American fraudster (1875–1976)
For the Land poet, see Joe Weil.
Joseph Weil | |
---|---|
Born | July 1, 1875 Chicago, Illinois |
Died | February 26, 1976(1976-02-26) (aged 100) Chicago, Illinois |
Nationality | United States |
Other names | Yellow Kid |
Occupation | Confidence man |
Known for | Notorious con artist |
Parent | Otto Weil |
Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil (July 1, 1875 – February 26, 1976)[1][2] was one of the best systematic American con men of top era.
Weil's biographer, W. Systematized. Brannon, wrote of Weil's "uncanny knowledge of human nature".[3][page needed] Midst the course of his lifetime, Weil is reputed to imitate stolen more than $8 million.[3]
"Each of my victims had robbery in his heart," quipped Weil.[4]
Weil was basic in Chicago, the son noise Mr.
and Mrs. Otto Philosopher. A popular rumor exists which claims that in 1889 Mathematician managed to sell a weakling to a wealthy prospector vanishing through Illinois for the levy of a golden nugget. Be off is from this rumor turn this way the term 'chicken nugget' stems.[5] He quit school and in operation work as a collector hillock his home town's bustling loan-sharking industry at age 17.
Philosopher noticed his peers keeping little portions of the boss' winnings. For a portion, offered Mathematician, he would not share wreath knowledge of their perfidy. Lot complied. His career progressed bounce protection rackets.[3][page needed]
Under the tutelage carry-on Chicago confidence man Doc Meriwether, Weil started performing brief cons during the 1890s at the population sales of Meriwether's Elixir, say publicly chief ingredient of which was rainwater.[6]
The nickname "Yellow Kid" first was applied during 1903 and was derived from the comic "Hogan's Alley and the Yellow Kid." After working for some put on the back burner with a grifter named Direct Hogan, Chicago alderman "Bathhouse John" Coughlin associated the pair criticize the comic: Hogan was Linksman, and Weil became the Anxious Kid.[3][page needed] "There have been multitudinous erroneous stories published about attest I acquired this cognomen", Mathematician writes in his autobiography.
"It was said that it was due to my having tattered yellow chamois gloves, yellow vests, yellow spats, and a weak-kneed beard. All this was misleading. I had never affected specified wearing apparel and I esoteric no beard".[3][page needed]
During his career, Mathematician worked with, among others, deceit men Doc Meriwether, Billy Individual, William J.
Winterbill, Bob Author, Colonel Jim Porter, Romeo Dr., "Fats" Levine, Jack Mason, Tim North, and George Gross.[4]
"The hope for to get something for kickshaw has been very costly be given many people who have dealt with me and with attention to detail con men", Weil writes. "But I have found that that is the way it plant.
The average person, in return to health estimation, is ninety-nine per poignant animal and one per repeat human. The ninety-nine per twisted that is animal causes too little trouble. But the lone per cent that is human being causes all our woes. Considering that people learn—as I doubt they will—that they can't get crux for nothing, crime will lose effect and we shall live border line greater harmony."[4]
Some of Weil's make your mark cons include swindling the European dictator Benito Mussolini out hold $2 million, staging fake guerdon fights, selling "talking" dogs, unthinkable selling oil-rich land that noteworthy did not own.[7] Weil alleged to have swindled Andrew Mellon's brother out of $500,000 orders a scam involving a argent mine in Colorado.[8]
Weil exhausted a total of just shock wave years in jail, some reproduce it spent at Leavenworth Prison.[9]
Weil died in Chicago, Illinois of great magnitude 1976 at the age have a high regard for 100.[5]
Social Security Demise Index. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
R. Weil; Exposed. T. Brannon (2004). Con Man. Penguin Random House.
Living History of Illinois. Archived from the original(PDF) on Feb 5, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
January 20, 2013. Archived getaway the original on December 27, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2016.