Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-17
News of the Courts
FUR DRESSER TELLS OF
PASSING BOGUS CHECK
TaxidermiSt Relates How He Fell
a Victim to WileS of
a Stranger

Hubert Vogelsang, a taxidermist of
note and, it is said, one of the best
fur dressers in the United States, told
Judge Davis an interesting story yes
terday in the criminal department of
the superior court of how, after forty
years of residence in New York city,
where he earned his livelihood honestly
and earned a good reputation, he came
to Los Angeles, only to fall victim to
a passing temptation. He admitted
giving a worthless check for SIS. After
hearing his story Judge Davis placed
him on three years probation.
Vogelsang arrived in Los Angeles
from the metropolis last June, with
the intention of establishing a fur
dressery here to care for the skins of
all of which heretofore have had to be
sent to New York because of the lack
of skilled labor of that kind in the
west.
While waiting to go to work, ac-
cording to his statements in court,
Vogelsang stepped into a saloon one
Saturday afternoon in June, and after
purchasing a drink, asked the bar
tender to tell him an interesting trolley
ride to take. The dispenser recon-
mended the ride to Westlake park
and Vogelsang declares he left the
saloon with the intention of taking
it, only to be stopped by a stranger
at the entrance to the liquor establish
ment.
The attention of Vogelsang was at
tracted to the stranger by the latter
placing his hand upon his shoulder
and begging his pardon. Those actions
were followed by the remark that the
stanger had heard Yogelsang's ques-
ton to the bartender and that he, the
stranger, was an old resident of this
city and would be glad to act as guide,
philosopher and friend.
Meantime, would Vogelsang have a
drink Vogelsang would and did and
walked several blocks with the stranS-
er before the latter suggested another.
After that the Japanese adage, First
the man takes a drink: then the drink
takes a drink; then the drink takes
the man." was exemplified. the re-
mainder of the day being taken up by
drinking.
Towards evening the money of both
Vogelsang and the stranger gave out
and the latter suggested that the
former make out a check for $15, cash
it at the saloon and continue the the
drinking with the proceeds. the
stranger declared he had money and
would deposit it in the bank in suff1-
cient time for the check to be hon
ored.
Vogelsang acted upon the suggestion
of the stranger and undeK his dlrec-
ton wrote the worthless check. with
little trouble it was cashed and the
two men then went to Long Beach to
mass the remainder of the night. Ar
irving at that city, they found the
hotels full and through the Kindness
of one landlady, were permitted TO
sleep in chairs in her office.
They returned to Los Angeles carry
the next morning and sought the room
of the stranger, whose name was not
known to Vogelsang either then or
now. Vogelsang drank from one OF
two bottles of liquor in the acquaint-
ance's room and lay down on his bed
10 go TO sleep. He awoke to find him
self under arrest and to discover also
that the small change left from the
S15 obtained by the worthless check
together with his gold watch, were
gone. So was the stranger.
Vogelsang told Judge Davis that ne
had not taken a drink for more than
a wear. or since the death OF ms
mother, until the day he started on
a trolley ride He says he does not
ordinarily imbibe.
The iurist placed him upon three
years probation, after Vogelsang had
declared his belief he is strong enough
to refrain from intoxicants for that
period and had told the court that ne
can obtain employment immedlately
at fur dressing, which oftens nets MIN
$12 or $14 a day