Louis Kravits
Encyclopedia
Lou Kravitz was a New York labor racketeer
during the early 1930's.
On July 12, 1929, Kravitz, along with Louis Buchalter
, Jacob Shapiro
and two other gangster
s, broke into the M. L. Rosenblatt clothing plant and wrecked $25,000 worth of machinery. The New York Times described them as "members of a gang which has been terrorizing nonunion clothing manufacturers." Kravitz was among the first 9 people to be arrested under New York state law, along with Bugsy Siegel
, Harry Teitelbaum, and 6 others, which made "it a crime for men of evil repute to gather together." The arrest was seen as providing a test case
for the law. The 9 were arrested in a suite in the Hotel Franconia, where, police charged, they were plotting to terrorize the clothing industry. On December 24, 1931, Magistrate Maurice Gotlieb ruled that the police had failed to prove that the men were meeting with evil intent.
Kravitz disappeared from public view in 1937 after the arrest of Buchalter and 28 others on suspicion of importing narcotics. By 1939, federal authorities were offering a $1000 reward for Kravitz's capture.
Racket (crime)
A racket is an illegal business, usually run as part of organized crime. Engaging in a racket is called racketeering.Several forms of racket exist. The best-known is the protection racket, in which criminals demand money from businesses in exchange for the service of "protection" against crimes...
during the early 1930's.
On July 12, 1929, Kravitz, along with Louis Buchalter
Louis Buchalter
Louis "Lepke" Buchalter was a Jewish American mobster and head of the Mafia hit squad Murder, Inc. during the 1930s. After Dutch Schultz' request of the Mafia Commission for permission to kill his enemy, U.S. Attorney Thomas Dewey, the Commission decided to kill Schultz in order to prevent the hit...
, Jacob Shapiro
Jacob Shapiro
Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro was a New York mobster who, with his partner Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, controlled industrial labor racketeering in New York for two decades and established the Murder, Inc. organization.-Early years:...
and two other gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
s, broke into the M. L. Rosenblatt clothing plant and wrecked $25,000 worth of machinery. The New York Times described them as "members of a gang which has been terrorizing nonunion clothing manufacturers." Kravitz was among the first 9 people to be arrested under New York state law, along with Bugsy Siegel
Bugsy Siegel
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was an American gangster who was involved with the Genovese crime family...
, Harry Teitelbaum, and 6 others, which made "it a crime for men of evil repute to gather together." The arrest was seen as providing a test case
Test case (law)
In case law, a test case is a legal action whose purpose is to set a precedent. An example of a test case might be a legal entity who files a lawsuit in order to see if the court considers a certain law or a certain legal precedent applicable in specific circumstances...
for the law. The 9 were arrested in a suite in the Hotel Franconia, where, police charged, they were plotting to terrorize the clothing industry. On December 24, 1931, Magistrate Maurice Gotlieb ruled that the police had failed to prove that the men were meeting with evil intent.
Kravitz disappeared from public view in 1937 after the arrest of Buchalter and 28 others on suspicion of importing narcotics. By 1939, federal authorities were offering a $1000 reward for Kravitz's capture.
Further reading
- Messick, Hank. Lansky. London: Robert Hale & Company, 1973. ISBN 0-7091-3966-7