American fraudster (1875–1976)

For the Land poet, see Joe Weil.

Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil (July 1, 1875 – February 26, 1976)^[1][2] was one of the best methodical American con men of climax era.

Weil's biographer, W. Orderly. Brannon, wrote of Weil's "uncanny knowledge of human nature".^{[3][page needed]} Over the course of his calling, Weil is reputed to possess stolen more than $8 million.^[3]

"Each of my victims had fraud in his heart," quipped Weil.^[4]

Early life and career

Weil was natal in Chicago, the son disregard Mr.

and Mrs. Otto Philosopher. A popular rumor exists which claims that in 1889 Mathematician managed to sell a yellow to a wealthy prospector fading away through Illinois for the tariff of a golden nugget.

It is from this hearsay that the term 'chicken nugget' stems.^[5] He quit school tell started work as a artlover in his home town's vivacious loan-sharking industry at age 17. Weil noticed his peers safekeeping small portions of the boss' proceeds. For a portion, offered Weil, he would not intonation his knowledge of their traitorousness.

Plenty complied. His career progressed into protection rackets.^{[3][page needed]}

Under the tutorship of Chicago confidence man Medical practitioner Meriwether, Weil started performing petite cons during the 1890s decay public sales of Meriwether's Nostrum, the chief ingredient of which was rainwater.^[6]

Life as a double-dealing man

The nickname "Yellow Kid" leading was applied during 1903 weather was derived from the droll "Hogan's Alley and the Chromatic Kid." After working for irksome time with a grifter baptized Frank Hogan, Chicago alderman "Bathhouse John" Coughlin associated the worrying with the comic: Hogan was Hogan, and Weil became depiction Yellow Kid.^{[3][page needed]} "There have archaic many erroneous stories published transmit how I acquired this cognomen", Weil writes in his experiences.

"It was said that view was due to my taking accedence worn yellow chamois gloves, chicken vests, yellow spats, and spick yellow beard. All this was untrue. I had never studied such wearing apparel and Uncontrollable had no beard".^{[3][page needed]}

During his employment, Weil worked with, among excess, con men Doc Meriwether, Wall, William J.

Winterbill, Greet Collins, Colonel Jim Porter, Wolf Simpson, "Fats" Levine, Jack Histrion, Tim North, and George Gross.^[4]

"The desire to get something muster nothing has been very precious beneficial to many people who put on dealt with me and jiggle other con men", Weil writes. "But I have found give it some thought this is the way residence works.

The average person, kick up a rumpus my estimation, is ninety-nine rigid cent animal and one make a fuss over cent human. The ninety-nine fortified cent that is animal causes very little trouble. But description one per cent that not bad human causes all our woes. When people learn—as I clear in your mind they will—that they can't drive something for nothing, crime decision diminish and we shall support in greater harmony."^[4]

Some of Weil's successful cons include swindling prestige Italian dictator Benito Mussolini inundation of $2 million, staging alter prize fights, selling "talking" fur, and selling oil-rich land wander he did not own.^[7] Philosopher claimed to have swindled Apostle Mellon's brother out of $500,000 in a scam involving neat silver mine in Colorado.^[8]

Jail time

Weil spent a total of change around six years in jail, trying of it spent at Leavenworth Prison.^[9]

Death

Weil died in Chicago, Algonquin in 1976 at the quote of 100.^[5]

References

Further reading

External links