Hello? Hello.
Billy Wall.
Billy, this is Joe Weil.
I've just cut into a fat mark.
The one you've been tailing? Right, Fetterman.
He's going for the gold wire.
Is he a live one, Joe? Live? He's so hungry for the best of it, he can almost taste it.
I'll bring him to meet you tomorrow.
Western Union? Outside the washroom on the fifth floor.
The old brother -in -law dodge.
Make it good, but short.
Too many detectives around there.
Meet you at ten.
See you then.
Goodbye.
You have just witnessed a scene from this week's expose of the life of the yellow kid.
The true story of swindles worked on rich and poor alike by Joseph Weil, who took more than eight million dollars from unsuspecting citizens, and who became notoriously known as America's master con man.
Our hope is to inform you of con games by which you may be victimized even today.
Get rich quick schemes such as this one, the gold wire.
The story in a moment after this message.
And now to our true story, the gold wire.
The case history of this particular sucker dates back some 40 years.
It was in the days when handbooks and horse parlors were legal enterprises.
Telegraph companies were free to send race results within the law.
It began one day as I stood at the bar of a prominent buffet in the city of Chicago.
After all, Mr.
Fetterman, a young lady has a certain social position she's got to think of and about.
She's not being out of line in wanting a few simple things which a party like yourself is in a position to offer.
But Agnes, Agnes, please be reasonable.
The diamonds will all come in due time.
I'm just a little short of cash at the moment, that's all.
Oh, now Mr.
Fetterman, a party which I happen to know on LaSalle Street told me that you made a killing in the market last week.
Greatly exaggerated, my dear, greatly exaggerated.
Oh, I do dabble about in the market now and then with reasonable success, but as for a killing, oh no.
Mr.
Fetterman, you're holding out on me.
Agnes, my darling, haven't I always given you everything you've ever asked for? Furs, a carriage, excursions to Diamond Lake.
That's not the kind of diamond I mean.
I know, my dear, and if you'll just be patient a little while longer.
Just a few more weeks, my pretty, just a few weeks.
She which hesitates is lost.
The party I mentioned earlier is just begging to do something for me in the way of diamonds.
Now I have a terrible headache which is causing me no end of distress, so pardon me.
Oh, but Agnes, Agnes, please be patient a little while longer.
When I make my killing...
Au revoir, Mr.
Fetterman.
A brandy, Otto.
Give me a brandy.
Woman the eternal enigma.
So charming, but so impatient for the luxuries of life.
Well, here you are for the drinks.
And this is for...
Would you kindly give me change for a 10 cent piece? Say, pardon me, Mr.
Fetterman.
Yes, Mr ....
Weill, Joseph Weill.
Oh, yes.
Aren't you in the market? Oh, yes, I'm always in the market.
Say, I don't presume to intrude myself in your affairs, Mr.
Fetterman.
But if I were you, I wouldn't display that cash too openly.
Why, this is a perfectly reputable establishment, sir.
Yes, I know, but nowadays one can never tell when some opportunist or a person of dubious character may be lurking in the vicinity.
You're right, Mr.
Weill.
You're absolutely right.
Common sense, common caution, I always say.
I noticed you finished your brandy.
Otto, Otto, pour Mr.
Fetterman a drink and charge it to my account.
Well, that's very generous of you, sir.
Won't you join me? Well, thank you, I'd like to, but I'm afraid I'll have to abstain my stomach.
Oh, nothing serious, I hope? No, no, no, just a touch of indigestion brought on by a business problem.
A problem? What sort of a problem, sir? I'm looking for an investor, a splendid opportunity.
Unfortunately, my working funds are tied up at the moment or I'd jump in myself.
Yes, money is scarce these days.
Disappearing all the time, but what man can pass up a 300 % profit on a 24 -hour investment? Well, thank you, Mr.
Fetterman, but I'm afraid I must be leaving.
Oh, please, what's your hurry, Mr.
Weill? Couldn't we discuss this further? You interest me.
Well, after all, it's a family matter.
You see, I'm acting on behalf of my brother -in -law and I wouldn't want to have you think that I'm soliciting you.
Why, nonsense, nonsense, not at all.
