Judge — December 12, 1885 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A New Stage Line in Wall Street" This December 1885 Judge cartoon satirizes Wall Street financial speculation. Lady Justice (identifiable by her classical pose and robes) sits atop a streetcar labeled "Wall St. via U.S. Court" and "Sing Sing" (a notorious prison). The vehicle is driven by Hamilton, apparently representing Alexander Hamilton or Hamiltonian financial principles. The caption "Always Room for Several More" suggests the cartoon mocks how Wall Street financiers escape legal consequences—literally traveling between courts and prison without genuine accountability. The "stage line" metaphor implies this cycle is routine, even comfortable. The artist critiques the revolving door between financial fraud and the justice system, suggesting the wealthy regularly dodge serious punishment.