Puck — February 5, 1879 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes **County Clerk H. Gumbleton**, identified as "a member of the Bar," depicting him as corrupt. The central image shows Gumbleton at a desk with law books labeled "SUIT" and "COUNTY CLERK," surrounded by spheres (likely representing bribes or corrupt dealings) exploding around him—suggesting financial impropriety. The accompanying "Oath for Lawyers" is a mock legal document parodying his claimed membership in the Bar Association while allegedly helping hide "the Country" from "getting all the fees and pickings he can grab." The title references **Tammany Hall**, the notoriously corrupt Democratic political machine dominating New York City. The cartoon accuses Gumbleton of being another example of Tammany's systemic corruption within the legal and administrative systems.