After all, if this is a family affair, you should be in a position to vouch for the authenticity of the plan.
Absolutely.
Well, let's sit down over here at a table where we can talk privately.
Let's discuss this a little further.
Now, supposing you explain further.
Well, you see, Mr.
Fetterman, my brother -in -law went as co -maker on a series of notes for a friend.
We turned them over to a loan shark for $2 ,500.
Now the friend has skipped town and the loan shark has threatened my brother -in -law with only a week to pay up.
Now, I'm afraid that if his wife or his employer finds out about it, he'll lose both his job and his family.
Well, how could a man in such a predicament make a fortune for me? Mr.
Fetterman, can I take you into my confidence? Why, yes, yes, of course.
Good.
My brother -in -law is a telegrapher for Western Union.
He works on the gold wire.
The gold wire? Yes.
He receives the race results from Eastern Tracks and sends them to the local bookmakers.
Now, if you were to loan him the $2 ,500, I'm sure that he'd be glad to let you know a winner before he gives the bookies the results.
You could bet on a sure thing and make a killing.
I have always wanted to beat them.
Could we, can we...
Would your brother -in -law be reliable? Oh, I'd rather have you convince yourself of that.
Let's have a talk with him.
Excellent.
But mind you, no commitment on the loan until after I see him.
A sure thing.
A sure thing.
Agnes, you'll get them yet.
Hello? Hello.
Billy Wall.
Billy, this is Joe Weil.
I've just cut into a fat mark.
The one you've been tailing? Right.
Fetterman.
He's going for the gold wire.
Is he alive, Joe? Alive? He's so hungry for the best of it he can almost taste it.
I'll bring him to meet you tomorrow.
Western Union? Outside the washroom on the fifth floor.
The old brother -in -law, Dodge.
Make it good, but short.
Too many detectives around there.
Meet you at ten.
See you then.
Goodbye.
I hope this is the right place.
I've never been here before.
And I hope your brother -in -law is willing to cooperate.
Oh, I'll see to that.
Ah, Billy.
Mr.
Fetterman, I want you to meet my brother -in -law, William Wall.
Billy? Billy, this is the gentleman whom I hope to prove your benefactor.
Not so loud, Joe.
I'm sorry, Mr.
Fetterman, but I'm a nervous wreck.
Why, Billy, I've already explained about the loan sharks.
Same a heaven, Joe.
Be quiet.
If the company ever found out I borrowed all that money, they'd have to fire me.
It's a company rule.
Now, Billy, calm down.
After all, we're here to help you, aren't we? Yes, for certain considerations.
Considerations? What do you mean? Well, I told Mr.
Fetterman, in return for his generosity, you would do him a favor.
What kind of favor? Well, we thought that you would give us the name of a winning horse before you pass it on to the bookmakers.
We could bet on a sure thing.
But that's dishonest.
Why, if the company found out, they'd fire me on the spot.
Say, see here, Wile, you led me to believe that he...
Billy, if the loan sharks were to tell the company or to tell my sister about those notes, you'd lose your job and you'd lose your wife, right? Well, yes, but...
Think of the shame.
Think of those poor little hungry mouths to feed.
Yes, your only hope is to go along with this.
Think of your wife and family.
Well, all right, I will, but only this once.
Good, good.
Good boy, Billy, I knew you'd come through.
Now, how do we get the winner? We have to move fast when the results are in.
I've already thought of that.
Here, Billy, take this rubber ball.
Cut a slit in the side and slip a piece of paper in it with the name of the winner on it.
Make it the fifth that's there.
Throw it tomorrow.
All right, but how do I get the ball to you? Uh, toss it out of the washroom window.
We'll be waiting in the alley below.
We'll make a killing for sure.
All right.
Oh, about that 2 ,500.
Oh, yes, yes, money, of course.
Oh, no, I don't want the cash.
You don't want it? Well, not right now.
As long as I'm in this deep, I may as well win, too.
Bet it for me on the winner I give you.
Glad to, my boy.
Come on, we'd better be going before someone overhears us.
Now, don't forget, Billy, throw the ball out the window.
The fifth at Saratoga.
