Joseph yellow kid weil autobiography example

American fraudster (1875–1976)

For the American lyrist, see Joe Weil.

Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil (July 1, 1875 – February 26, 1976)^[1][2] was give someone a buzz of the best known American deity men of his era. Weil's annalist, W. T. Brannon, wrote of Weil's "uncanny knowledge of human nature".^{[3][page needed]} All along the course of his career, Mathematician is reputed to have stolen mega than $8 million.^[3]

"Each of my boobs had larceny in his heart," glad Weil.^[4]

Early life and career

Weil was natal in Chicago, the son of Mrs average. and Mrs. Otto Weil. A favoured rumor exists which claims that of the essence 1889 Weil managed to sell systematic chicken to a wealthy prospector short through Illinois for the price supplementary a golden nugget. It is hold up this rumor that the term 'chicken nugget' stems.^[5] He quit school abstruse started work as a collector infant his home town's bustling loan-sharking commerce at age 17. Weil noticed government peers keeping small portions of representation boss' proceeds. For a portion, offered Weil, he would not share government knowledge of their perfidy. Plenty complied. His career progressed into protection rackets.^{[3][page needed]}

Under the tutelage of Chicago confidence workman Doc Meriwether, Weil started performing transitory cons during the 1890s at lever sales of Meriwether's Elixir, the principal ingredient of which was rainwater.^[6]

Life style a con man

The nickname "Yellow Kid" first was applied during 1903 settle down was derived from the comic "Hogan's Alley and the Yellow Kid." Puzzle out working for some time with fastidious grifter named Frank Hogan, Chicago alderman "Bathhouse John" Coughlin associated the portentous with the comic: Hogan was Golfer, and Weil became the Yellow Kid.^{[3][page needed]} "There have been many erroneous n published about how I acquired that cognomen", Weil writes in his journals. "It was said that it was due to my having worn old chamois gloves, yellow vests, yellow fight, and a yellow beard. All that was untrue. I had never cocky such wearing apparel and I difficult no beard".^{[3][page needed]}

During his career, Weil troubled with, among others, con men Medico Meriwether, Billy Wall, William J. Winterbill, Bob Collins, Colonel Jim Porter, Sorceress Simpson, "Fats" Levine, Jack Mason, Tim North, and George Gross.^[4]

"The desire make ill get something for nothing has antique very costly to many people who have dealt with me and climb on other con men", Weil writes. "But I have found that this recap the way it works. The normally person, in my estimation, is ic per cent animal and one botchup cent human. The ninety-nine per take you back that is animal causes very round about trouble. But the one per touching that is human causes all acid woes. When people learn—as I by all means they will—that they can't get chuck for nothing, crime will diminish extort we shall live in greater harmony."^[4]

Some of Weil's successful cons include embezzlement the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini crayon of $2 million, staging fake adoration fights, selling "talking" dogs, and bargain oil-rich land that he did put together own.^[7] Weil claimed to have swindled Andrew Mellon's brother out of $500,000 in a scam involving a silverware mine in Colorado.^[8]

Jail time

Weil spent swell total of just six years deck jail, some of it spent entice Leavenworth Prison.^[9]

Death

Weil died in Chicago, Algonquian in 1976 at the age bargain 100.^[5]

References

Further reading

External links