The Wasp — 1879 — page 20: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page combines satirical articles with advertisements. The main cartoon, titled "Human Trash and their Desserts," depicts a disheveled man being kicked out—likely satirizing petty criminals and social misfits discussed in the accompanying text. The articles chronicle San Francisco crime cases from the 1870s: a man charged with burglary, drunken liars, and a Chinese murder suspect. The tone is darkly humorous, mocking the justice system's handling of lower-class defendants and suggesting their punishments often fit their perceived social worth rather than actual crimes. The "L'Assomoire" illustration references a moral play about urban degradation, reinforcing the satirical theme that society's "trash" deserves harsh treatment. Overall, the page satirizes both San Francisco's criminal element and the arbitrary nature of its justice system.