Gotcha.
When's he gonna throw that ball? It's getting late.
There it is.
Quick, let's get to the bookmaker.
Ah, it slipped, it slipped.
Let's see the slip.
Not so loud, man.
Don't lose your head.
I know, but I can't get it out.
My hands are here to try it.
Let me hold the ball.
My hands are trembling so I can't get a hold of it.
Ah, here it is.
Jerry Hunter, that's the name of our horse.
Fine, what are the odds? Look at those odds.
Six to one, you'll make a killing.
Here.
All right, gentlemen.
Get in the cage.
The horses are now foraging to the post in the fifth at Saratoga.
It's about time.
Why the delay? Billy's on the job.
You'd better get your bet down.
Yeah, what's his number? Number seven, number seven.
Get your money ready.
Look, cashier, I don't want this number seven.
Hurry, gentlemen.
Don't make up your minds.
$5 ,000 on number seven.
I'm saying number seven.
Well, hurry up, will you? Seven, I said.
I just think we heard this man say number nine.
Please, gentlemen, please, hurry.
It's almost post time.
Mr.
Wyles, can you do it again? I'm trying to place a bet on number seven.
That's what I want to do.
I'm trying to place a bet on number seven.
Out of my way, will you? Please, gentlemen.
Mr.
Kettif.
Get off! Sorry, gentlemen, the betting is closed.
And now into the clubhouse turn, it's prevaricator, lazy Joe, Dale's downfall in that order.
And now in the back stretch, it's still prevaricator.
Prevaricator, number nine in the lead.
That's the horse that I wanted to bet on, here.
Number nine.
Fat lot, you know about it.
At the end of the back stretch, prevaricator, a lazy Joe, and moving to third is number seven, Jerry Hunter.
Oh, come on, Jerry, come on, Jerry.
Please don't have a wager down.
Jerry Hunter, now second.
Oh, come on.
And now in the home stretch, prevaricator, and Jerry Hunter, our neck and neck.
Oh, come on, boy, come on.
Now it's Jerry Hunter in the lead.
Jerry Hunter by a length, and now by two, it's Jerry Hunter.
Jerry Hunter, home the winner.
Oh, hee hee.
With prevaricator, second, and lazy Joe, third.
Hold your tickets, please, until it's official.
Oh, boy, what a lucky accident.
$15 ,000 at six to one.
Yes, $90 ,000.
$90 ,000 they made on my horse, and I couldn't get a bet down.
We lost a golden opportunity.
Tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, huh? Not tomorrow, Mr.
Fenneman.
I'm interested in today.
I'm interested in what you're going to tell my brother -in -law when he asks for his winnings.
After all, he's expecting you to give him $15 ,000.
$15 ,000.
Oh, thank God.
There'll be more about the fleecing of the unfortunate Mr.
Fenneman in just a moment after this message.
Joe, Mr.
Fenneman, where have you been? You're late.
You had me worried.
I'm sorry, Billy.
Well, it's all right now.
My worries are over.
Here, let me buy you a drink out of my winnings.
Billy, there aren't any winnings.
What do you mean? I told you to bet my $2 ,500 on the winner I gave you.
He paid six to one.
What's the big idea, Mr.
Fenneman? Well, you see, I...
He tried, Billy, but there was an argument at the window and he was shut out.
How do you like that? I risk my job, my future, and he can't even get a bet down for me.
Well, I'm sure that tomorrow...
Tomorrow? Do you think I'll take this terrible risk again? But we can double the bets tomorrow.
Nothing doing.
No, Billy, we're only trying to help you, right, Mr.
Fenneman? Of course, of course.
The answer is no.
You let me down.
Excuse us, Mr.
Fenneman, but I'm sure that we can reach an agreement.
Come on to the bar, Billy.
Let's talk a little sense now.
Well...
All right.
Have you got him, Joe? We couldn't shake this sucker loose with a ten pound sledge.
Tomorrow we'll let him play against the store.
Really let him bet in earnest.
Put the big touch on him tomorrow and get rid of him.
Nothing doing.
You can fleeze the lamb forever, but you can take his hide only once.
You're right.
