The Great Escape: The True Story of Three Alcatraz Inmates
“The Rock” Alcatraz
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yas! | By Cara Stiles |
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Though the prison has been closed for decades, Alcatraz has earned its place in infamy. In its heyday, “The Rock” was considered impenetrable. At least thirty six prisoners attempted to escape the island – all were captured, shot, or swallowed by the sea.
All of that changed one fateful day in June 1962, when a group of three men plunged into the San Francisco Bay in hopes of finding freedom. For years, their fates were unknown – most speculated that the prisoners had drowned in the tumultuous waters. But, 51 years after the fact, the discovery of a mysterious letter forced the FBI to reevaluate their presumptions about the daring escape artists of Alcatraz.
Memento Maxima Digital Marketing A Shocking Message
Back in January 2013, the San Francisco Police Department received a shocking message. “My name is John Anglin,” the handwritten note began. “I escaped from Alcatraz in June 1962 with my brother Clarence and Frank Morris.” Dropped into the laps of authorities was a long overdue clue to one of the most notorious mysteries in US history.
Back in the 60’s officials deemed that the unaccounted for men had almost certainly drowned in the dark, icy bay during their escape attempt. But, with the letter in hand, a shadow of doubt was suddenly cast over the long-accepted story.
Casting Doubt
For years, the escapees were presumed dead simply because it seemed to be the most plausible outcome of the case that had stumped law enforcement for years. However, the letter recovered in 2013 told a very different story. Naturally, some skeptics cast doubt on the validity of the document.
Unsure what to believe, the police department kept the letter under wraps for years. After careful examination, it was finally determined that there was some cause to believe the contents of the note. So, in January 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reopened the cold case.
An Impossible Escape
What makes this particular escape remarkable is the fact that Alcatraz was designed to make it virtually impossible to escape. Until its closure in 1963, only the most despicable criminals were sent to the maximum security prison.
Of course, that never stopped those incarcerated from trying to escape. So, how exactly did Anglin and co. succeed where so many others had failed?
A History of Failed Jailbreaks
Believe it or not, these crooks were not the first individuals with enough moxie to attempt escape. At least a few dozen incarcerated inmates had taken the same risks over the years. Twenty three individuals were quickly captured and brought back behind bars.
Others weren’t so lucky. At least six men were shot and killed by guards as they attempted to execute their plans. Those that made it to the water drowned or disappeared.
The Men Behind the Plan
Four men were a part of the group meticulously plotting a path to freedom – John and Clarence Anglin, Frank Lee Morris, and Allen West. The four men had cells near each other and endless hours to perfect their master plan.
Over the course of the investigation, it was revealed that the Anglin brothers knew Morris, as they had been shackled together while serving prison time in Atlanta. Fed up with penitentiary life, these men had nothing to lose – making them the perfect candidates to try something so risky.
Frank Lee Morris
Frank Lee Morris was nothing short of a criminal mastermind. At the age of 11, he was orphaned and forced to look after himself as he was shuffled between foster homes. Just two years later, he was convicted of his first crime. Over the years, his cunning increased and he developed into a skilled criminal.
After pulling off a string of armed robberies, the authorities ultimately caught up with him. He ultimately served time in Georgia and Florida before winding up at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, nicknamed the “Alcatraz of the South”.
A Master Escape Artist
Unfortunately for those supervising him, Morris was never one to follow rules. Against all odds, he managed to escape the high security conditions in Louisiana. From there, he remained on the lam for about a year. During that time, he fell right back into his previous life of crime.
When the police finally caught up to him, they sent him to the real-life Alcatraz, where he reconnected with the Anglins. Morris proved to be a natural ringleader, and had no trouble convincing his old pals that he had the credentials to pull off a second prison break.
The Anglin Brothers
Born in Georgia, the Anglin brothers moved around early in life to help their parents with seasonal farm work. Two of thirteen children, they maintained a close bond that spanned far beyond adolescence.
Each year, the family migrated up north for cherry picking season. There, they splashed around the frigid waters of Lake Michigan and eventually grew into strong, skilled swimmers. Years later, this would prove to be crucial in their plans to escape Alcatraz.
Partners in Crime
Naturally, John and Clarence were perfect partners in crime as they reached adulthood. Like Morris, the two were serial bank robbers. Targeting establishments after hours, they took precautions to avoid interacting with or injuring others.
Because of their stealth, the two were able to pull off robberies for several years. Eventually, in 1956, they were caught, incarcerated, and sent to Atlanta Penitentiary.
