Eugene Bernstein
A Chicago tax attorney who told the Kefauver Committee in 1950 that he prepared returns for Accardo, Guzik, Humphreys and others and handled the tax settlement for Campagna and DeLucia, and that Accardo went with him on visits to Leavenworth.
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 1919-1923 — He testified on 17 October 1950 (Part 5, p. 468) that he was admitted to the bar in 1919, worked for the Internal Revenue Bureau until September or October 1923, and "more or less" specialized in tax practice.
- About 1941 — He testified (Part 5, p. 476) that he had represented Anthony Accardo from about 1941, and (p. 468) that he had prepared returns for Rocco De Grazia, John Guzik, Anthony Accardo, Murray Humphreys and Lawrence Imburgio and had handled a tax settlement for Louis Campagna and Paul DeLucia.
- 29 September 1947 — An FBI Chicago report (Vault, Roselli Part 04) summarizes his interview: he visited DeLucia two or three times at the Atlanta penitentiary and six to eight times at Leavenworth, on most visits accompanied by "Anthony Accardo, alias Joe Batters," and did not know what name Accardo used on the prison register.
- 17 October 1950 — He told the committee (Part 5, pp. 480-483) that Accardo went with him on perhaps ten to twelve visits to Leavenworth and paid him nothing. U.S. Attorney Otto Kerner stated that the prison records showed those visits signed "Joseph Bulger." Asked about Accardo, Bernstein said: "I never knew Mr. Accardo to be a notorious gangster, sir, at that time, nor do I know him to be a gangster now."
- 18 December 1950 — At a further session (Part 5, pp. 916-937) counsel read from his files the returns of other clients, including Humphreys's reported income for 1946 and 1947; Bernstein said he did not know Humphreys's business.
- March 1954 — An FBI Chicago summary on Guzik (Vault, Jake Guzik) relays a Chicago Daily News report that Bernstein, "who handled tax matters for the CAPONE mob," told the committee that Guzik and Accardo netted $278,666 from a policy wheel in 1949. That is a newspaper's account as the FBI repeated it.
This page records a witness, not a figure in any organization. Everything on it is his own testimony, the FBI’s summary of his 1947 interview, or statements by counsel and a U.S. Attorney that are marked as theirs. No opened record gives his birth or death date.
Records
itemKefauver Part 5: testimony of Eugene Bernstein, Chicago tax attorney (17 October and 18 December 1950)Bernstein said he prepared tax returns for Accardo, Guzik, Humphreys and others and handled the tax settlement for Campagna and DeLucia, and that Accardo went with him on ten or twelve visits to Leavenworth. U.S. Attorney Otto Kerner stated that the prison records showed those visits signed 'Joseph Bulger.'
itemFBI Chicago report, September 29, 1947: attorney Eugene Bernstein on his Leavenworth visits with Anthony Accardo (Vault Roselli Part 04)The FBI summarizes its interview of Eugene Bernstein, tax attorney for Paul DeLucia and Louis Campagna, who said that Anthony Accardo, 'alias Joe Batters', went with him on most of his visits to DeLucia at Leavenworth.
itemFBI Chicago summary on Jack Guzik for the Top Hoodlum Program, March 1954 (Vault Jake Guzik)A Chicago summary under 'Top Hoodlum Coverage' lists Guzik's aliases and relays, from newspaper reports, events since 1950: testimony that he and Accardo netted $278,666 from a policy wheel in 1949, the 1951 Senate contempt citation, and his reported acquittal on January 11, 1952.
itemFBI Chicago report, September 29, 1947: attorney Eugene Bernstein on his Leavenworth visits with Anthony Accardo (Vault Roselli Part 04)The FBI summarizes its interview of Eugene Bernstein, tax attorney for Paul DeLucia and Louis Campagna, who said that Anthony Accardo, 'alias Joe Batters', went with him on most of his visits to DeLucia at Leavenworth.itemFBI Chicago summary on Jack Guzik for the Top Hoodlum Program, March 1954 (Vault Jake Guzik)A Chicago summary under 'Top Hoodlum Coverage' lists Guzik's aliases and relays, from newspaper reports, events since 1950: testimony that he and Accardo netted $278,666 from a policy wheel in 1949, the 1951 Senate contempt citation, and his reported acquittal on January 11, 1952.