1-150-339 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

'The Garotter's Friend', 1862. Let Go, Bill, Can't Yer - It's Our Kind Non-Interfering Friend, Sir George Grey! London at this time was subjected to a rash of 'garrotting' attacks. Usually working in pairs, one ruffian would grab the unsuspecting victim around the neck from behind leaving the other ruffian free to empty the victim's pockets. The attacks did in fact become more serious, and at least one person died. The current Home Secretary, Sir George Grey was opposed to captured garrotters being flogged and, in this cartoon, two members of the garrotting fraternity are depicted as halting an attack when they realise it is their 'friend', Sir George, whom they have in a stranglehold. However, in the following Session, an Act was passed to punish these criminals by flogging. From Punch, or the London Charivari, November 29, 1862.