Marvin Hubbard, Bernard Paul Coy, and Clarence Carnes, seen here, are three of the four inmates who instigated “The Battle of Alcatraz,” a riot that started after an escape attempt and lasted for three days. This battle is known as the failed attempt, in which no one could predict the outcomes.
The reputation the prison had, of being the one place no one could ever escape from, was crumbling down. Coy was the one who planned the escape. He was sentenced at the time to 25 years in prison and, therefore, had nothing to lose by trying to gain his freedom.
Robert Stroud
This next image is of one of the most famous inmates of Alcatraz prison. His name was Robert Stroud, known as "The Birdman of Alcatraz." he was placed in prison for the first time in 1909 after being convicted of a serious crime. Stroud spent most of his life behind Alcatraz bars, and out of his 72 years of living, 53 were imprisoned.
Stoud was permitted to keep his bird pet in his cell, where he operated a bird laboratory. He studies birds' behavior in his cell and produces Stroud's Digest of Diseases of Birds. His work and studies contributed tremendously to many ornithologists and their definitive work on bird sicknesses. During his time behind the prions's walls, Stroud nurtured over 300 birds
Arthur R. Barker
This prison record from 1963 belongs to Arthur “Doc” Barker, the son of Ma Barker and a member of the infamous “Bloody Barkers” gang. The gang was founded by Fred Barker and Alvin Parpis, who were later joined by Arthur Barker, who is seen in this photo.
They were at their peak during the harsh depression era but very quickly found themselves behind the Alcatraz bars. The gang eventually had more than 20 members, of which most, at one point, found themselves in Alcatraz. Arthur Barker was shot and killed by a guard while trying to escape Alcatraz.
Along for the Ride
These pictures of Sam Shockley (left) and Miran Thompson (right) were taken before their time in Alcatraz. Shockley and Thompson joined the riot leaders at the beginning of the “Battle of Alcatraz” and were later executed for their part in the bloodshed. Samuel Richard Shockley, Jr. came from a very complicated background, so not many were surprised when he ended up behind bars. He was just 40 years old when his life ended.
Miran Edgar Thompson was sentenced to life with an additional 99 years after being convicted of taking a police officer's life. He was also responsible for no more robberies and other serious crimes. While serving time in several prisons across the country, he had a reputation as a lucky escaper, succeeding in several escapes he was responsible for.
Reading Time
Alcatraz was considered one of the worst prisons any inmate could find himself in; however, when it comes to culture, there was plenty of room for that. The inmates of Alcatraz had access to over 15,000 books and were subscribed to over 75 best-selling magazines. The prisoners could also play musical instruments, do art, and write letters.
The books the inmates had on offer were from various topics and included some of the best-selling authors of that time. Every prisoner could take up to three books at a time, not including the bible. Crime-related topics where off boundaries, as no one wanted to feed the prisoners with new escape ideas.