Текст книги "Alcatraz: A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years "

Автор книги: Майкл Эсслингер

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Religious Services and Education

The Alcatraz Prison Chapel, located in the upstairs auditorium. The Chapel was built almost entirely by the inmates themselves.

Father Clark (at left) standing at the altar inside the Prison Chapel.

Like every other benefit at Alcatraz, attending religious services was considered an earned privilege and not a right. In the early years, inmates who chose to attend religious services forfeited an equal amount of recreation time. The administration felt that the inmate population would attend services just to have time outside of their cell. Warden Johnston later relaxed this rule and interestingly enough, this did not increase attendance at any of the services. The religious services were held in the upstairs auditorium where inmates usually enjoyed watching motion pictures.

A 1949 Easter Sunday service program from Alcatraz.

A service program showing a reading led by Bonnie and Clyde’s former chauffeur, Floyd Hamilton.

A contemporary photograph showing the entrance to the Chapel from the administration area.

Separate services were provided for the prisoners of various denominations. The Pastor of the Calvary Presbyterian Church of San Francisco held Protestant services in the chapel on the first and third Sunday of the month. A priest from St. Anne's Church in San Francisco conducted Catholic services on the second and fourth Sunday of every month. And on some occasions, a visiting Rabbi and members of the Jewish Committee on Personal Service held Jewish services.

The Chaplains, or “Sky Pilots” as inmates commonly referred to them were permitted to make Saturday visits to the recreation yard with the prisoners. The Chaplain would spend his time offering personal counsel to those who sought assistance. The resident Chaplain (a position that was established in 1936) was also granted an active seat on the Classification Committee. This committee was comprised of senior correctional officers, chief medical officer and the Warden. The committee reviewed the progress of each inmate and recommended programs to help in their rehabilitation. The most famous inmate to assume the role of altar boy was Machine Gun Kelly and he held the position for several years. The Chaplain also assisted in facilitating and providing oversight of the educational programs for inmates. A Bureau of Prisons bulletin offered inmates various programs in which to enroll:

For those interested in really improving their time, extension courses are available through the courtesy and cooperation of The University of California, Pennsylvania State College, and the International Correspondence School. Because of space limitations and the essential restrictions of maximum custody, classroom activity is not possible. However, inmate students show keen interest in education and enroll in a variety of subjects ranging from differential calculus to foreign languages to English and engineering. Art, too, is a popular outlet; approximately twenty percent of the population do some painting in oils or in pastels. Exhibitions of their work have been displayed in the San Francisco area and in Washington, D.C.

A request to the chaplain by George “Machine Gun” Kelly to be allowed to take an elementary Spanish course.

The Prison Industries

Inmates in the recreation yard lining up in single file, awaiting a count and escort to their work assignment.

Inmates lined up according to their work assignment.

Prisoners are seen here walking down through a metal detector on their way to their work assignment in the Industries. The small building in the foreground is the dry-cleaning plant.

A photograph series showing the Tailor and Glove Shops.

A distant view of an inmate at work in the Cobbler Shop.

The Blacksmith Shop.

The New Industries Building under construction in 1940. Note the special barbwire walkway constructed for inmates to pass over, and the small protruding island (left) known as “Little Alcatraz.”

A correctional officer sitting next to office chairs built by Alcatraz inmates.

Office furniture built by prison labor at Alcatraz.

A present-day view of the Prison Industries Building.

The interior of the abandoned New Industries Building following the prison’s closure. All that remains is the rusted equipment left from the prison.

A present day view of the old Model Industries Building. Following the completion of the New Industries Building in 1941, the upper floors were abandoned and used only for storage.

Coast Guard survey photos showing the workshops following the prison’s closure.

