DENIS KEARNEY ATTACKING an ASSOCIATED PRESS JOURNALIST - CARD from an 1878 SET PRINTED DURING KEARNEY'S VISIT to BOSTON in SUPPORT of BENJAMIN BUTLER

Item Details

1878, BOSTON LITH CO., 1878

This card is from a rare set of twelve images printed by the Boston Lith. Co. referring to the Boston visit of anti-Chinese San Francisco Workingman's Party leader Denis Kearney.  Kearney was in Boston to support Benjamin Butler's unsuccessful campaign for governor.  

Kearney is depicted with stereotypical Irish features - the pugnacious expression is reinforced by the presence of his shillelagh.  On this card, he is attacking the editor of the Associated Press.  Butler appears on several cards in the set, and a few have anti-Chinese imagery.

Actual portraits of Kearney show him to be rather handsome (see below) - certainly not the stereotypical thug-like appearance of the cards in the Boston Lith. Co. set.

The reverse of this card is blank - 2 5/8" x 4 1/2" - very good condition. 

(please note that his name is misspelled on the hat - the two "S" spelling of "Denis" was a common error.)