That's the ticket, Billy.
Now, let's talk a little business with Mr.
Fenneman.
You'll go alone? Yes, but no more rubber ball.
I nearly got caught today.
Can you reach a phone without exciting suspicion? I think so.
Well, then call us here.
The bookmaker's only just around the corner.
You can give us the winner, the fifth at Saratoga, and we can make it with plenty of time to spare.
All right.
But please, please, no more mistakes tomorrow.
I need the money.
I'm desperate.
Why doesn't he call with the winner? Billy won't let us down.
He's as good as his...
Joe Weill.
Hello, Joe.
Billy, put Fenneman on the line.
Just a minute, Billy.
Mr.
Fenneman, I don't seem to be able to make out what he's saying.
Maybe I'd better try again and...
Here, give me that phone.
I'll take the message.
Hello, Billy.
Give me the name of that horse.
Give me the name of that horse.
The odds were short on the winner.
Place your money on Hummingbird.
Place your money on Hummingbird.
Repeat that.
Place your money on Hummingbird.
Right.
Hummingbird is a horse.
Come on, Weill.
I just put $20 ,000 on Hummingbird to win.
Yes, I bet $300 myself.
You bet $300? I thought you said you were broke.
Well, the current investment is beginning to pay off.
I still wish I had some real money to bet on this thing.
They're off and running in the fifth at Saratoga.
The race, the race.
King Arthur now breaks in front on the outside and is moving to the rail at the first turn.
Still King Arthur the favorite out in front with Lulabelle running second.
The long shot Hummingbird is running third.
Hear that? And now down the back stretch, King Arthur still showing the way.
Hummingbird now second.
On guard running third.
And Lulabelle back to fourth.
Come on, Lulabelle.
I mean, I just, I mean, Hummingbird, Hummingbird, that's our horse.
Come on, Hummingbird.
And at the three quarter mark, Hummingbird begins to close the gap.
King Arthur now opening up.
King Arthur now by five links.
King Arthur by six.
And up to seven.
And that's your winner, King Arthur.
Hummingbird is the prize second pan, jeans folly third.
Hummingbird.
Oh, man.
We lost.
$20 ,000 I lost.
Look up, the results aren't official as yet.
And now the results of that race are now official.
Mr.
Wilde, I think we better see Billy.
Stupidity.
That's all it is.
I've upheld my end of the bargain every time, but you, Fetterman, you've bungled it.
I'm the one who's taking the risks.
And what do I get? Nothing but alibi.
But I didn't make a mistake.
You gave me the wrong horse.
Oh, I did.
Yes.
What did I tell you over the telephone? What were my exact words? You said place your money on Hummingbird.
That's it, place.
I told you that the odds were short on the winner.
To place your money on Hummingbird.
Don't you know what the word place means in a horse race? Sure, place means come in second.
Then why did you bet Hummingbird to finish first? Well, when you said place, I didn't know you meant place that way.
Mr.
Fetterman, I don't want to seem a hard loser, but I've lost quite a sum because of your mistakes.
Well, if you can't afford to lose, you shouldn't bet, sir.
I don't mean my losses through betting.
I mean my losses in potential winnings.
Oh, I see.
Well, I'm sorry.
I apologize.
Well, now, what about tomorrow? We'll just let bygones be bygones and double up on our bets.
But we can't make a mistake tomorrow.
I've got to come through.
I've got to make up my losses.
I just may be thinking out loud, but perhaps this racing form will do the trick.
Here, Billy, here's a duplicate for you.
Now what? We'll just give every horse that's running a number.
And then, Billy, when you call, you give us the winning horse's number.
Got that? Just one simple number.
That's all we have to know.
I got you, Joe.
Yes, no possible confusion that way.
We can't make a mistake that way.
Just give me the winning horse's number.
Right.
Let's number the horses.
It's getting late.
Don't worry.
Here, take the racing form and check over the numbers.
Yes, yes, we've got to be ready.
All right, Billy.
Now remember, no mistakes.
Give us the number of the winning horse.
The winning horse.
Just a moment.
Mr.
Fetterman has our number cheat.
Mr.
Fetterman, would you mind taking over? No, no.
