The Wasp — August 16, 1879 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of "The Mayfe Jumping the Charge (R.S.)" This satirical cartoon depicts a bearded man with a horse's body leaping over a cliff while being chased by a line of figures below. The title "The Mayfe Jumping the Charge" suggests this is political satire, likely referencing a public official (possibly a mayor or similar figure) fleeing from legal consequences or criminal charges. The extensive list of warrant numbers and dates below the image indicates multiple legal charges or indictments. The cartoon uses the fantastical image of a man-horse hybrid escaping as metaphor for someone attempting to evade justice or accountability. Published in *The Wasp* (August 16, 1879), this reflects the magazine's satirical focus on local San Francisco corruption and legal malfeasance during the Gilded Age.