This could be managed in such a way that the crew need never know who I was or even that I was a prisoner from Alcatraz. Some kind of arrangements could be made for a boat to stop say every year or two, leave supplies and take back what data I had accumulated. By this method I would be doing some useful work, serving my sentence and, I believe by the time I was eligible for parole, I would be shown some consideration.
To put it more mildly still, what is this life of mine like, you might wonder and whence do I draw sufficient courage to endure it. Kelly also sent numerous letters to prison officials begging for a transfer or improved conditions on Alcatraz, sometimes commenting as a spokesperson for the convicts. He wrote to several government officials over the course of a decade. The climate is murderous and I, personally, have suffered from chronic sinus trouble for years.
The recreation facilities are practically nil. I realize that is the way the department wants it but to me, it seems like there is an exceptionally wide discrimination shown between the men of Alcatraz and the men in the other Federal Institutions.
I should like to be where I could read a newspaper and listen to the radio for a change after ten years here. Like many Alcatraz prisoners, Kelly became fanatical about playing bridge on weekends in the yard. Even in the coldest conditions, Kelly lived to sit on the yard and play bridge.
During the week, Kelly worked as a clerk in the industries and Radkay commented that he loved reading the stories of the old west. Aside from participating in two work strikes in the later s, he served his time quietly and made only occasional complaints about conditions and hope for a transfer. He was finally transferred to the Federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, arriving on June 1, Convicts were permitted to listen to the radio and enjoyed more freedoms than on Alcatraz.
At Leavenworth, Kelly complained that guys followed him on the yard wanting to meet him and hear stories and it took away from his own interests. Why did this prison have so many famous prisoners?
The reason for this is that it housed the worst of the worst. When the prison initially opened as a high-profile maximum-security federal prison, the most dangerous prisoners from around the system were sent here. During its time as a maximum-security prison, more than 1, of these prisoners spent time here. This prison was known for its strict rules and tough way of life. The staff worked hard to treat all prisoners the same. Each prisoner had their own cell.
From to , the prisoners of Alcatraz followed a policy of silence. They were not allowed to communicate with other prisoners or guards unless they requested and received permission to speak. Their tough schedule started at 7am in the morning and ended at pm every night.
Their day was scheduled out for them and they had the same routine every day. Those in solitary confinement were faced with even tougher rules.
Since each prisoner had their own cell, the prison upped the stakes for those that got in trouble and had to spend time in solitary confinement.
The solitary confinement cells were located in the D block. The lights in this block were off at all times, making it dark and a really hard life for the prisoners. This tough and isolating environment led to several escape attempts learn more about the most infamous escape attempts.
Are you interested in visiting? Here are some great combo tours that include a visit to Alcatraz plus a second tour around SF. Al Capone is one of the most famous prisoners of Alcatraz. Capone was on the first trainload of prisoners to the new federal prison located on Alcatraz Island. In , Capone became known as prisoner number In true Capone style, he immediately tried to manipulate the system to get special treatment here.
However, the warden noticed his attempts from day one and denied any special treatment. Due to his fame, Capone was a target of attack. In , another inmate stabbed him in the back with a pair of scissors. The other inmate thought he was a snitch and wanted to kill him. However, after falling in love with a woman named Geneva, he decided to quit school altogether. They quickly found themselves in financial trouble, so Kelly schemed up a plan and began working as a gangster after separating from Geneva.
At the time, he was only In , he fell for a woman named Kathryn Thorne , whom he later married. Kathryn Kelly, was a criminal in her own right. The bills that had been used for payment in the ransom, had traceable serial records and the Center Bureau of Investigation now the FBI started a nationwide search for whom they now suspected was George R.
George and Kathryn bounced around different states with Chicago becoming their main hub. Both dyed their hair to conceal their identities and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle. After several weeks in hiding, the couple finally made their way back to Memphis to stay with longtime friend John Tichenor.
On the morning of September 26, , Memphis police, along with FBI Agents, surrounded the Tichenor house and then made a violent forced entry. It was said at that moment, that Kelly coined the phrase: "G-Men, please don't shoot. The couple was quickly flown to Oklahoma where they stood trial and both received life sentences. Eventually all of the accomplices were apprehended, and out of all of those involved, six were issued life sentences. Kelly was transferred to Leavenworth in Kansas, and Kathryn was transferred to a federal prison in Cincinnati.
Kelly was arrogant towards prison officials, and bragged to the press that he would escape, break out his wife and they would spend Christmas together. It was decided that these threats should be taken seriously and in August of , Kelly along with his accomplices Albert Bates and Harvey Bailey, were transferred from Leavenworth by train to Alcatraz.
Arriving on September 4, , they would be among the first groups of prisoners. Kelly became AZ At Alcatraz, Kelly was constantly boasting about several robberies and murders that he and never committed. Although this was said to be an apparent point of frustration for several fellow prisoners, Warden Johnson considered him a model inmate. His life at Alcatraz was largely uneventful. He took a job as an altar boy in the prison chapel, worked in the laundry, held an administrative role in the industries office for a long period, and generally served out his time quietly.
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