Judge, 1894-04-07 · page 16 of 16
Judge — April 7, 1894 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This political cartoon satirizes New York City's corrupt political machine, specifically Tammany Hall's control over the city. The female figure representing New York is depicted as enslaved, literally chained to a post labeled "MUNICIPAL BUILDING," while a caricatured man in a top hat (likely Dick Croker, Tammany Hall's boss, listed first) holds her in servitude. The accompanying list names the "Rulers of New York"—political operatives and machine politicians controlling the city. The caption's bitter question—"Will emancipation never come?"—compares the city's subjugation to slavery, suggesting ordinary New Yorkers are oppressed by this oligarchy of corrupt politicians. The Greek reference (title) is unclear from the image alone, though it may reference classical despotism or a specific contemporary figure. The cartoon attacks systematic political corruption and public powerlessness against entrenched urban political machines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WE, RULERS New YoRK. Dick CROKER m GILROY panee ees Hoch M? LAUGKLIN BILLY SHEEHAN | Epo MyrnPHY | Jimmy MARTIN Joun, J. ScaANNELL N CORNEY FURGUESON ). JOHN. Y. ME KANE Tim CAMPBELL MIKE COFFEY JOHN MPCARTY Tim SULLIVAN Mike COLLINS DELANEY + WILUETS BiLuy SWEETSER Tom BRENNAN Any W WNORED S OF oTHERS, THE SLAVE OF THE GREEK New York —* Will emancipation never come? comicbooks.com