ALCATRAZ

Alcatraz is an island located in the bay of San Francisco (California, USA), famous as the former seat of the maximum security prison. The island of Alcatraz has always been known as The Rock, because a high percentage of the island is made up of rocks. She was also known as The Bastion because it seemed impossible to imagine an escape. Around 1850, the California gold rush attracted many ships in the Bay of San Francisco, necessitating the construction of a lighthouse, which was completed on the island in 1853. In 1909 it was demolished to make way for a prison and in its place was built a second in another part of the island. Since 1850, Alcatraz Island was used for military purposes, in 1933 became the first military prison, and later, in August 1934, a maximum security federal prison. But in 1963 the prison was closed due to high costs were revealed, as it was necessary to transport the island every necessary good (food, clothes, drinking water etc...). During the 29 years of open prisons there were 26 escape attempts:

Joseph Bowers
The first inmate to escape was groped by Joseph Bowers, 27 April 1936, who was killed by a guard.

Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe

The first successful escape from Alcatraz, December 16, 1937, was that of Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe. The two passed through the bars of a prison window, and taking advantage of the fog, they managed to reach the water and arrive in San Francisco. The research was completed four years later, when Roe was found in South America. He declared that Coleera been robbed and murdered by two strangers.

Thomas Limerick
Five months later, he tried to escape Thomas Limerick, May 23, 1938, a leak occurred similarly to that of Bowers ended with the murder of Limerick by a guard.

James Lucas and Rufus Franklin

At the same time, James Lucas and two other inmates planned an escape from Alcatraz. The plan was not carefully designed and in fact this escape attempt ended with the death of an accomplice and a guard Lucas, Royal Kline, stunned previously. Lucas and the other accomplice, Rufus Franklin, were tried and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Stamphill Dale, William Martin, Arthur Barker and Rufus McCain Henri Young
On 13 January 1939, it was the turn of Dale Stamphill, William Martin, Arthur Barker and Rufus McCain Henri Young, a flight proved somewhat disappointing as Barker, once arrived on the beach, turned out not to be able to swim and therefore Martin, McCain and Young were taken. Barker and Stamphill were killed; Martin, McCain and Young were reported to prison and rehabilitated. The following year, at the end of their rehabilitation, McCain Young killed, he said he had reported his escape, from the beginning to the guards. This event was rebuilt in the movie The Island of injustice - Alcatraz.

James Boarman, Harold Brest, Fred Hunter, Floyd Hamilton

Trying to escape the concerns of James Boarman, Harold Brest, Fred Hunter, Floyd Hamilton and three other prisoners. The seven prisoners were able to go unnoticed, until they were discovered while they were crossing the bay of San Francisco to swim. The guards, just seen the silhouettes in the water, opened fire and the first to be killed was Brest, later disappeared under water Boarman and two other inmates have never been identified and, finally, Hamilton was the last to be killed. Of this escape attempt, only Hunter and another accomplice escaped.

Battle of Alcatraz
One of the attempts to escape from Alcatraz, who entered the story concerns the famous Battle of Alcatraz, a revolt which broke out May 2, 1946 and ended two days later with the deaths of three prisoners (authors of the revolt) and two guards. The authors of this revolt (Bernard Coy, Marvin Hubbard, Joe Cretzer - killed during the uprising - Sam Shockley, Miran Thompson and Clarence Carnes - survivors), armed, seeing no chance of escape waged a bloody struggle against the prison guards, which were assisted by some units of the San Francisco Police, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines. The killing of two guards hostage-taking caused a reaction throughout the prison that was unleashed on law enforcement to prevail. The revolt ended two days later when the Marines, aided by a prisoner, unable to quell the prisoners. After the death of the three authors, were arrested and tried the other three, which Carnes was spared, while Shockley and Thompson were taken to San Quentin to be executed in gas chambers, December 3, 1948.

Frank Morris, John Anglin and Clarence Anglin

The most famous escape from Alcatraz concerns inmates Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, 11 June 1962 that they managed to escape from their cells, through the ventilation system (leaving dummies made by them on cots to try to disguise as long as possible to escape) and to arrive, using life jackets made of waterproof, up the coast, where they permanently lose their tracks. The flight was also expected to attend fourth prisoner, Allen West. The latter had the misfortune to be larger than the hole that had been built, so he was forced to remain in jail. No one had more news of the three fugitives and direction of the prison, not having yet never found the bodies, strongly denied the possibility that they could escape from the island (and, especially, to swim across the icy stretch of the San Francisco Bay ). According to the testimony of the audio on Alcatraz, it seems that the three, during several months of continuous, strenuous work, using a simple kitchen spoon, could create a tunnel wide enough and deep enough to allow air to reach the duct .