Blame

Émile Zola, as a bullfighter holding a cape labeled “La Vérité” and a quill pen labeled “Zola,” faces a charging bull that is wearing a phrygian cap labeled “France” and has been stabbed in the back of the neck with a banderilla labeled “La Débâcle.” After a military investigation and trial acquitted Ferdinand Esterhazy of treason, placing the guilt on Alfred Dreyfus, Zola published an open letter to the president of France demanding that the truth be made known and that the miscarriage of justice, “La Débâcle,” that has come to be known as the Dreyfus Affair, be corrected.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1898-02-16

Creator(s)

Dalrymple, Louis, 1866-1905

A police officer holds Oscar L. Baldwin, cashier at the Mechanics’ National Bank in Newark, by the shoulder while Baldwin, using “Speculation Soap Suds,” blows a soap bubble labeled “500,000 Paid in Capital” and “Surplus Fund $400,000” that drips money into a top hat in front of many old men labeled “Bank Director” and investors entering on the right, in the background. At his feet are papers labeled “Cooked Statement.” Puck gestures toward the old men and suggests the police officer consider arresting them as well. Caption: Puck to Representative of the Law–“You have got the thief – now take the men who let him steal the money of the trusting depositors.”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1881-11-09

Creator(s)

Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, 1838-1894

Two children are surrounded by broken toys. The toys are pointing fingers at the children and complaining to Santa Claus about the treatment they’ve received from them over the past year. Santa is sitting on the right, reading a large book labeled “Condition of Last Years Toys.” Caption: Indignant Chorus of Last Year’s Toys — Do they deserve anything more, Your Honor? Just look what they did to Us!

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1911-12-06

Creator(s)

Crawford, Will, 1869-1944