The Wasp — December 6, 1879 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes the wealthy and corrupt, depicting what appears to be a well-dressed gentleman kicking or striking a working-class figure. The accompanying text discusses using lawsuits as debt collection—a practice the author views as enabling the rich to exploit the poor through the legal system. The satire targets prominent San Francisco figures including "Jeremiah Monahan" and others accused of battery and misconduct. The piece criticizes how wealthy defendants can afford legal protection while ordinary people suffer consequences. The title "Human Trash and their Deserts" suggests the cartoonist believes corrupt wealthy individuals deserve punishment (their "deserts"), yet the legal system protects them. This reflects broader Gilded Age criticism of class-based justice where money determines legal outcomes.