A Friendship Forms
Morris wasn’t the only one with escape on his mind. Several times, the Anglin brothers attempted to escape Atlanta Penitentiary. This eventually landed them at Alcatraz, where they met up with Frank Lee Morris.
Collectively, the men knew a thing or two about what it took to fool guards and get out of jail. Pulling in fellow inmate Allen West, the group of four men started to ponder how it might be possible for a person to escape “The Rock” alive.
The Perfect Storm
In order to understand precisely how the men made their way off the island prison, there are a few factors to take into consideration. Firstly, the four men were among Alcatraz’s very few non-violent offenders. Because they didn’t have a record of harming others, they were able to function under the radar and attract less attention from prison guards.
Furthermore, Alcatraz functioned as a factory as well as a prison. Those that found themselves within the walls of the penitentiary were forced to work making furniture, clothing, and shoes. As the men produced various resources, they were able to slowly but surely collect supplies for their eventual escape.
Fooling the Authorities
So, why exactly did the inmates need to accrue a collection of supplies? Their highly complex plan to escape Alcatraz, the notoriously isolated jailhouse, involved leaving behind handmade, human-like dummies.
Unlike today, escape attempts would likely be met with gunfire on the part of the tough Alcatraz guards. Therefore, it was of the upmost importance that the prison personnel not expect anything suspicious for as long as possible.
Crafting a Decoy
Each member of the team had their own set of responsibilities to take care of prior to the night of the great escape. The task of creating dummy heads to fill the beds of the escapees fell on the shoulders of the Anglin brothers.
The dummy heads were made with the supplies that were readily available – primarily, soap wax and toilet paper. The brothers were able to add a human touch to their creations with leftover hair collected at the Alcatraz barber shop.
Chipping Away
The dummies were just one part of the plan. The team also fashioned tools like picks and wrenches using everyday items, such as cafeteria spoons. With them, they’d chip away at bits of the wall whenever they were afforded the chance to do so.
Between 5:30 PM and 9 PM, the men were afforded a few precious unsupervised hours to work. After removing the vents in each of their cells, they were able to chisel away at the existing opening. Before long, they were able to create holes large enough to crawl through.
A Fortress Deteriorating
The task of fashioning tunnels and holes in the foundation of the prison was made easier by the fact that Alcatraz itself was beginning to crumble. Years of exposure to saltwater destroyed the pipes, and constant leaks deteriorated the walls over time.
By the time the escape was being planned, the prison was in serious need of repairs in certain areas. The salt water had even eroded the foundation’s cement.
Blocking out the Noise
Believe it or not, guards didn’t notice the banging and chipping of the inmates at work. This was thanks to the prison reforms of the 1960’s, which allowed inmates an hour of music. During this time, the prison would be filled with noise.
Whenever possible, Morris had an accordion that he would play. The noise of the instrument perfectly masked the sound of his fellow gang members hard at work.
No Man’s Land
Eventually, the prisoners discovered that the utility corridor was essentially unguarded. If the men could get the holes in each of their cells wide enough, they’d be able to climb up three floors to access the roof of the building. The only obstacle they’d have to overcome would be to shimmy up a large shaft to make it outside of the building.
Initially, the men found that the majority of the shafts were cemented shut. But luck was on their side – they eventually found an access point that they were able to pry open using a hand-fashioned wrench.
Squeezing Through
By the spring of 1962, both Anglin brothers and Morris had fashioned holes big enough to make the escape. The passageways were a claustrophobics nightmare, hardly large enough for a human body to squeeze through. But that was all the men needed to pull off their plan.
But getting out of the walls was only half the battle. Over the months, the men had stolen and subsequently stitched together a makeshift raft and set of life preserves using raincoats from the factory. Without these supplies, the men would have surely drowned in the icy bay.
Waiting for a Sign
When all of the preparations were in place, all the men had to do was wait for Allen West to finish his escape route and signal that he was ready to go. Once men West was ready, the gang would be able to slip out at a moment’s notice thanks to months of preparation on their end.
On June 11th, 1962, West signaled the others to let him know that he would be able to make it out of his cell. But, despite their thorough planning, the men would soon discover that not everything would go exactly according to plan.
The Big Day
When lights went out on the day the gang received West’s signal, the plan was finally put into action. They weren’t entirely confident in whether or not they’d succeed – chances were high that they wouldn’t make it out of the ordeal alive. However, the promise of freedom was enticing enough that they were willing to take the risk.
