Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-12
RESPECTED MANUFACTURER
PROVES NOTORIOUS CROOK
REMARKABLE CASE OF FORMER
"DIP"
Even Close Friends Would Not Credit
the Story of His Criminal Past.
Now a Business
Man

NEW YORK, Jan. 11.-"An old crook
never can overlook an easy chance, no
matter how hard he may be trying to
live on the level
This is the succinet explanation given
by Detective James Reynolds Of Brook
Ign police headquarters for the fall of
Louis Wolff, a rug manufacturer of east
New York, who is now in Raymond
street jail under q charge of having
picked a pocket Headquarters has Sc
cured Wolff's picture and record from
the St Louis police, who have sent him
up on several short terms for larceny,
and who recognize him as a professional
dip Headquarters expects more infor-
nation on the rug manufacturer from
Chicago.
Detective James Reynolds is especially
interested in the case of Louis Wolff
because II was he who had arrested the
rug manufacturer several weeks ago.
charging him with the attempt to pick
pocket on a Myrtle avenue car and sub
sequently when Wolff put up a story of
outraged dignity before the magistrate
of the Manhattan avenue police court
and brought friends to prove his re-
spectability Reynolds had to acknowl-
edge that possibly he had been mistaken.
Wolff was then paroled into the hands
of friends, under a $500 bond. AT the
time of his arrest Wolff brazenly told the
| headquarters detectives that he was will
ing that they should take his photograph
and send IL anywhere. He would abide
by the consequences. There are good
many people in east New York who
cannot yet bring themselves to believe
that the respectable and affable man
whom they had come to know as Louis
Wolff the manufacturer of rugs and
textiles at Fulton and Bradford streets,
| is an old offender with q record in the
middle west.
Caught on Car
About a year and a half ago wolff
appeared in East New York and set up in
business. He became acquainted with
many prominent people in the district,
| and he was a frequent visitor at their
| homes. Many games of bridge and PIN
ochle that were arranged for Saturday
evening always had Wolff at one corner
of the table. He paid his debts, stood
his stint at the round of drinks and was
all in all a good fellow, as the term Is
known In east New York.
About two weeks ago Wolff, who was
riding on a Myrtle avenue car. suddenly
jumped off while the car was in motion
near Hamburg avenue. A cry of "Pick-
pocket followed him off the car, and O
crowd of people piled off to give him
chase When a policeman halted Wolff
/ one OF tue pdbSeHBtIS VI lue Gar
up to accuse him Of having lifted $50
from his pocket. Detective Raymond.
who was put on the case. was convinced
that Wolff had picked the pocket, and
he appeared in Magistrate O'Reilly's
court to accuse the rug manufacturer OF
the crime Many of the prisoners friends
from East New York were also present
to vouch for him. and a well known ply
stefan from that section OF the town
pleaded with the court that the prisoner
be released on parole.
| The magistrate was convinced that
mistake had been made, and accepted the
bond put up by the physician. Prior to
his release Wolff had been measured ami
'mugged" at police headquarters He had
told the police that he came from Chi
cago and that he once lived in st. Louis
Accordingly the picture of the man was
sent to the police of these two cities
Christmas night Brooklyn headquarters
received from st. Louis a photograph OF