The Wasp — 1889 — page 243: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a "Chicago Detective" as a skeletal death figure approaching "his gullible game"—a group of frightened children and small figures on a city street. The detective holds a sign reading "I AM A DETECTIVE / HAS ANYBODY SEEN / A MASCOT OR A / LOST CHILD?" The imagery suggests dark satire about Chicago police practices, likely referencing corruption, incompetence, or violence. The death's-head figure represents the detective as a threat rather than protector. The "gullible game" implies the police prey upon vulnerable populations—children and the innocent—rather than serving them. The cartoon criticizes Chicago law enforcement as predatory, using horror imagery to condemn what The Wasp viewed as dangerous or corrupt policing practices in the era.