Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil

Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil is regarded by many to be the greatest conman of all time, and was the inspiration for the classic film The Sting. He certainly put his effort behind perfecting every detail of the con. In order to con an unscrupulous businessman, Weil one time concocted a fake bank, using prostitutes as customers and regulars from the local track as tellers. Weil's cons often relied upon the greed of the mark to drive the deception, like the ruse wherein he would leave his valuable, rare-breed dog in a saloon for his accomplish to later enter and offer $300 to the owner for. Upon Weil's return—and subsequent tale of financial woe—the barman would offer $200 for the dog, hoping to make a quick resale to the partner, who of course could no longer be found.

"Each of my victims had larceny in his heart," explained the master of hanky-panky.

"The desire to get something for nothing has been very costly to many people who have dealt with me and with other con men," Weil writes. "But I have found that this is the way it works. The average person, in my estimation, is ninety-nine per cent animal and one per cent human. The ninety-nine per cent that is animal causes very little trouble. But the one per cent that is human causes all our woes. When people learn -- as I doubt they will -- that they can't get something for nothing, crime will diminish and we shall live in greater harmony."

I never cheated an honest man, only rascals. They wanted something for nothing. I gave them nothing for something.
--Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil

Joseph "Yellow Kid" Weil (July 1, 1875 – February 1976) was one of the most famous American confidence men of his era. Weil's biographer, W.T. Brannon, believed Weil had an "uncanny knowledge of human nature." Over the course of his career, Weil is said to have stolen over eight million dollars.

I have many fond memories of my uncle including the Baby Grand Piano that he gave me on my 9th birthday and the times we spent together when I visited my dad in Chicago. On my bookcase sits an autographed copy of his biography which is beginning to fray at the edges from the many times I have read it. There are other skeletons that are hiding in the closet but none bring to mind the fond and everlasting memories that I have of Yellow Kid.