Judge — October 16, 1886 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Caught Napping" - Judge Magazine, October 16, 1886 This cartoon satirizes labor radicalism and property crime during the Gilded Age. The illustration shows a man being caught breaking into a storefront at night while a policeman apprehends him. In the background, a Richmond Grand Assembly tent is visible, suggesting a labor gathering. The caption's quote defends harsh punishment for criminals who destroy railroad or telegraph property, equating labor radicals with common burglars. The satire targets "Knights of Labor" ideology—a major labor organization of the era—by suggesting that labor activists who sabotage infrastructure are no better than ordinary thieves, and deserve severe legal consequences. The "napping" likely refers to authorities being caught unaware of labor radicalism's criminal activities.