The Wasp — 1894 — page 214: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes a character assassination scheme. A portly man (left) confronts another man at a "Grand Jury Room" door, wielding a document labeled "CERTIFICATE OF CHARACTER" while holding what appears to be damaging information. The second figure clutches multiple character certificates, suggesting he's trying to defend himself with testimonials. The dialogue indicates someone named "Joe" is being accused of wrongdoing, with references to "Henry" and "Max Popper." The cartoon mocks how character witnesses and certificates can be weaponized in legal disputes—the irony being that both parties attempt to control narratives through documentation rather than genuine character assessment. The surrounding text discusses monopolies, the Salvation Army, and business practices, suggesting this relates to a specific contemporary scandal, though the exact figures remain unclear.