Judge, 1931-02-28 · page 9 of 36
Judge — February 28, 1931 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page This page contains two satirical pieces mocking Chicago police incompetence during the era of organized crime and extortion. **"He Had Experience"** (main story with top cartoon): A wealthy man named Carbuncle receives an extortion note demanding $10,000. He reports it to the Police Chief, who agrees to catch the criminal. The story implies the plan fails—the criminal escapes with the money. The first cartoon shows a burglar using a fire axe, with caption "Hey, you can only use that thing in case of fire," mocking misuse of equipment. **"Crime Note"** (sidebar): A brief commentary stating Chicago's problem is that "everybody's on the spot but the police"—meaning citizens are vulnerable to criminals while police are ineffective. **Lower cartoon**: Shows concerned adults asking a lost child who cares for her; she replies "The Guardian Trust Company, sir," satirizing how corporations have become substitute guardians, implying parental/societal roles have been replaced. The satire targets police corruption and ineffectiveness during Prohibition-era Chicago.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
several pistol shots echoed and rever- berated through the night. “What is it—what has happened?" called the old gentleman, from the second story window, “He got away—he got aw called a e from the garden— age is gone.” tleman, ‘There wasn’t any money that package. I was a policeman once myself. —Rosert C. Siti Crime Note The trouble with Chicago is that everybody's on the spot but the police. 4 We don’t know which makes for the 4 <i ) duller evening—a woman telling about a Rechedl of Bs Fn Reel the removal of her appendix, or a man telling about his stock market opera- tion, “Hey, you can only use that thing in case of fire.” He Had Experience ue stout, middle-aged gentleman rushed into. police headquarters very much flustered. “The Chief! I want the Chief,” he exclaimed. A tall man of severe aspect, totally encased in gold braid, gold buttons and a golden hair on his shoulder, ap- proached. “Tam the Chief—what can I do for you?” “My name is Carbuncle—I am a wealthy man, I got this note in the mail today—and I am afraid, terribly afraid.” The Chief took the dirty scrap of paper and read— “If you value your life you will put $10,000 by the rose bush in your gar- den before 12 o'clock tonight. If you don’t you d The gentleman in the gold braid placed his left forefinger to his right eyebrow, > it,” he said at last. 0,000. Put it by the rose bush. I will be there, and when the comes I will arrest him. Get at sounds simple,” said the old gentleman, “I'll do i When midnight came, a gentleman in gold braid and golden buttons was hidden in the garden. The gentleman es . ; who owned the garden was hidden in You're lost, huh? Who takes care of you?” the house “The Guardian Trust Company, sir. Suddenly a deep baritone cry and