August 11th 2024.
90 years ago today, on August 11, 1934, Alcatraz opened its doors to its first prisoners. The infamous maximum security prison, located on a remote island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, was known for housing some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States. Over the course of 30 years, more than 1,500 inmates would call Alcatraz their home.
But today, Alcatraz is no longer a place for criminals. It has become a popular tourist destination, with visitors coming to experience the dark and eerie atmosphere of this once-feared prison. However, 90 years ago, it was a different story. Inmates were only entitled to the bare minimum - food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. Everything else was considered a luxury and had to be earned under the strict rules of the prison.
So who were the notorious prisoners that called Alcatraz their home? One of them was Alvin Karpis, the leader of a gang of robbers, hijackers, and kidnappers. Karpis, also known as "public enemy number one," was responsible for numerous crimes, including ten murders, six kidnappings, and a robbery. He was eventually sentenced to life in prison in 1932 and spent 26 years at Alcatraz, making him the longest-serving inmate.
According to former guard Al Bloomquist, Karpis was nothing more than a "mild nuisance" at the prison. He often complained about the poor conditions and got into fights with other inmates. He was eventually transferred to McNeil Island Penitentiary in Washington when Alcatraz closed down in 1962, where he passed away.
Another infamous inmate at Alcatraz was Al Capone, also known as "Scarface." Capone was a notorious gangster and criminal mastermind with strong political connections that helped him evade justice for a long time. However, after orchestrating the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, which resulted in the deaths of seven rival gang members, he was finally sent to Alcatraz in 1934. Despite coming from a more comfortable prison in Atlanta, Capone experienced harsh conditions at Alcatraz. He even got stabbed by another inmate but recovered quickly. He also formed a prison band called the "Rock Islanders" and spent the last year of his sentence in a prison hospital before passing away in one of his mansions in 1947.
George "Machine Gun" Kelly Barnes was another notorious inmate at Alcatraz. He became a bootlegger during prohibition to avoid financial ruin, but after meeting and falling in love with fellow outlaw Kathryn Thorne, he became even more notorious. After attempting to kidnap and ransom an oil tycoon, Kelly received a life sentence and was sent to Alcatraz in 1934. He enjoyed boasting about crimes he never committed to other inmates, but he also showed signs of remorse for his actions. He even took up a job as an altar boy in the prison chapel. Kelly passed away on his 59th birthday in 1954.
Robert Stroud, also known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz," was initially jailed for the murder of a bartender. He was described as an "extremely dangerous and menacing psychopath" and was known for his violent behavior. However, while in solitary confinement, he developed a passion for studying and breeding canaries and even published books on the subject. Unfortunately, Stroud was caught brewing alcohol with his ornithological equipment and was sent to Alcatraz, where he spent 17 years without any birds. He passed away in 1963, the same year the prison closed.
Roy Gardner was another notorious inmate at Alcatraz, known for his multiple escapes from prison. He became infamous after robbing a US Mail truck in 1920 and escaping from various prisons, including Alcatraz. During one escape attempt, he manipulated two other prisoners into joining him, but they ended up sacrificing themselves for him. Gardner eventually returned to Alcatraz, where he described it as "the toughest, hardest place in the world." He was released in 1938 and published his autobiography, "Hellcatraz," a year later.
Finally, Frank Lee Morris and Clarence and John Anglin made headlines when they escaped from Alcatraz in 1962. The trio stole tools, dug tunnels, and built a raft and dummies to aid in their escape. They even created life-size paper dummies to trick the guards into thinking they were asleep. However, they were presumed to have drowned in the strong currents and were never seen or heard from again.
Today, Alcatraz stands as a reminder of its dark and notorious past, with its abandoned prison cells and eerie atmosphere. But 90 years ago, it was a place where some of the most dangerous criminals in America were locked away, and their stories continue to fascinate us to this day.
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