Dead or Alive
Did Frank Morris, Clarence, and John Anglin escape from Alcatraz alive? These three inmates all had the dream of freedom. For months they planned an ingenious escape and finally were able to get off the island.(Lenny Flank). Once in the San Francisco Bay, they drowned in the frigid waters never to be seen again. Much evidence supports that the three men died while trying to get to shore. The objects found in the water prove that Frank Morris, Clarence, and John Anglin did not survive their attempt to escape Alcatraz because of the freezing waters and strong tidal currents. Although, they died in the Bay, they had a brilliant escape plan.
In 1962, one of the greatest escape attempts was undertook. Frank Lee Morris, the mastermind of the outbreak, was destined to be able to figure out how to break out of Alcatraz. He had escaped from multiple prisons before. The escape plan took months, but once completed it would leave thousands puzzled how they managed it. Frank, Clarence, and John started by collecting tools. These tools were used to dig through
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the concrete of their cells, but they needed a way to cover up their progress. So they took up the skill of painting. From there they were able to quickly cover up what they had done, while easily being able to take it down. Then they modeled replicas of their heads using real hair (Sarah Pruitt). They got this hair from the barber shop where Clarence Anglin worked. Once they were able to get out of their cells, they needed a way out of the building. They discovered that they could climb up the pipes and after weeks of working to loosen the vent of the cell block they escaped. From there they made their way off the roof and down by the water. From a makeshift raft designed out of raincoats, they filled it with air, put on their acquired life preservers and made way off the island. While their plan of escape was clever, was it clever enough to stand the freezing cold waters of the San Francisco Bay. The frigid water of the San Francisco Bay would give a man hypothermia in minutes. According to the article, “ The Great Escape From Alcatraz,” the water temperature was 50-54 degrees. They also state, “It was determined that exposure to the elements would have affected the body in approximately twenty minutes.” The showers to Alcatraz were always supplied with hot water, therefore, the inmates could not get used to cold water like as in the San Francisco Bay. There is much evidence in the San Francisco Bay that the men did not survive.
BBC News claims, “The San Francisco Bay Area has one of the strongest tidal currents going under the Golden Gate Bridge.” This indicates that it was very unlikely the men could survive the one-mile journey to shore. According to the article, “Did Anyone Escape,” the men left from the west side of the island. The men chose to escape right after high tide where undertow was worst. Also, Morris and the Anglins were in average condition, swimming at the wrong time making it highly improbable they could make the swim as professionals in peak condition could. In the same article it states, “As you go, the water tends to pull your feet down.” This evidence proves that it was highly unlikely they could survive after their raft failed. Although the tide made it hard for them to survive the journey, many items have been found in the
water. After the escape there were many traces of evidence that they died. First of all, the life preservers were found floating in the water with teeth marks. This made many believe that once the life preservers failed, the men tried to keep the air in by biting down. Also, a paddle was found floating in the water. The paddle was identified by matching the paddle left for Allen West up on B block. According to the article, “Escaping Alcatraz,” family photos belonging to the Anglin Brothers washed up on the Bay. This evidence indeed proves that they died and their belongings drifted to the Bay. Also, a few months after the escape a body was spotted floating in the water. The body was wearing what appeared to be a prisoner’s uniform. This can be proved because it has been proven that a body can float after 5 weeks. Many people believe that Morris and the Anglin’s made it to shore because no bodies have been found. Although no bodies have been identified as one of the escapees, one body has been sighted and assumed to belong to one of the inmates. The article, “Escape From Alcatraz: June 11, 1962,” states, “ A Norwegian Freighter reported seeing a body floating 20 miles northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge on July 17, wearing what appeared to be denim trousers similar to those issued by the prison.” This suggests that they were unable to make it to shore and drowned. Also, on the same night of their escape, a young man committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. He was never found either. By the force of the tides it is likely that the men were carried out to sea. In summary, the Anglin Brothers and Frank Morris drowned while in their brilliant escape from Alcatraz. These men drowned because of the frigid waters, strong tidal currents, and the evidence supporting that they died in the bay. Frank Morris, Clarence, and John Anglin will always be remembered in history for their failed escape attempt from the most secure prison on earth.
After the towers collapsed people where trying to get off the island of Manhattan any way that could. With all the tunnels, subways, and bridges closed, there was only one way off the island, by boat. In the documentary, a boat captain tells how people were so desperate to get off the island they were literally jumping in to the water or on to the side of boats. People with every kind of boat were letting people on, trying to get people off the island and help any way they could. There where so many people trying to get off the island, boats where getting so full that they were getting close to flipping or sinking.
