Life, 1883-02-22 · page 4 of 16
Life — February 22, 1883 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Fight" - Life Magazine Satire This satirical cartoon depicts a legal/political confrontation styled as a boxing match. The image shows judges presiding over a "fight" in what appears to be a courtroom arena, with spectators in stands labeled "U.S." and "PR" (likely Puerto Rico). The text references a "eventful day" involving "noted statesmen" and "America," with the Chief Justice attending. It mentions judges in "scarlet robes," a "lawn tennis court" at Canonichet marked as a "sixty foot square," and various officials including Hon. Wm. Evarts with a "bettingbook." The cartoon satirizes what appears to be a prominent legal or political dispute being treated as public entertainment—transforming serious constitutional or territorial matters into a spectacle for mass consumption and gambling.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE FIGHT. On the morning of the eventful day all the noted sportsmen of America were in attendance. The lawn tennis court at Canon- chet was marked out sixty feet square, enclosed with lists ; a bar was prepared for the refreshment of the learned counsel of that high court, and a bencherected for the judges of the various States, who attended in scarlet robes, At precisely 10 A.M., after a long blare on the heralds’ trumpets, the Chief Justice, at- tended by Gray, J., at last happy in a wig, came in: all the Fancy followed them. Conkling and Blaine, as attorneys, were present with sponges dipped in vinegar; Stenographers were in attendance to report the Plows at short hand. Among the pool sellers we noticed Hon. Wm. Evarts, with a bettingsbook, Pres't comicbooks.com