Elias Joseph Souhami was born in England in 1907 to Joseph and Luna Souhami (a.k.a. Louise Souhami, née Chaul). He was partner in the carpet and antiques firm J. Souhami and Son and took over the firm in 1928 after the death of his father. Elias was involved in a police investigation a few months after the passing of his father over a circular he mailed to the butler of a previous customer, offering a ten percent commission on any order the butler recommended to his employer for cleaning and repairing carpets, rugs, or tapestries, or for the purchase or sale of a carpet. Had the circular resulted in a triangulated sale, Elias would have been subject to the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1906. After receiving a visit from a London police investigator, Elias promised not to dispatch any such circulars in the future. At the time, father’s estate had gone into receivership over an inheritance dispute (Joseph Souhami had died intestate) and Elias J. and his mother Luna were trying to get it settled.