Seeing the old year out
Subject(s): Alexander, De Alva Stanwood, 1845-1925, Depew, Chauncey M. (Chauncey Mitchell), 1834-1928, Dinners and dining, Hamilton, Andrew, 1854-1908, Hamilton, Edward L. (Edward La Rue), 1857-1923, Hendricks, Francis J., 1834-1920, Hyde, James H. (James Hazen), 1876-1959, Insurance executives, Mann, William D'Alton, 1839-1920, McCall, John A. (John Augustine), 1849-1906, McCurdy, Richard A. (Richard Aldrich), 1835-1916, New Year, Odell, Benjamin B. (Benjamin Barker), 1854-1926, Perkins, George W. (George Walbridge), 1862-1920, Platt, Thomas Collier, 1833-1910, Politicians
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A group of formally-dressed men gather around a table for a banquet, as an old man labeled “Lost Reputation” departs and a cherub labeled “1906” arrives.
Comments and Context
This is not a random group of men at a New Year’s banquet pictured by Joseph Keppler Jr. At year’s end, the double-page cartoon in Puck is another comment on the consequential news event that was the long-running and far-reaching New York State investigations into the insurance industry.
All the morose diners are members of the major insurance companies exposed for various misdeeds, or politicians who did their bidding. Notable are New York Senator Chauncey M. Depew, a willing go-between from the Equitable offices to the Senate (his paper, “a few remarks,” refers to his alternate career as an after-dinner speaker and raconteur; he even wrote two books about humorous speeches); Richard A. McCurdy, president of the Mutual Life Insurance Company; George Walbridge Perkins, wincing in front of the fireplace, a board member of the Equitable and right-hand man to J. P. Morgan, a major funder and adviser to the Progressive Party 1912-1916, and prominent in the Rockefeller-led Palisades Park Commission and Lamont science enterprises; John A. McCall, president of the New York Life Insurance Company; James H. Hyde, the prissy playboy heir to the Equitable Life fortune, who was embroiled in a society scandal at this time; Benjamin B. Odell, recently retired New York governor, basically honest but tarred by his party’s involvement with the insurance trust; Andrew Hamilton, who was what today we would call a lobbyist for the insurance industry, who was “untouchable” in Europe during the inquest, but making a surprise appearance and impassioned defense of his friend McCall; and New York Senator Thomas Collier Platt, the “Easy Boss” in control of state politics for two decades. In the rear, commiserating (maybe trying to escape?) are Francis Hendricks, the New York State Commissioner of Insurance, who opened this can of worms by calling for investigations; and James W. Alexander, the president of Equitable.
Although controversy remained examined, heated, and in the public’s eye since April of 1905, several of the figures in Keppler’s cartoon had resigned their positions, or were obliged to resign, or did so immediately after this cartoon’s publication — including Alexander, Hyde, McCurdy, and McCall. The latter was actually an innovative reformer within the industry, but was tarred, as was Governor Odell, by odious associations.
Two minor details in Keppler’s cartoon are icing on the cake: “Colonel” William d’Alton Mann, peeking from under the tablecloth, was a legendary scandal-monger, publisher of the journal Town Topics. The magazine looked respectable, and was read by respectable people, but trafficked in the juiciest scandals of society’s prominent members. Mann’s columns held the insurance scandals in benign neglect, largely because he blackmailed the companies to buy advertising space or float generous “loans” to his company. The other subtlety to notice is the pattern of the wallpaper: images of convicts at hard labor.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1905-12-27
Creator(s)
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Page Count
1
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Seeing the old year out. [December 27, 1905]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278474. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956. Seeing the old year out. [27 Dec. 1905]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 5, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278474.
APA:
Keppler, Udo J., 1872-1956., [1905, December 27]. Seeing the old year out.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o278474.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 5, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
APA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
