ARTIST: Thomas Nast
PUBLISHER: Published in Harper's Weekly. February 24, 1872.
MEDIUM: Wood engraving,
DATE: 1872.
EDITION SIZE: Image size 10 3/4 x 9 1/8" (270 x 231 mm) plus related text.
DESCRIPTION: Addition text reads: <br> "Jay Gould. 'All the sins of Erie lie buried here.'" <br> "Justice. 'I am not quite so blind.'" <br><br> James Fisk had recently been murdered and his associates hoped to pin the corruption of the Erie Railroad Ring upon him. Justice reminds them that she is not blind to their actions. From right to left, William M. Tweed (Boss Tweed) stands behind the tombstone faking tears; Jay Gould, who lead the ring, motions to the grave; David Dudley Field, an attorney, hides his face from Justice; and George G. Barnard, a judge, stands afar. In Gould's pocket is a paper reading, "Stolen Stocks. New Schemes. Erie R.R."<br><br> Shortly after coming into ownership of the Erie Railroad, Fisk and Gould found themselves at war with the infamous railroad baron Cornelius Vanderbilt. There were no laws preventing monopolies in those days and they took matters into their own hands. Fraudulent stock was released on the market and any official who could assist them, including Boss Tweed, was bribed to serve in their favor. New laws were passed legalizing the stock and disallowed the merger of the Erie Railroad with those owned by Vanderbilt. Not only did this safeguard their business, it allowed them to manipulate the stock market and earn a fortune in the process. <br><br> The fall of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall in 1871 ultimately spelled the end for the Erie Railroad Ring. Some of the people who had supported Tweed turned against him. Judge Barnard was one of them. Despite his assistance in bring the politician to justice, Barnard was disbarred for his years of corruption. More reputable individuals took up the seats made vacant in their wake and corrupt organizations like the Erie Railroad Ring began to topple. Jay Gould was never jailed for his crimes, but he was forced to relinquish control of the railroad to its board of directors. It didn't seem to hamper his lifestyle. Gould would later move out west, where he would take over other railroads and used them to amass an even larger fortune through legal and illegal means. David Dudley Field narrowly avoided losing his legal license, but his reputation took a blow. He was well liked in America and England because his legal writing inspired reform. It's likely the courts saw Fisk and Gould as an unfortunate choice in clientele and offered mercy. <br><br> A brief article about the event is printed below the image.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
CONDITION: Good condition.
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