The Wasp — 1895 — page 313: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents satirical commentary on San Francisco crime and social issues. The top cartoon, titled "Fin de Siècle Crime," depicts a figure on a bicycle wielding a revolver, suggesting bicycles were being used as getaway vehicles in robberies and murders—apparently a novel criminal concern of that era. The lower illustration, "Professed Piety as a Cloak for Cold-Blooded Butchery," shows a man entering what appears to be a butcher shop, sarcastically commenting on how ostensible respectability masks criminal activity. The accompanying text includes humorous anecdotes about everyday life, price inflation, whiskey quality, and a detailed account of a remarkable train. The overall tone mixes crime reporting with social observation and comedic commentary typical of satirical journalism from this period.