Beheading

Puck, holding his lithographic pen, and the Independent Party figure, holding an axe labeled “November Election,” stand inside a cabin next to the head of Roscoe Conkling that has been cut off a large rattlesnake labeled “Stalwartism,” its rattle labeled “Stalwart Office Seeker.” In the background, a large fire labeled “Government Patronage” burns in a fireplace. Caption: Puck – What! Isn’t it dead? Independent New Party – Oh, yes! but it hasn’t got sense enough to know it!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1883-01-03

Creator(s)

Graetz, F. (Friedrich), approximately 1840-approximately 1913

Theodore Roosevelt appears as “Mikado Roosevelt” with a large cast of characters standing behind him: “Pish Tush Root,” “Landis,” “Pooh Bah Taft,” “Burroughs,” “Heney,” “Cortelyou,” “Steffens,” “La Follette,” “Folk,” “Garfield,” “Riis,” “Loeb,” and “Koko Bonaparte,” who is holding a large sword labeled “Department of Justice.” John D. Rockefeller labeled “Flim-Flam Business,” and Edward Henry Harriman labeled “Flim Flam Finance,” are kneeling on the stage awaiting execution. Caption: “My object all sublime / I shall achieve in time — / To let the punishment fit the crime — / The punishment fit the crime. — / And make each prisoner pent / Unwillingly represent / A source of infinite merriment, / Of infinite merriment.”

comments and context

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1908-01-08