Murray Humphreys

Llewelyn Morris Humphreys (1899 – November 23, 1965) (also known as The Camel, The Hump and Murray Humphreys), was a Chicago mobster of Welsh descent who was the chief political and labor racketeer in the Chicago Outfit during Prohibition. His family immigrated from the village of Llandinam, in Powys, Wales.

His two most commonly known nicknames were "The Camel" and "The Hump." It has been suggested that the nickname, "The Camel," derived from his preference for wearing camel hair coats; however, a more likely explanation is that "The Camel," evolved from his other nickname, "The Hump", derived from his surname. The names given to him by his friends, however, were more revealing: "Mr. Einstein," "The Brainy Hood" and "Mr. Moneybags."

A ruthless but clever man, Humphreys believed in killing only as a last resort. As Al Capone put it, "Anybody can use a gun. 'The Hump' can shoot if he has to, but he likes to negotiate with cash when he can.” Humphreys also did everything in his power to see that he and other Outfit members attracted as little press attention as possible. While some made men, such as Salvatore Giancana (also known as "Sam" or "Mooney") and Filippo Sacco (also known as "John Roselli" or "Handsome Johnny"), craved the limelight, most took Humphreys' cue and stayed behind the scenes. Humphreys spent most of his life in a nondescript bungalow in South Shore, Chicago.

Humphreys placed great trust in the corruptibility of authority figures; a favorite maxim of his was: "The difference between guilt and innocence in any court is who gets to the judge first with the most." But perhaps the statement that best summed up Humphreys' philosophy of life was: "Any time you become weak, you might as well die."

Read more about Murray Humphreys:  Early Life, Mob Career, Family and Private Life, Arrest and Death, Quote, Miscellany

Famous quotes containing the word murray:

    Strung out and spotty, you wriggle and sigh
    and kiss all the fellows and make them all die.
    —Les Murray (b. 1938)