(1) Alcatraz was not only a maximum security federal penitentiary (= prison) for people the likes of Al "Scarface" Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert "The Birdman" Strout. It has also been a military fortress during the civil war, and after the Alcatraz era, "Indian Land" as it was occupied by American Indians for political reasons. Now it's part of the National Parks in America and a protected area for flora and fauna;
(2) There were a total 34 escape attempts but it said that none ever succeeded to really escape to the 1.5 mile shore because of the treacherous and cold waters (rip tides), scharks (which aren't man-eaters but sand shardks btw), and fog. Still, nobody knows what happened to the two brothers and their accomplice that escaped through their cells' ventilation shafts (Go rent Clint Eastwood's Escape from Alcatraz and you'll get a great idea of what the prison system was like and how it looks in there);
(3) The way the cells open in Alcatraz is a very ingeneous mechanical lever-operated system with which individual and groups of cells can all be openend and closed separately. Mind you that each of the doors weighs approximately 250 lbs (=85 kg) yet still the system culd be operated by a single man. Man, when those prison doors slammed shut, you needed only a little imagination to picture yourself inside;
(4) Total lockdown occured at 5:10 PM (17:10) and everyone was sealed in tight until 7 the next morning. Now, this seems like a long time, but when you're in such a hostile environment, prisoners and guards alike were generally happy that they were "safe" and live to see another day.
(5) Finally, just a little bit on Al Capone. At present nobody knows which "normal" cell he occupied at Alcatraz. The most of his 4 and a half years before his death were spent in a hospital isolation cell. He died of syfillis, not murder (SOA).
We hope the slideshow gives you some idea and feeling about a world famous former prison which still looks haunting today. So whenever you have an "off" day, think about what it would be like sitting in Alcatraz, listining to the sounds of the city of San Francisco resonating through the Bay knowing that you'll never see go there for the rest of your life. G'day and good night!
No comments:
Post a Comment