Alcatraz Read Online Free PDF Page A

inmate files.
    Kate Stuckert, Mary Drew, and Charlotte Lewis transcribed hundreds of hours of interviews and contributed valuable suggestions and comments on the pages of chapter drafts that passed through their hands. Alison Cox and Gwen Gmeinder also contributed to this project.
    Maxine Clapp, Penelope Krosh, and Lois Hendrickson, supervisors of the Archives Division of the University of Minnesota (and horrified at the condition of inmate records when they arrived at the university library), gave expert advice on the measures we took to preserve this unique collection of prison records.
    Bureau of Prisons staff who made important contributions in addition to those by Anne Schmidt already noted in the preface include John Galvin and Peter Chaplick. Anne has been a constant source of support. Former Assistant Director John Galvin provided me with several very useful preliminary (handwritten) compilations of the characteristics of Alcatraz inmates undertaken at his direction; the data on inmates’ commitment offenses, race, age, transfers, and so on confirmed that our one-third sample of inmates accurately represented the entire population. Pete Chaplick, former medical staff member at Alcatraz, who later in his career became an administrator at the Western Regional Office of the Bureau of Prisons, helped us by locating and contacting former Alcatraz employees and assuring them that Directors Bennett and Carlson had encouraged them to talk with us. Pete’s assistance allowed us to begin our series of interviews with the most senior staff and to record the views of employees who were on the island from the day the prison opened in summer 1934 to the day it closed in March 1963.
    Former Alcatraz staff members who were of particular assistance because they agreed to more than one lengthy interview include Lt. Maurice Ordway, Capt. Phillip Bergen, Lt. Isaac Faulk, and Olin Blackwell, the last warden of Alcatraz. Lt. Ordway and several other veteran officers also provided important photographs, records, pamphlets, newspaper articles and other memorabilia collected during their years on the island. Associate Warden Richard Willard, the last associate warden who becamecustodian in charge of the island for several years after staff and inmates left, had the good sense—and the time—to salvage a large number of items from inmate files, prison records, reports, and photographs, which he made available to me.
    Former gangster-era prisoners who were interviewed multiple times include James Quillen, Dale Stamphill, Charles Berta, and Willie Radkay. In addition to a daylong interview at his home, Harmon Waley continued to communicate with me by means of frequent telephone conversations and written correspondence; his was an especially important perspective since he spent twenty-two and a half years on the island and because he gave me a handwritten critique of every page in the book by Alvin Karpis, the only man who had done more time—twenty-five years—on the Rock. Willie Radkay’s remarkable recall was put to good use during our five interviews, and through many letters, and dozens of telephone calls. Later, with the help of his niece, Patty Terry, Willie produced his own book, as did Jim Quillen. Jim, Floyd Harrell, and Floyd Hamilton also communicated ideas and information to me through correspondence.
    Robert Kirby and Colleen Collins, supervisors of the National Park Service, both determined to give the visitors the most reliable information possible about the prison and the prisoners, helped me to explore every inch of Alcatraz Island. Working on the project with them as well as current ranger Lori Brosnan was a genuine pleasure.
    Chuck Stucker, president of the Alcatraz Alumni Association (former Alcatraz employees, their children, grandchildren, or other relatives), and former officer George Devincenzi also provided important information.
    Eric Engles’s editorial work included a reorganization of chapters that would