"Hymie" Weiss (born Henryk Wojciechowski;[1] January 25, 1898 – October 11, 1926), was a Polish-American mob boss who became a leader of the Prohibition-era North Side Gang and a bitter rival of Al Capone.

His parents emigrated to the United States in 1901 when Henryk was 3 years old[1] and, upon their arrival in the new country, took the names of William and Mary Weiss.

[4] Weiss is credited with the first known use of the organized crime practice of the "one way ride", referring to a planned murder where the victim is lured or coerced into driving with their killers and is killed either en route to or upon arrival at a destination.

Weiss was seen driving off with Steve Wisniewski, a local criminal who had recently hijacked a Northside beer shipment, in July 1921.

[6] Chicago journalist James O'Donnell Bennett is reputed to have called Weiss "the brainiest leader that North Side boozedom ever had".

Weiss was terminally ill with cancer, which made him heedless of his own safety when conducting bold attacks on Torrio's gang.

[4] In August 1926, Weiss and Drucci (with their entourage) were attacked by a contingent of Capone gunmen, including Paul Ricca, who was arrested at the scene.

The North Side Gang leaders survived the attack, reportedly due in large part to Drucci's personal efforts in driving off the assailants.

Police at the time believed Weiss, Drucci, Moran, the Gusenburg brothers, and other North Siders were the gunmen in the attack.

Paul Ricca, who was wounded in this attack, reportedly warned Capone and others as the North Side convoy came down the street.

At the initial sound of gunfire, a panicked Sam Pellar drew his .38 and fired instinctively towards the shots, unintentionally hitting Weiss as he collapsed onto the sidewalk.

[7][8] Weiss is buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, the same place as Al Capone and Dean O'Banion.

James Cagney, for example, based his character on both Weiss and Chicago gangland figure Dean O'Banion in The Public Enemy (1931).