The Wasp — 1877 — page 260: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The cartoon depicts a confrontation between two figures: a well-dressed gentleman in a top hat and coat appears to be scolding or gesturing dismissively at a crouching, poorly-dressed man. The caption reads: "The far-famed Emma Mine is being worked again." This references the Emma Mine scandal, a major fraud case involving a worthless mining stock promoted to British investors in the 1870s. The cartoon satirizes how the scheme is being "worked again"—suggesting con artists continue employing similar deceptive tactics. The well-dressed figure represents the con man or promoter, while the crouching figure represents victims or gullible investors. The satire criticizes ongoing financial fraud and the public's continued susceptibility to such schemes.