Warden Johnston believed in managing Alcatraz as an institution for rehabilitation. When Johnston assumed his post as Warden in 1934, he brought with him the vision that Alcatraz would not be the final stop for any inmate. He wrote that after his tenure at Folsom and San Quentin, that if he had to manage any prison upon condition, that his choice would be only one thing, an agency for reform. Johnston wanted the inmates to develop work skills that they could carry with them to the outside. He felt the rigid structure would offer his men an advantage back in the outside world as they would become accustomed to a hard day’s work and a strong work ethic. Inmates earned their right to work by conforming to the rules and regulations of the prison. Phil Bergen later recalled:

At Alcatraz, we always a felt a greater responsibility towards the inmates rather than simply confining them. Inmates learned skills that could be translated to meaningful employment upon their release. Many inmates took considerable pride in the quality of their work. Whether it was making furniture or cleaning an assigned area, the inmates usually did exceptional work.

In 1960, the Bureau of Prisons published an informational booklet that briefly described the operational features of Alcatraz. One of the items featured was the Prison Industries:

Alcatraz, in common with other institutions throughout the Federal Prison System carries out a program of constructive work activity for all inmates who are physically qualified. All employment other than that needed for the maintenance of the prison is under the jurisdiction of Federal Prison Industries, Incorporated. Men assigned to the various shops receive modest wages, as well as certain reductions in sentence over and beyond that regularly awarded for proper conduct and good behavior in prison.

Industrial units in operation on the island include a glove factory, rubber mat shop, clothing factory, a brush shop, and a furniture factory. The shops and factories perform contract services for the armed forces. The Alcatraz branch of Prison Industries has been awarded numerous commendations for its contribution to national defense during World War II and the fighting in Korea.

Prisoners are not forced to participate in the industrial program at Alcatraz. However, all prisoners in work status are required to work on assigned tasks. A large percentage prefer assignments in industries and usually volunteer immediately after arriving at the institution. Other than the therapeutic value offered by gainful employment in prison, the inmates are zealous to earn the wages paid and make regular contributions to their dependants or accumulate savings for use following release.

Inmates employed in the Prison Industries were also compensated by having time deducted from their sentences. The accrual rate was minimal. On average, each inmate would be awarded two days off his sentence per month. Johnston introduced a work-for-pay program that incorporated four grade levels of compensation based on trade skills. Monetary wages generally ranged from five to twelve cents per hour. By the time of the prison’s closure in 1963, the top grade rate was over thirty cents per hour.

The prison at Alcatraz was kept spotlessly clean. Even the correctional staff maintained the areas that were not accessible to inmates, with exceptional pride. Cliff Fish remembers working a shift in the East Gun Gallery and finding a small graffiti message written with a laundry marker on the second-tier wall. Correctional Officer Freeman Pepper wished to communicate his frustration with someone who had dropped a sticky substance on the gallery floor and he wrote the following message:

I’ve labored long, and labored hard, to make myself some riches. But I'll gladly pay good money, to the guy that will snitch on the son-of-a-bitch, who smeared my floor with honey.

The regulations at Alcatraz decreed: “There is no commissary at Alcatraz... The institution supplies all your needs. ”  From the beginning this rule created conflict between the administration and working inmates, especially for the prisoners serving long sentences, who had little interest in building savings accounts. Alcatraz was the only prison within the federal system that did not allow the purchase of special toiletries, candy or even filtered cigarettes. The administration controlled purchases by inmates, which were limited to authorized magazine subscriptions, musical instruments, and only a handful of other articles.

The Prison Hospital

The Prison Hospital at Alcatraz.

The X-Ray suite. Many inmates trained to become X-Ray technicians, and found successful employment following their release. 

The Operating Room as it appeared in 1956.

The “Bug Room.”   Note the ubiquitous tile surface, even on the door. The barred door resembling a cell is actually the entrance to the hospital shower.

The hospital ward at Alcatraz was located at the west end of the prison on the second floor, directly above the Mess Hall. The Hospital was accessed via a stairwell leading from inside the Mess Hall entrance and was completely isolated from the rest of the prison. A Bureau of Prisons bulletin described the medical facilities at Alcatraz in further detail:

The U.S. Public Health Service provides medical faculties and staff for Alcatraz, as well as for other federal penitentiaries and correctional institutions. The Alcatraz Hospital, adjacent to the main cell house, is equipped with modern x-ray and physical therapy apparatus, operating theater, laboratories, and dental unit, and contains wards and individual rooms for the treatment and convalescence of inmate patients. It has been certified by the American College of Surgeons and compares favorably with the up-to-date hospitals and clinics in the free community.

