The Wasp — 1879 — page 659: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon satirizes the legal persecution of Isaac S. Kalloch, San Francisco's Mayor, whom Supervisor Taylor is seeking to remove from office. The allegorical female figure represents Justice, depicted as confused or lost—hence the caption "LOST HIS WAY." The satire suggests that the legal proceedings against Kalloch represent a perversion of justice itself. The scales at Justice's feet emphasize this irony: instead of serving impartial judgment, the legal system appears corrupted by political maneuvering. The cartoon critiques what The Wasp likely viewed as a partisan political attack masked as legitimate governance. By personifying Justice as disoriented, the artist implies the prosecution lacks genuine judicial merit and reflects political corruption rather than lawful accountability.