THE CASE: WHAT HAPPENED?
Alcatraz, nicknamed “The Rock”was once known as being one of the most fortified and secure prisons in the world, holding criminals like Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and many dangerous convicts with a history of escaping. This was mainly because of its location, placed on an island that was surrounded by the cold and choppy waters of the Pacific Ocean, right off the coast of California. It was famous for its reputation of being impossible to escape from--until these three inmates made their escape in one of the most famous wanted cases in our history.
The timeline starts in December, when inmates Frank Morris, Allen West, and John and Clarence Anglin began to plot their plan. Using a homemade drill made out of the motor of a broken vacuum cleaner, they loosened the air vents of their cells by drilling small holes closely adjacent to each other around the cover, and would break apart so they could initiate the first part of their escape. Behind the vents was a utility hall that was unguarded, and also where the inmates had been planning their escape with the guise that the “construction” would leave smoke, so they were allowed a curtain to hide their materials.
WIth more than 50 raincoats that they had gathered, they used them to create makeshift life vests and a 6x14 inch raft, which they had carefully stitched and even vulcanized by the hot steam pipes that were in the prison. They also used an assortment of instruments to add to the raft to make it float, as well as even wooden paddles.
For the actual day of the escape, to get a head start, the escapees made heads made out of wax (including hair) in an effort to trick the guards into thinking they were asleep, and the distraction worked. Allen West had not been able to pry his vent open and was left inside of the prison. The rest were forced to leave him behind, partaking in climbing up 30 feet up a series of pipes. They crossed the rooftop of the prison and made it down another 50 feet of piping, and they were never seen or heard of again.
The timeline starts in December, when inmates Frank Morris, Allen West, and John and Clarence Anglin began to plot their plan. Using a homemade drill made out of the motor of a broken vacuum cleaner, they loosened the air vents of their cells by drilling small holes closely adjacent to each other around the cover, and would break apart so they could initiate the first part of their escape. Behind the vents was a utility hall that was unguarded, and also where the inmates had been planning their escape with the guise that the “construction” would leave smoke, so they were allowed a curtain to hide their materials.
WIth more than 50 raincoats that they had gathered, they used them to create makeshift life vests and a 6x14 inch raft, which they had carefully stitched and even vulcanized by the hot steam pipes that were in the prison. They also used an assortment of instruments to add to the raft to make it float, as well as even wooden paddles.
For the actual day of the escape, to get a head start, the escapees made heads made out of wax (including hair) in an effort to trick the guards into thinking they were asleep, and the distraction worked. Allen West had not been able to pry his vent open and was left inside of the prison. The rest were forced to leave him behind, partaking in climbing up 30 feet up a series of pipes. They crossed the rooftop of the prison and made it down another 50 feet of piping, and they were never seen or heard of again.