Adrenaline pumping through their veins, they weren’t going to succumb to their own fears. Instead, they tucked their decoys snuggly in bed and moved out as quickly as they possibly could.
A Snag in the Plan
Unfortunately, they ran into a snag over the course of their escape. The Anglin brothers and Morris were able to get out of their cells with ease, but the same could not be said for Allen West. Although he had signaled the gang, he had evidently misjudged the size of the hole he had built.
Initially, Morris did what he could to help his accomplice out. However, the cement wouldn’t budge, and the group came to the decision that West would have to be left behind.
Leaving One Behind
The men had been working together on their escape for months, so the decision to leave West behind was not one that they took lightly. However, the group knew that they weren’t left with many options. If they had tried to widen West’s hole on the spot, they would have certainly garnered attention from the guards.
So, West allowed the others to go on without him, resigned to his fate as a captive. Ultimately, leaving im may have been what saved the lives of the others – after all, the weight of one less man ultimately made the escape raft lighter.
Journey to the Shore
After squeezing through their tunnels, the men entered the utility corridor and climbed up 30 feet of plumbing to make it onto the roof. They then had to cross the rooftop and climb down an additional 50 feet of piping to make it to the ground.
When they finally set foot on solid land, they were able to silently make their way past the unsuspecting guards. They made it all the way to the shore, where the gang had to stop to inflate their rain jacket raft.
Sounding the Alarm
At around 11:30 at night, the raft was ready to go and the gang set sail. They were never seen or heard from again, and the next morning the guards finally discovered that the men were missing. .
That morning, all of the residents of the island were woken up by the sound of blaring sirens, signaling that there had been a security breach. Most of the prisoners and personnel were initially confused – surely, no one could have found a way out of the fortress. But, as they soon discovered, that was exactly what had taken place.
Too Little, Too Late
Although Allen West was left behind, he hadn’t quite given up on his hopes for freedom. Continuing to work on his hole through the night, he was finally able to squeeze through and make it out of his cell. Straight away, he ran after his three co-conspirators.
Unfortunately for him, by the time he was atop the roof they were long gone. He was then faced with a difficult decision; he could either return to his cell and safety or brave the treacherous waters of the bay. Not wanting to risk almost certain death, he went back inside.
Working with Authorities
Allen West crawled back to his bunk and waited til morning, when the alarms inevitably went off. The entire prison was searched, and eventually the authorities deduced that West was the only individual with any knowledge of the escape plan.
He cooperated with his captors fully and told them about the plot they had hatched. However, we may never know whether West was being entirely honest. According to his testimony, the men were headed to Angel Island, where they planned to steal a car, some clothes, and be on their way to start new lives.
Holes in the Plot
There was a hole in West’s story – there weren’t any reports of robberies within the two week period following the escape. Either the men didn’t make it past the bay, or they landed somewhere else entirely.
There were other holes that cast doubt on West’s story. He claimed to be the mastermind behind the escape plot, despite not making it out of the prison. Nevertheless, his account was all Alctraz had to work with. The FBI was called in to investigate the whereabouts of the trio.
An Ice Cold Escape
Some of the men’s personal belongings were found floating in the freezing waters of the bay in the days following the escape, but there were never any bodies recovered. Had the men fallen overboard, they almost certainly would have perished – the temperatures of the San Francisco Bay hover in the low 50’s, regardless of the season.
According to experts, an adult male would be able to survive for around 20 minutes in the water before their body functions would begin to fail. Furthermore, the men weren’t acclimated to the cold, as the prison itself was intentionally kept warm.
A Fruitless Investigation
Only one hint that the men may have perished ever emerged, about a month after the escape. A Norwegian freighter spotted the sighting of a body about 17 miles away from the Golden Gate Bridge, donned in clothes similar to a prisoner’s uniform. However, by the time authorities made it out to the area, the alleged body was long gone.
For years, the efforts of the FBI were fruitless. After 17 years of investigation, they closed the investigation for good, concluding that the men likely drowned during the course of their escape. However, clues eventually cropped up to the contrary.
Evidence Emerges
According to a 2015 documentary produced by the history channel, evidence emerged that at the very least, the Anglin brothers had survived the ordeal. For instance, the family received handwritten Christmas cards that matched their script (although the delivery date could not be confirmed).