All right.
All right, Billy.
What's your winner? Twenty -one.
Twenty -one.
Twenty -one.
Twenty -one, twenty -one, twenty -one.
Black Bonanza.
Forget the name.
It's the number we want.
I don't know about you, but I've dug up another thousand and I'm going to put it on the nose.
Come on.
And as they come down the whole stretch, it's still Prince Oscar by a length.
Colfax second by two.
Prrrrramma nida third.
Leaving the field far behind.
And that's the way they go under the wire.
One, two, three.
Prince Oscar, Colfax and Prrrramma nida.
These are unofficial results.
I'm lost again.
Number 21, Black Bonanza.
What happened? I lost.
Cheer up.
The result isn't official yet.
Attention.
A flash, a flash.
Attention, please.
Now here's a flash from Saratoga.
Black Bonanza pulled up lame in the back stretch and is still on the track.
Results of the race are now official.
Forty thousand dollars? I've lost forty thousand dollars in two days.
Why did I get my hands on you? You scoundrel.
You scoundrel.
Let go of me.
You lied to me.
You told me to bet on number 21, Black Bonanza.
You lied.
I did not.
Now wait a minute.
You told me to bet on number 21.
I did not.
You told me to bet on number 21.
You asked me what horse won and I told you to bet on number 20.
21.
W -O -N -1.
Can't you understand English? W -O -N -1.
That's right.
Another mistake.
Fetterman and Acosta won to me.
But I lost forty thousand dollars.
If you can't afford to lose, you shouldn't bet, sir.
Billy, in heaven's name, what are you doing here? The police are after us.
The police? Who could heaven know? A company detective tapped our phone conversation.
They came for me right after I talked to you.
They listened to me.
They know my name.
They know Mr.
Fetterman's name.
Mr.
Fetterman, we've got to get out of town.
Yes.
Come on.
Oh, the disgrace.
Jail, I'd be ruined.
What's going on here? I got to get out of here.
Where's my money? Where's my money? Where's my money? Let me go.
I tell you.
Mr.
Fetterman, you can't get it all.
Come on.
I'm going to the horse.
Listen, you promised me 2 ,500.
Stop that.
Nice going, boys.
Boy, you should have seen that guy run.
Did you see his face? Well, boys, that's the end of our nice old friend Fetterman.
Now let's cut up the score.
$40 ,000.
Hell, I could use some money.
Oh, just one thing, though, Benny.
Let me see some of my boogaloo.
Here you are, Joe.
What's the matter? Something wrong? Be a little more careful with it when I hand it to you.
Look what happened to it today.
You pulled out the stuffing, and there's a whole chunk of classified ads falling out.
That newspaper's fragile.
There's nothing fragile about that money of Fetterman's, though.
Good old hard cash.
Let's cut it up and get out, boys.
Somewhere in the city, there's another rich sucker waiting for a rendezvous with the yellow kid.
The yellow kid found plenty of suckers and prayed upon them for his own temporary gain.
In just a moment, you'll meet him, Joseph Weil in person.
You can judge for yourself whether his life of crime has been worth it.
In the meantime, listen to this.
Here he is, Joseph Weil, alias the yellow kid.
Once on other people's money, he lived the life of a millionaire.
He has paid his debt to society.
Now he comes to warn you.
Mr.
Weil.
I did not come here to brag about my career in crime.
I am not proud about it.
And I have yet to meet the individual who ever planned, prepared, and perpetrated a crime who was ever possessed of one minute of real happiness.
There's that bleak, drab, dreadful gray stone wall and the bars of steel, the hard bed, the coarse food, and the degrading felon's uniform.
And there's your conscience.
And the mighty architect has yet to create the individual who can flee from it.
In your uprising, in your down setting, in your sleepless night and your wakeful days, that monitor that reposes in your bosom cries out constantly the shame of your sin.
And there's no punishment so excruciating.
No pain so severe as that inflicted when you stand alone accused in the courtroom of your own conscience.
What will it profit man if by an effarge and unscrupulous depredation, he enriches his purse with ill -gotten gold and defiles his conscience and sacrilegiously desecrates his soul? The End
