Jack Guzik seemed to be very important inthe founding of the non-Italian crew.
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Thats right @H. As you already said, when Capone became the new representative for the Chicago Mafia, he obviously gave Guzik and the non-Italian group their on seat on the Outfit's board of directors. Which means we can consider Guzik as the "founder" of that same seat or official position which was followed by a line of succession, with Guzik as the first rep
Btw, also thanks for the pics.
At the time Capone came to Chicago (ca. 1919) Guzik was Torrio's right hand man and chief political fixer. Torrio put Capone under him and the two became inseperable. The only man Capone killed with his own hand in Chcago was Joe Howard, who had slapped Guzik around. Guzik and Ricca ran the Outfit after Capone went to prison, and he and Accardo were joined at the hip later.
I agree @TB regarding Guzik and his brothers being around since the Torrio days, obviously because his father Max Guzik was around way before them and was involved with Colosimo in the prostitution racket and also worked as precinct captain for old time Chicago's political crime bosses Coughlin and Kenna, who in turn belonged to the first and original Irish mob that completely ruled Chicago during those days. Max Guzik was Jewish immigrant born in 1855 in Poland and arrived in Chicago’s Lawndale area sometime around the early 1890’s or to be exact in 1892. So it is possible that it was for Max Guzik who brought his three sons into the "Life". Max also had a fourth son who I believe was the oldest and went by the name of Charles Guzik.
Besides his three sons Harry, Sam and Jake, other of Max Guzik's close associates and crew members were Charlie and Julius Maibaum, Leo Bernstein, Jack Colvin, Al Harris, Frank Lewis and Isadore Levine who I think was related to one of Jake Guzik's future top lieutenants Hymie Levine. Their main areas of operations at the time were located around Ogden Av, Lawndale, the Levee and around the South Side, obviously with the backing of aldermen Kenna and Coughlin.
The situation was the same with the Greek Alex family, meaning it was for their father who brought his three sons into the rackets. One of the three sons Gus Alex belonged to the non-Italian line of succession, meaning he became the new boss in 1965 when he succeeded the late Humphreys who in turn previously succeeded Guzik back in 1955/56.
