police dragnet," "detectives scouring the city," "baffling mystery"—that readers expect from crime reporting. Rather than criticizing *absent* facts, he demands the *standard melodramatic language* regardless of actual circumstances. The joke targets how newspapers prioritize formulaic excitement over genuine reporting. Crabbe threatens to cancel his subscription because the story failed to deliver predictable sensationalism, exposing how publications pander to readers' appetite for stock phrases and manufactured drama rather than substantive news. The accompanying cartoons satirize social climbers seduced by superficial success: a steel worker gains boxing fame but only "eight gold teeth / And a tin ear," suggesting hollow achievement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| yy “The slayer evidently planned a Uj i ‘perfect crime.’” ¢ Y Vi, “A strange man was seen loitering around the place.” “The slain girl was pretty and ‘ known to have been friendly with several men prominent in the busi- ness and financial world whose names are being withheld by police.” “Sensational developments are ex- “Capture of the slayer is but a matter of a few hours.” “The murder is believed to have been the result of a love triangle.” “In view of these omissions it is apparent that your reporters are laying down on the job. When I read a r I ex to get al “Special, Special Extra, Boss—three crooks are cleaning your place out news, Teco conc ne saben downstairs.” tion. I, W. Craspe.” Chet Johnson The End of an Imperfect Story M: Crasse: threw his copy of the almost - complete - final - home-pink-peach-night-sports _edi- tion of The Daily Blah to the floor in disgust, called for his stenographer and dictated the following letter to the city editor: “Dear Sir: I have just finished reading The Evening Blah of this date. Although there is mention b in your columns of a murder I wish ( to call your attention to the fact that ry nowhere in the story is it stated that: é “The police dragnet is out.” “Detectives are scouring the city.” | “The murder mystery is the most baffling in local crime annals.” t “Every available clew is being run down.” The unjust suspicion. Showing His Mettle | I He was big and bronzed And had muscles like iron From working in the steel foundry. sug A boxing promoter came along and jingled silver. mm Now he has his picture in the Sunday Copper Plate Section, Eight gold teeth “Dressed to kill.” And a tin ear. G. A. P. comicbooks.com