epub or mobi, with thanks to the original sharer
Says the Postal Kid,
“Con men don’t hold out on their pals. Only rats do that. And news travels
fast. Of course, some heels will tear you off if you turn around to spit. But
it is seldom done. I know the old saying is that there is no honor among
thieves, but I’ve seen plenty of it. And I’ve seen thousands of marks who
claimed to be square paper, but had all the corners torn off.”
“Yes,” comments John
Henry Strosnider, “con men try to be square with one another and are
trustworthy among themselves. But you’ll find finks in any racket. If you are
known as a finger-egg for some dick, it gets around in a hurry. Even so, a lot
of those rats seem to prosper.” (Strosnider’s testimony can probably not be
taken at its face value, as many of his ropers represent him as being expert at
the tear-off himself.)
"David Maurer's The Big
Con is a bona fide masterpiece of pre-WWII American criminal culture. A
fascinating insider survey of the confidence game, its discreet folkways and
inimitable characters, as written by a streetwise linguist with deep access and
an appreciably wry wit. Originally published in 1940, it should be essential
reading to anyone with a sincere interest in historical lowlifes or the grift.
This is right up there with You Can't Win, Education of a Felon, David Simon's
Homicide, or anything by Joseph Mitchell, or even Luc Sante." - ghostcapital
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