Inmates returning from an exercise yard in the late afternoon overwhelmed correctional staff and seized hostages. Inmates were reportedly upset about overcrowding and suspended privileges. They set fires, which destroyed more then half of the 31 buildings and took hostages who were not only guards but also other inmates who were not willing to join in the rioting. The riot ended through negotiations and the inmates were confined to their cells. The superintendent informed news and officials that the riot was over. The next day the superintendent met with the inmates to discuss their grievances. Unknown to the superintendent or staff many of the cells which the inmates were confined to were not secure permitting the start of a second riot later that day allowing prisoners to escape and take more then 17 more hostages and injuring 138 officers. About 800 troopers were on the scene during the peak of the riots with hundreds more en route to begin shift changes as the riots continued for a 3 day period. Negotiations were again attempted, but the riot finally ended when state police forcibly entered the compound.
The New York Times writes, “Al Capone was found guilty here tonight on five of the twenty-three counts contained in the two indictments brought against him by the Federal Government for income tax evasion from 1924 to 1929,” (1). Capone was later sentenced to the Atlanta U.S. Penitentiary in May of 1932. Upon his arrival at Atlanta, Capone was officially diagnosed with syphilis and gonorrhea. He was also suffering from withdrawal symptoms from his cocaine addiction. Capone was then sent to the newly opened Alcatraz prison, located off of San Francisco Bay, on January 6, 1939. Capone was released on parole later that year and spent his last years retired from crime at his mansion in Palm Island Florida. Capone suffered from a stroke on January 21, 1947. Following his stroke, the big boss of Chicago died in his home on January 25, 1947. Chicago’s king had retired
Capone lived in Alcatraz for 11 years and when he got out he fell ill with Neurosyphilis and died from his disease on january 25 1947.
In the movie The Finest Hours (2016), a group of four men from the Coast Guard try to hunt down a ship that had split in half because of the strong waves caused by a massive winter storm. During the attempted rescue, the Coast Guard crew faced some difficulties. The large waves almost caused them to get stranded too. The waves knocked off their compass. Determined to get the job done, the crew decided to continue their rescue mission. Without a compass it was nearly impossible to find the ship and impossible for anyone to find them if they ship wreck because of the storm. With all the odds against them, the crew managed to find the wrecked ship and save all but one survivor. The crew managed to return home, in the
They survived because they persevered and overcame challenges to survive. In the titanic disaster Jack Thayer survived because of multiple things. One he had Milton Long to help him, two he jumped into the cold and freezing water by himself as the suction from the ship was sinking him down into the water, and lastly he stayed on top of a upside down lifeboat for a hour in the freezing cold weather and water to survive the Titanic. From the text of the article Into the Dark Water it says “ Jack threw off his overcoat and, he later said, “with a push of my arms and hands, jumped into the water as far out from the ship as I could. . . . Down, down I went, spinning in all directions.” He struggled to the surface, gasping from the cold, his lungs near to bursting.“ and also it said “ Over the next few minutes, he and the others on the lifeboat managed to pull 24 men out of the water alive. The group was “packed like sardines” on the boat, their arms and legs tangled together. Freezing waves washed over them. Nobody moved for fear of slipping into the water.” That is how Jack persevered through the Titanic disaster and how other people persevere through other
Together they created a plan to lower a chamber down to Squalus, latch onto it, and transport sailors back to the surface. Temporary communications over an anchor took place: men inside Squalus took hammers to pound out Morse code through the water, which transmitted to ships above. Anxious families waited for news of loved ones, which did not arrive for several days. Within the submarine, concerns were rising as temperatures were rapidly dropping to arctic levels. Oxygen was running low. Divers were sent down to monitor the rescue chamber, which successfully brought three groups of men to safety, to the surface, and to great relief. However, the fourth and last trip of the rescue chamber was not nearly so successful. Steel cords snapped until one was left. The ten men aboard managed to slowly, over the course of four hours, travel upwards by carefully balancing internal air pressure with water pressure, air pressure with water pressure, until at last they reached the surface. Overjoyed families reunited with their loved ones, almost forty hours after the dive of
Due to the lack of evidence claiming they died and the overwhelming evidence that there is to back up that they are alive. I believe that the Anglin brothers successfully made it out of Alcatraz alive.