The medical staff includes a chief medical officer and highly trained technicians, all career personnel of the Public Health Service. Specialists from the Marine Hospital in San Francisco also are available for consultation and to augment the permanent local staff. Three San Francisco Physiatrists are employed to counsel and treat Alcatraz inmates and they visit the island frequently in the performance of their duties. Inmates whose mental disorders indicate psychotic trends or continuing deterioration are transferred to the Medical Center at Springfield, Missouri.

There were also two designated isolation cells that were known by inmates as the “Bug Rooms” were constructed in the later years of the penitentiary. These small rooms for special confinement only measured approximately 8’ x 8’ x 10’. The interior surfaces were completely covered with ceramic tiles that were pinkish in color. The door was also covered with a matching tile surface and light entered through fogged translucent glass tiles that were smoothly set into the walls. One of these rooms was equipped with only a hole in the floor for the inmate to relieve himself. There was a small clear glass pane that would allow observation of the patient, and a small rectangle portal that was used to pass in food and medicine. The two cells were only used in the most of extreme cases of mental instability.

Sick call took place after the noon meal each day. Former correctional officer Frank Heaney would indicate in his book Inside the Walls of Alcatraz that an estimated ten percent of the inmate population showed up every day in the sick line. Many exaggerated their illnesses in efforts to break the monotony, or asked for sleeping medications to help them deal with the stresses of confinement.

Alcatraz in War Time (1942 – 1945)

World War II Soldiers from the 216th Coast Artillery Regiment manning a 40mm anti-aircraft gun positioned on top of the family apartments.

During World War II, Alcatraz became a prominent contributor to the war effort. This was the one period during which the inmates and administration stood together. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, the Mat Shop was quickly converted into a cargo net factory. The netting manufactured in the Industries would be used to protect the harbor from submarine attacks. The inmates would also be responsible for the maintaining the marine buoys that held the nets, and making field jackets for field soldiers. Former inmate Jim Quillen recalled when he first entered the recreation yard in 1942, the sight of inmates cheering from the bleachers as Naval ships passed the island with sailors lining the decks. The inmates’ work was inspired, and they took great pride in their contribution.

As a result of the prison’s contribution to the war industries, Alcatraz also became an enemy target. Fears of a Japanese attack became pronounced among the citizens of San Francisco and Alcatraz would renew her role as a military fortress. Like their Civil War predecessors, the military strategists of the day recognized the strategic position of Alcatraz. The Military positioned three 40-mm anti-aircraft guns atop the main cellhouse and apartment building structures. Air-raid drills were performed for both inmates and island residents. Captain of the Guards, Phil Bergen, assumed the role of Air Raid Warden in addition to his normal duties. During drills, a special siren would be sounded and Alcatraz would go into blackout mode. Every light was required to be doused in efforts to reduce the chances of being bombed by enemy aircraft, though the lighthouse shutdown would only be simulated. The inmates were trained to take cover beneath their cell bunks while under attack, but it became obvious that this would offer them only minimal protection. The island residents were required to retreat into shelters located in Building #64, and Phil Bergen would be tasked with inspecting the island dwellings to insure that everyone complied with the blackout regulations.

The stationing of a military unit at Alcatraz also created a unique challenge for prison officers and their families as the young soldiers were integrated into the living arrangements of the island. They were provided access to the recreational facilities and as a result, several romances blossomed. The young soldiers were often idolized by many of the teenage daughters of correctional officers. Bergen would later comment that several officers were not shy when it came to establishing the “stone rules of dating their daughters.”  It was an exciting period for the teenagers, as the bowling alley and dance hall became popular hangouts on weekends.

With time, it became evident that the fear of enemy attack which had inspired the establishment of a military base on Alcatraz was not entirely unfounded. After the war, it would be confirmed that Japanese submarines had patrolled the waters and plotted attacks just outside of the San Francisco harbor.

