Judge — November 22, 1884 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes the forced retirement of a figure called "Napoleon Kelly" from Tammany Hall, the powerful Democratic political machine that controlled New York City politics. The image depicts Kelly as Napoleon Bonaparte, comically fleeing defeat—his "Waterloo" moment. He's shown in exaggerated distress, being ejected or forced out, with labels referencing political "patronage" and "wires" (backroom dealings). The caricature compares Kelly's fall from Tammany power to Napoleon's ultimate military defeat. The satire mocks both Kelly's inflated self-importance (positioning himself as a great military leader) and Tammany Hall's corrupt patronage system. The cartoon celebrates his removal from influence, suggesting the political machine's grip on power was finally breaking. Without the publication date visible, the specific historical context of Kelly's retirement remains unclear.