Puck — March 19, 1879 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains political satire attacking Catholic institutions and leadership during a period of anti-Catholic sentiment in American media. The **top cartoon** depicts a woman and child, with dialogue about selling "broken virtuals" for Archbishop Purcell's benefit—likely referencing financial scandal involving Archbishop John Purcell of Cincinnati, whose mismanagement caused major losses in the 1870s. The **bottom cartoon**, titled "A Devilish 'Fishy' Way of Loot," shows a grotesque figure manipulating chains of victims labeled with dollar signs, suggesting predatory financial exploitation by Catholic institutions. The **left panel** captioned "Retired Wall Street Broker" mocks converting to Catholicism for financial gain. The satire conflates religious authority with financial corruption and fraud, reflecting widespread 19th-century American Protestant suspicion of Catholic wealth and institutional power.