Judge — April 4, 1931 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Comic: "Judge Pete" This is a sequential comic strip titled "Judge Pete" (signed "Corussell"). The narrative follows a judge character through his day: **The story:** A judge accepts bribes (indicated by the "$" symbol), progressively becoming more corrupt. He's shown receiving money, then conducting an increasingly chaotic courtroom where justice is bought. By the final panels, the courtroom descends into complete pandemonium—multiple figures arguing, fighting, and generally causing disorder. **The satire:** The comic mocks judicial corruption and bribery in the American legal system. It suggests that when judges accept money illegally, the entire justice system collapses into chaos. The progression from orderly judge to surrounded by mayhem illustrates how corruption undermines institutional integrity. Without knowing the specific date, this appears to reflect general Progressive Era concerns about municipal corruption and judicial integrity.