Judge, 1927-07-30 · page 9 of 36
Judge — July 30, 1927 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Judge Magazine Satire Analysis This page satirizes the absurdity of using expert psychiatric testimony to excuse criminal behavior. The main cartoon depicts a court case where the defendant, Hank Spivis, is accused of a crime. His defense attorney calls "alienists" (period term for psychiatrists) who provide increasingly ridiculous "evidence" of insanity—one claims Spivis tried to swallow a chair and hopped like a kangaroo; another says he believes he's a poached egg. The judge remains unmoved by this testimony. However, when a witness provides *rational* evidence (Spivis honestly admitted fault in a car accident), the judge immediately orders him committed to an asylum—suggesting that admitting responsibility and speaking truth are themselves signs of insanity. The satire mocks both the era's psychiatric establishment (presenting dubious testimony as science) and a legal system that rewards dishonesty while punishing honesty. The cartoonist argues this inverted logic makes no sense.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE What Could Be Plainer? “Your honor,” said the attor- ney for the defendant, “I desire to introduce the testimony of a group of distinguished alienists which I trust will satisfy the Court beyond a doubt that Mr. Spivis, my client, is mentally irresponsible and therefore should not be convicted of this crime. First, I present Dr. Snodgrass.” A funereal looking, bearded gentleman arose, gravely cleared his throat and spoke. “I observed Hank Spivis for twenty minutes last Friday evening. He tried to swallow a chair, and failing in that, he acted like a kangaroo, hopping about the cell, In my opinion this man is absolutely noncomposmentis.” The judge shook his head du- biously. Clearly he was not con- vinced. The defense attorney summoned Dr, Henderson, who took the stand. “This man,” said Dr. Hender- son, “is under the impression that he is a poached egg and will only recline on pieces of toast. The other evening, unknown to him, I watched him for two hours. He tried to chew off his nose and made faces at himself in the mirror. I am convinced that his mental age is about eight and that he is undoubtedly insane.” “The testimony fails to impress the Court,” announced the judge, qt LE LES FoR THE YOy, LITTLE ower w= Ts, 7 CHILDREN, — CG, AUSTRALIA. AUSTALIA IS AN (ISLAND. AN ISLAND IS ENTizELy SuR- ROUNDED BY WATEREF ~ WATER 1S Uf -wo-neos of He HUMAN Goby. “THE HUMAN GOOY 1S SEEN HERE IN-Wo ART- IStiC POSES. A POSE \S AN AT- AWUDE. AN ATTITUDE IS SILLY. “THE CULLY ISLANDS ARG OFF THe COAST OF ENGLAND. THEREFORE AUSTRALIA GELONGS “"O ENGLAND. weep) First Siamese here! Twin—lVell, well, well, fancy meeting you It’s a small world after all. Seconp (queerly enough) Dirro—Sorry, but it must have been a couple of other fellows. “and we will hold the prisoner for the grand jury.” “Stop!” yelled a little man, dashing up the center aisle. “I can prove beyond a doubt that this crazy. . . . Two months ago I was driving my car south on Main Street and he was speeding north. At the intersec- tion of Market and Main Streets we collided, seriously damaging both cars. When the ambulance surgeon brought him to, and the policeman asked him whose fault it was, he sat up and calmly said, man is ‘Officer, I was on the wrong side of the street, I was driving with- out a license, my brakes do not hold and I am slightly intoxicated. Beyond any doubt this accident is entirely my fault, and I to state so in the presence of witnesses . . 2” “Sad, sad,” sobbed the judge, wiping away the coursing down the whatsoever, desire teats that were judicial cheeks. “Have the poor fellow committed to the County Asylum at once!” —Arruur L, Lirpmann comicbooks.com