Judge — June 20, 1885 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "How to Make Cashiers Honest" — The Judge, June 20, 1885 This satirical cartoon critiques bank security practices of the 1880s. The image shows a cashier chained to his workstation, literally shackled to prevent theft. Signs visible in the background reference "Risk & Ruin," and one reads "Save Your Pennies"—playing on anxieties about financial institutions. The cartoon mocks the era's harsh response to employee dishonesty: rather than implementing better accounting systems or oversight, banks resorted to literal physical restraint. The exaggerated chains suggest the absurdity of this "solution." The sleeping or inattentive figures in the background imply that security theater and punishment don't actually address underlying problems. This reflects 1880s debates about labor practices, trust, and financial regulation in America's rapidly industrializing economy.