The Wasp — 1893 — page 316: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes a common legal problem of the 1890s: disputes over large estates and claims by illegitimate heirs. The illustration shows a courtroom scene where a skeleton—representing a deceased person's hidden shame or scandal—is literally present during proceedings over inheritance distribution. The caption explains this reflects "a regular scene of late in our legal tribunals, which are busy with the distribution of large estates and the claims of illegitimate heirs." The satire targets wealthy families whose "skeletons in the closet" (family secrets, illegitimate children) become public during probate disputes. The skeleton's prominent courtroom appearance mocks how such embarrassing family matters get exposed when estates are contested, turning private shame into public spectacle.