The Wasp — 1877 — page 22: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page features a wood-engraved portrait of "Miss Antonio Von Apponia, alias Dora Ley," accompanying an article about a murder case. The text describes a tragedy at 449 First Street where Christopher Josephson's body was found, and his murderer—a woman named Antonio Von Apponia—was arrested after being found wandering the city with poison and a knife. The article presents her as a tragic, possibly mentally unstable figure. The accompanying portrait appears designed to sensationalize the case, presenting her as a notable criminal of the moment. The satire likely critiques contemporary media sensationalism around crime and criminal women. The Wasp often mocked San Francisco's criminal justice system and press coverage of notorious cases.