Alcatraz penitentiary is a former prison located in the San Francisco Bay over a mile from any land. Because of this location it was thought to be the world’s most secure prison, as any escape attempt meant they would have to swim at least 1.25 miles in cold, wavy, and shark infested waters. Despite numerous escape attempts to escape, all attempts except for one the inmates were either caught or died in the process. However, the outcome of one of the most famous escape attempts in history, the escape of John and Clarence Anglin, and Frank Morris still remains unknown.
The Inmates
John and Clarence Anglin were brothers, who ended up in prison after being convicted of a series of bank robberies in the 1950s. They served time in a series of penitentiaries, but after a number of escape attempts, John was sent to Alcatraz in 1960 and Clarence arrived there in 1961.
Frank Morris was born in September of 1926 in Washington DC. By the time he was in his late teens he had been arrested for a number of crimes. While serving time in Louisiana State penitentiary Morris escaped, but was arrested a year after and sent to Alcatraz in 1960. Morris was known for being very intelligent and thought to be the mastermind behind the Alcatraz escape plan.
There was originally a fourth member of the escape crew, Allen West. He was left behind because he was unable to get out of his cell the night of the escape attempt. He is how the authorities learned of most of the escape plan.
The Escape Plan
The escape plan was very elaborate and took much planning and preparation. They used makeshift drills to drill punch holes around the vents in their cells so they could be pushed out and crawled through. At Alcatraz the inmates were given time to play instruments, so they used the noise from this time to cover the sound of them drilling holes. They created fake heads using soap, toothpaste, concrete dust, and toilet paper. They collected hair from the barbershop and painted the faces to create a realistic looking head. These heads worked so well the guards did not realize they were gone until one officer tried waking them up and knocked the fake head onto the ground. For months they had been collecting rubber raincoats to fashion life preservers and a raft large enough for them to float across the bay on. They sewed the coats together and used steam to vulcanize the rubber. They used instruments to create paddles to row across the water.
On the night of the escape they pushed the perforated wall around their air vents out. From there they made their way through an unguarded utility door to the roof where they put together and blew up the raft. They then climbed down 30 feet using drain pipes and made their way to the water.
What Happened to them?
The official FBI story is that the three men did not make it and most likely drowned in the San Francisco Bay. Because of the harsh conditions of the bay with the addition of no clothes or cars were reported stolen in the area at the, and no credible evidence in the 17 years after the FBI closed their investigation. However, due to a number of reasons many people believed the three men made across the bay and managed to evade authorities. For example, the bodies of the men were never found. Usually when people drown their bodies will float to the surface after a few days, but the escapees’ bodies were never found. Other things like members of the Anglin brothers family reportedly receiving Christmas cards signed by the Brothers John and Clarence. Family members have also reported that at family funerals there are sometimes two unrecognized women in either very heavy makeup or veils. Some believe these to be the brothers in disguise. The FBI has investigated these claims but never found credible evidence they had survived.
The escape from Alcatraz was a daring attempt for freedom. While the official story is that the men perished in the San Francisco bay, we may never know for sure.