Went to Alcatraz and i made a few notes.

In walks the school teacher wearing her Corset, it's much too tight,really and says
'Now sit down and pay attention children, let's continue'

Ruby Sky last week


Alcatraz
The prison-island of Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay is named for pelicans that roosted there.

Prison guards living on the island never locked their doors.
Colerado is the new maximum security prison....brr

There was quiet a few escape attempts, the most famous one was where 3 prisoners cut 3 big holes out of the, made paper mache covers to simulate vents to unsuspecting guards.

They made models of their heads for the prison guards to count on their rounds, so that they wouldn't miss them, thoughtful eh? And made off, never to be seen again.

What's intereting was they were learning Spanish, the heads are being preserved and being kept as evidence, it appears 'Uncle Sam' would like to put them in another prison if they were ever found, doesn't matter that they would be in their 80's.

One of the funnier escape attempts was a 'Everybody swims for it' attempt, but one of the guards heard of this and said it was ok by him, but added 'Watch out for the man eating sharkes', everybody went back to work.

It appears Al Capone spent 4 years in the hospital on the island, no on knows what cell he had, strange that?

The food was the best in the counrty and it was also pleasing to the eye, it needed to be as the most dangerous people in the counrty had forks, knives and spoons in their hands

When it was built the government believed Jail should be about punishing criminals, that changed when popular public opion held that 'Prisoners should be reformed'

JFK ordered it to be colsed as it was too expencive to maintain, and they coldn't keep dumping sewage into the bay, No, No, No!!
Water had to be brought from the mainland, 250,000 twice a week, seem's like a lot, doesen't it?

Other inmates were
The Birdman, he never kept birds on Alcatraz, he wasn't very popular, but he was very intellegent and highly educated. He might have been an exception to the rule 'Stay in school kids'
Machien gun Kelly was thought of as a very nice fellow, never gave any trouble.


The exercise was the best place in the prison, the prisoners came up with their own version of Bridge and some guys obsessed with the game. It would appear it was a reputation thing going on here. Guys were so obsessed they would go to the exercise yeard on really cold days and play for 3 hours, the cold obiously was the last thing on their mind.

One of the inmates was taught by his grandmother to Croche, so he taught other prisoners how to do it, so there was heaps of tough guys crocheing. must have been a funny sight.

One of the worst things about the rock was being able to smell Chocolate (there was a factory by the south end doc), you could hear women laughing, music and see ships come and go with great views. And all the time your locked up in a cage most of the day.

Found a reference to this, it's useless information, my style 'Introducing the Hell Fire Club'