Last updated: September 15, 2026
Place
Political Cartoon Gallery Walk: Unknown Title by John. T McCutcheon
NPS Photo
John. T McCutcheon
1905-1906
Although the title, date, and publishing information of this cartoon is unknown, it is clearly in reference to the New York State Armstrong Investigation. Executives at several large life insurance companies operating in New York were rumored to be misusing funds. Those rumors turned out to be true, with the most egregious example being a large costume ball charged to the corporate account of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. In 1905, State Senator William Armstrong created a commission to investigate corrupt practices across the entire life insurance industry. The cartoon depicts comically large petitions requesting that President Roosevelt send the publicly known culprits to remote locations across the globe.
1905-1906
Although the title, date, and publishing information of this cartoon is unknown, it is clearly in reference to the New York State Armstrong Investigation. Executives at several large life insurance companies operating in New York were rumored to be misusing funds. Those rumors turned out to be true, with the most egregious example being a large costume ball charged to the corporate account of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. In 1905, State Senator William Armstrong created a commission to investigate corrupt practices across the entire life insurance industry. The cartoon depicts comically large petitions requesting that President Roosevelt send the publicly known culprits to remote locations across the globe.