Eventually, the Anglin family even produced a photograph of the two men, taken in Brazil in 1975. Forensic experts analyzed the snapshot carefully and concluded that, “more than likely”, the two were indeed John and Clarence.
Family Ties
A deathbed confession from one of Anglin’s many siblings further pointed to the possibility that John and Clarence may be making a new life for themselves elsewhere. Just before Robert Anglin passed away, he confessed that he had been in contact with the two between the years of 1963 and 1987.
Though the Anglin clan has allegedly heard from the brothers, they’ve been deterred from actively searching for John and Clarence. The escape from Alcatraz is still an open Interpol investigation, and if the brothers were found, they’d be severely punished.
The Past Revealed
When the letter written by John Anglin was received by the police department, it seemed to confirm some of the rumors that had been floating around over the years. “We all made it that night, but barely,” Anglin reminisces. He then goes on to explain that Frank and Clarence had passed away in 2008 and 2011, respectively.
Anglin also explained where he had shacked up over the years. Though parts of the note were illegible, it was revealed that he had spent the majority of his time post-escape in North Dakota and Seattle, Washington.
An Unconventional Deal
One of the last lines of the note proved to be the most shocking, as Anglin confessed that he was most recently living in “Southern California”. If the letter is indeed authentic, Anglin may have been living within a few hours of the prison he tried so desperately to escape all of those years ago.
As it turns out, the letter writer was evidently suffering from very poor health. In need of serious help, Anglin wrote in hopes that he might be able to seek medical treatment if he agreed to go back to jail – an unconventional offer, to say the very least.
Proving Authenticity
The letter concluded with an attempt at a negotiation. If a television announcement was made promising that he would be imprisoned for no more than a year and would receive adequate medical attention, Anglin would reveal his exact location.
But, before law enforcement could begin negotiations, the validity of the letter had to be investigated. Firstly, a careful analysis had to be conducted to determine whether any additional information could be gleaned from the note.
Results from the Lab
A lab full of forensic analysts searched for possible traces of DNA or partial fingerprints that might have been left behind on the paper’s surface. Handwriting experts also were brought in the compare the letter against writing samples sourced from all three escapees.
Eventually, local news outlets claimed that the results they garnered were inconclusive. In other words, the authenticity of the letter could not be confirmed or denied.
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The US Marshals Respond
In the past, US Marshals had claimed that it was certainly possible that the prisoners could have escaped Alcatraz alive. Nevertheless, after the letter was released to the public, a representative claimed that the Marshals did not believe in the legitimacy of the note.
Despite their doubts, the Marshals Service has claimed that they will continue to investigate leads until proof emerges that they are dead – or, at the very least, that they’ve reached 99 years of age. But, with that milestone quickly approaching, concrete proof is unlikely to emerge. After all, the FBI’s 17 year investigation ended when they were unable to gather any credible information that the trio was still alive.
Open Investigation
The letter nly reached the public eye when a local news station was provided with a copy from an unnamed source. When the story broke, the Marshals were forced to provide a statement on the matter.
As the only organization to keep the case open after so many years, the Marshals knew the case inside and out after decades of investigation. “There is absolutely no reason to believe that any of them would have changed their lifestyle and became completely law abiding citizens after this escape,” they stated
New Discoveries
With renewed interest in their case, a group of researchers got to calculating what sort of conditions the inmates would have met the night of their escape. According to their findings, the current would have been in their favor if they left around midnight and there’s a very high likelihood that they would have been able to survive the treacherous waters.
With that information in mind, it makes sense why the Marshal’s Service has maintained an active warrant for the men all through the years. Back in 2009, a deputy stated that the organization “doesn’t give up looking for people”.
An Alcatraz Employee Speaks
In March 2018, the last guard to leave Alcatraz shed a bit more light on the situation. In honor of the 55th anniversary of the prison’s closing, Jim Albright agreed to an interview in which he was asked whether he believed Anglin and company could have survived their escape.
“I believe they drowned, I really do,” Albright stated in the interview. In his opinion, the men couldn’t have possibly made it to safety. Instead, he believes that the alleged John Anglin letter came from an individual desperate to find cancer treatment by any means necessary.
Where are they Now?
To this day, there still isn’t conclusive evidence on the fates of Frank Lee Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin. Furthermore, it’s unclear whether law enforcement was ever able to get in touch with the author of the 2013 letter.
However, if the men are indeed still out there, they would be quite elderly. John Anglin would be 86 years old, while Clarence would be 87. Frank Morris would be celebrating his 90th birthday.
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