Apparently #8612 was going to get a gang of friends, come back, and free all of the prisoners. Zimbardo describes his own reactions at the time as one of maintaining security in his prison, instead of observing what would have happened, like a psychologist would do. Zimbardo cleared the prison and waited for the “gang” to show up, but they never did. The rumor proved false and the research team rebuilt the prison. A full day without any data collected.
Those at the back of the boat bail out the sides landing in the ocean
Alcatraz Island has quite a distinct history. Many people know that Alcatraz served as a federal prison, but most are reluctant to know that this island served as fort. Built before the Civil War, it served two main purposes. First, that it was to guard the San Francisco bay area from enemy ships against a foreign invasion, and second, to hold hostage prisoners of war or POW's as they were called. In this report, I'll show you how this fortress came to be a federal prison, why it is no longer in operation today, and most importantly, to show why it was built in the first place. When the great "Gold Rush" of 1849 first started, California grew from what would be considered a small, unpopulated state, into what it is now. California is now one of the most populated states and it was mostly the gold rush that brought attention to California. As the government saw all of this happening, they realized that California was much more important than they ever realized. In their realization, they decided that California must be protected. San Francisco has one of the largest bays in all of California, and so this was where enemy countries would most likely to try to invade the country. So this is where Alcatraz was to lie, to serve as a military fort. It was supposed to serve as a secondary base in companionship to another base located on the other side of Golden Gate Bridge. But with severe problems trying to build this other base, Alcatraz was to remain alone. "Out in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, the island of Alcatraz is definitely a world unto itself. Isolation is just one of the many constants of island life for any inhabitant on Alcatraz Island. It is the most reoccurring theme in the unfolding history of Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Island is one of Golden Gate National Recreation Area's most popular destinations, offering a close-up look at a historic and infamous federal prison long off-limits to the public. Visitors to the island can not only explore the remnants of the prison, but learn of the American occupation of 1969 - 1971, early military fortifications and the West Coast's first and oldest operating lighthouse. These structures stand among the island's many natural features - gardens, tidepools, bird nests, and bay views beyond compare." (1) Fortress Alcatraz ran in operation from 1850 - 1933. It served as San Fr...
In the story "The Open Boat," by Stephen Crane, Crane uses many literary techniques to convey the stories overall theme. The story is centered on four men: a cook, a correspondent, Billie, an oiler who is the only character named in the story, and a captain. They are stranded in a lifeboat in stormy seas just off the coast of Florida, just after their ship has sunk. Although they can eventually see the shore, the waves are so big that it is too dangerous to try to take the boat in to land. Instead, the men are forced to take the boat further out to sea, where the waves are not quite as big and dangerous. They spend the night in the lifeboat and take turns rowing and then resting. In the morning, the men are weak and exhausted. The captain decides that they must try to take the lifeboat as close to shore as possible and then be ready to swim when the surf inevitably turns the boat over and throws the men into the cold sea. As they get closer to land a big wave comes and all the men are thrown into the sea. The lifeboat turns over and the four men must swim into shore. There are rescuers waiting on shore who help the men out of the water. Strangely, as the cook, captain and correspondent reach the shore safely and are helped out of the water, they discover that, somehow, the oiler has drowned after being smashed in the surf by a huge wave. (255-270) “The Open Boat’s” main theme deals with a character’s seemingly insignificant life struggle against nature’s indifference. Crane expresses this theme through a suspenseful tone, creative point of view, and a mix of irony.
But the swell at high tide was way too big. We watched the drenched crew do a test run and ride the gauntlet through the rocky entrance of the harbour. The captain informed us that the island authorities had refused permission for us to disembark by zodiac until the sea subsided. A wet chief islander and customs officers came on board to stamp an albatross and a volcano in our passports. The post office staff came aboard to sell stamps, postcards and handcrafts to the waiting
Everyone thought Alcatraz was “escape proof”, but they were proven wrong. About 36 men in total attempted to escape from Alcatraz. The three men who actually escaped and did the impossible were Frank Morris, John Anglin and Clarence Anglin. Frank Morris was seen as the mastermind behind the escape. Frank Morris and The Anglin Brothers escaped from Alcatraz on June 11, 1962. To travel on water, the inmates used a raft made of raincoats. The biggest part of the escape was that the three men created fake dummy heads of themselves to use as decoys. The FBI discovered that there might be a chance that the inmates didn’t survive. The escape of these three men will forever go down in
Some people say that the famous escape from Alcatraz was not successful and that they drowned after they got hyperthermia. So that some people say that they drowned but how would that raft and paddles wash up on the shore right next to each other. So there’s proving a little point but here’s more information about how they could have been the three to escape Alcatraz.