Murray Humphreys

Who was Murray Humphreys?

Llewelyn Morris 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 and Filippo Sacco, 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.