April 27, 1936: While doing his job burning trash, Joe Bowers started to climb the chain link fence at the edge of the island. After ignoring orders to stop and climb back down, Bowers was shot by a correctional officer, and then fell to the shore below. He died from his injuries.
December 16, 1937: While working in the mat shop, Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe had, over time, filed their way through the iron bars on a window. After climbing through the window, they made it to the edge of the island and disappeared into the San Fransisco bay. A terrible storm was going on at the time of the attempt. It is assumed, due to strong currents, that their bodies were swept out to sea. Officially, they were reported missing, and presumed to be dead.
May 23, 1938: While working in the wood shop, Thomas Limerick, Jimmy Lucas, and Rufus Franklin attacked an unarmed correctional officer (died from his injuries). The three inmates then climbed onto the roof in an attempt to disarm thee officer that was there. The officer on the roof shot Limerick and Franklin. Limerick died from his injuries. Lucas and Franklin received life sentences on Alcatraz from the murder of an officer.
January 13, 1939: Arthur "doc" Barker, Dale Stamphill, William Martin, Rufus McCain, and Henry Young escaped from the isolation unit by sawing through the iron cell bars. They had made it to the water's edge when they were spotted by a correctional officer. Martin, Young, and McCain surrendered. Stamphill and Barker were shot when they refused to surrender. Barker died from his injuries.
May 21, 1941: Joe Cretzner, Sam Shockley, Lloyd Barkdoll, and Arnold Kyle took a couple of correctional offices hostage while working in the industries area. The officers were able to convince the four inmates that they could not escape. The four inmates all ended up surrendering.
September 15, 1941: John Bayless attempted to escape while working the garbage detail. He made it to the cold water of the San Fransisco Bay and gave up shortly after that. He made his second attempt to escape while he was at his court hearing in San Fransisco. He was unsuccessful in his attempt.
April 14, 1943: Harold Brest, James Boarman, Fred Hunter, and Floyd Hamilton took two officers hostage while working in the industries area. All four climbed out of a window and made it to the water's edge. One of the hostages was able to alert the other officers. Shots were fired at Boarman, Brest and Hamilton who were swimming away from the island. Hunter and Brest were both recaptured. Boarman was hit by gunfire and sank before officers could get to him, his body was never recovered. It was initially thought that Hamilton had drowned, but after hiding out in a small cave for two days, Hamilton eventually made his way back into the industries area where he was discovered by correctional officers.
August 7, 1943: Huron "Ted" Walters disappeared for the prisons laundry building. He was recaptured at the shoreline before he could even make it to the San Fransisco Bay.
December 16, 1937: While working in the mat shop, Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe had, over time, filed their way through the iron bars on a window. After climbing through the window, they made it to the edge of the island and disappeared into the San Fransisco bay. A terrible storm was going on at the time of the attempt. It is assumed, due to strong currents, that their bodies were swept out to sea. Officially, they were reported missing, and presumed to be dead.
May 23, 1938: While working in the wood shop, Thomas Limerick, Jimmy Lucas, and Rufus Franklin attacked an unarmed correctional officer (died from his injuries). The three inmates then climbed onto the roof in an attempt to disarm thee officer that was there. The officer on the roof shot Limerick and Franklin. Limerick died from his injuries. Lucas and Franklin received life sentences on Alcatraz from the murder of an officer.
January 13, 1939: Arthur "doc" Barker, Dale Stamphill, William Martin, Rufus McCain, and Henry Young escaped from the isolation unit by sawing through the iron cell bars. They had made it to the water's edge when they were spotted by a correctional officer. Martin, Young, and McCain surrendered. Stamphill and Barker were shot when they refused to surrender. Barker died from his injuries.
May 21, 1941: Joe Cretzner, Sam Shockley, Lloyd Barkdoll, and Arnold Kyle took a couple of correctional offices hostage while working in the industries area. The officers were able to convince the four inmates that they could not escape. The four inmates all ended up surrendering.
September 15, 1941: John Bayless attempted to escape while working the garbage detail. He made it to the cold water of the San Fransisco Bay and gave up shortly after that. He made his second attempt to escape while he was at his court hearing in San Fransisco. He was unsuccessful in his attempt.
April 14, 1943: Harold Brest, James Boarman, Fred Hunter, and Floyd Hamilton took two officers hostage while working in the industries area. All four climbed out of a window and made it to the water's edge. One of the hostages was able to alert the other officers. Shots were fired at Boarman, Brest and Hamilton who were swimming away from the island. Hunter and Brest were both recaptured. Boarman was hit by gunfire and sank before officers could get to him, his body was never recovered. It was initially thought that Hamilton had drowned, but after hiding out in a small cave for two days, Hamilton eventually made his way back into the industries area where he was discovered by correctional officers.
August 7, 1943: Huron "Ted" Walters disappeared for the prisons laundry building. He was recaptured at the shoreline before he could even make it to the San Fransisco Bay.