Primary sourcePainting1905

Puck's Inventions: The Cash Purification Plant

Samuel D. Ehrhart · 1905

A 1905 Puck magazine cover cartoon showing Rockefeller cleansing coins through a 'Patent Disinfector' before donating them to churches.

This satirical cartoon depicts Rockefeller 'purifying' his fortune before giving it to charitable missions.

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Cover of Puck magazine, April 12, 1905, with a cartoon titled 'Puck's Inventions: The Cash Purification Plant.' A man resembling John D. Rockefeller stands on a ladder pouring coins and money bags into a red machine labeled 'Patent Disinfector.' A thin man in a top hat and long coat turns a crank and collects gold coins into a bucket labeled 'Purified Cash for Missions.' A green chest labeled 'Contributions' and money bags sit at the base, and an umbrella lies on the ground. — Samuel D. Ehrhart, Puck's Inventions: The Cash Purification Plant, Puck magazine cover, 12 April 1905.

About this source

What it is

This is the cover illustration of Puck magazine from April 12, 1905, drawn by Samuel D. Ehrhart. It shows a man resembling John D. Rockefeller standing on a ladder, pouring coins and money bags into a machine labeled "Patent Disinfector," while a clergyman collects the coins into a bucket labeled "Purified Cash for Missions." A chest labeled "Contributions" sits at the base of the ladder.

Why it matters

This cartoon satirizes Rockefeller's charitable giving, suggesting that critics saw his donations to churches and missions as an attempt to

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John D. Rockefeller on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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