The Prison Library

The Alcatraz Library contained over 15,000 volumes of fiction and non-fiction. Reading was the primary pastime for all inmates, especially between the idle hours of 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

The Culbertson’s series on playing Bridge was in high demand among inmates, and these books were always the most requested for reading. The library stocked multiple copies of each volume.

Inmates were permitted to purchase an Auto Bridge gaming device, which allowed them to play the game by themselves.

Radio jacks were installed in the cellhouse in 1955, when for the first time inmates were allowed to choose between two radio programs, which included sports and talk shows.

The library at Alcatraz contained over 15,000 books of fiction and non-fiction. Reading was the primary pastime for all inmates, especially between the idle hours of 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. There were few activities available to the inmates while they were confined to their cells. They could write letters to family members, smoke tobacco, do artwork, play a musical instrument (if approved), work a crossword puzzle, or play a game of chess or checkers with a neighboring inmate. In these games, each player maintained their own board and quietly called out each move to the player in the neighboring cell.

The inmates at Alcatraz were typically very well read. The average inmate in the general population would read seventy-five to a hundred books a year, not including periodicals and magazines. The reading materials at Alcatraz were heavily censored, and the subjects of sex and crime were strictly forbidden. Each inmate was provided with a full library catalog of available titles and could submit a weekly request slip to check out books. The general population inmates were never allowed to visit the library and browse through the collection. The cellhouse orderly filled requests by manually delivering the books on a pull cart. Several notable inmates, including Al Capone, Bernard Paul Coy, and Clarence Carnes all held this job assignment for a brief tenure during their incarceration at Alcatraz.

The resident Chaplain, who was also responsible for the content of the reading materials, generally supervised the prison library. The prison featured its own bookbindery and utilized a special catalog system. The library also included a music collection of nearly 1,000 records. A Federal Bureau of Prisons booklet published in 1960 described the reading habits of Alcatraz inmates:

... these men read more serious literature than does the ordinary person in the community. Philosophers such as Kant, Schopenhauer, Hegel, etc., are especially popular and their books have a wide circulation. Advanced mathematics and physics texts, too, are in great demand, as are other types of literature having to do with more profound aspects of our culture. The latest magazines and periodicals are furnished and enable men to keep abreast of current events in the free community.

In his memoir Alcatraz from the Inside, former inmate Jim Quillen described the most popular reading materials from an inmate’s perspective:

Culbertson’s Beginner’s Book of Bridge was beyond doubt the most desired and read book in the prison’s twenty-nine years of existence. When the Warden permitted “Auto Bridge” (a device where an inmate could play a game by himself) to be ordered, it was to some inmates like Christmas had happened twice in one year.

The most popular magazine subscriptions were to Life, Time, Newsweek, and technical publications such as Popular Mechanics, Science Digest, Mechanics Illustrated,and Popular Science. Inmates were allowed to keep three books in their cell at any one time, in addition to a Bible and a dictionary.

For twenty-one years after the opening of Alcatraz as a federal penitentiary, reading was the primary means of passing the time until lights out at 9:30 p.m. Then on October 4, 1955, the 295 inmates at Alcatraz were given a special treat when radio jacks were installed in all of the general population cells. The cellhouse residents cheered, stomped and laughed as they listened to theBrooklyn Dodgers pull off their first and only World Series victory over their arch-nemesis, the New York Yankees. On this special occasion, the inmates were allowed a day off from work to listen to the World Series events. Two radio receivers and a reel-to-reel tape machine were installed in the Control Center. The inmates could select a station by simply plugging their headset into the jack of their choice. The inmates were allowed to listen to radio programs from 5:30 p.m. until lights out at 9:30 p.m. every day. This proved to be the biggest morale booster ever afforded to the prisoners, though the radio jacks were not available in the hospital or in D Block. One inmate recalled:

I can remember lying on my bunk with my eyes closed, and dreaming that I was at this baseball game with my gal. I could imagine all of the sights and smells of the hotdogs and the summer breeze in the stadium. Those headphones were my escape to another world.