Alcatraz Prison

Alcatraz Prison
First	"Pilot"
Last	N/A
Location	Offshore San Francisco, CA, USA
Purpose	Lighthouse, military fortification and prison
Status	Closed

For the real prison history, see Alcatraz Prison on Wikipedia.

For the new facility, see New Alcatraz.

“	Ten years on The Rock, you'll be the first to come willingly.	”
—Edwin James, "Ernest Cobb"

Alcatraz Prison, located on Alcatraz Island (often referred to as "The Rock"), was an American prison located in the San Francisco Bay.

History[]

1775[]

The island was discovered by the Spanish explorer and naval officer Juan de Ayala, who named is "La Isla de los Alcatraces," translated to "The Island of the Pelicans."

1934[]

In August 1934, the Alcatraz Island became a Federal Bureau of Prisons federal prison, after being acquired by the United States Department of Justice in 1933.

1963[]

On the evening of March 20, 1963, police officers Hauser and Paul arrived at Alcatraz as part of a prisoner transfer. They discovered all of the facilities on the island to be abandoned, including the main cell block. All 302 inmates and guards disappeared, and the prison was closed the next day.

The official cover story indicated that due to the high operating costs and the condition of the facilities, Alcatraz was shut down, on the order of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

2012[]

The prison became a popular attraction for historians and tourists. Hauser, who has since became a government agent, built a research lab underneath the prison, which served as the headquarters for his task force.

Along with former psychiatrist Lucy Banerjee and former doctor Beauregard, Hauser rebuilt the main cell block in an underground location within the redwoods in San Francisco. As the vanished inmates and guards started reappearing in late 2011 and early 2012, Hauser began tracking them down and re-incarcerating them in the new facility.

Facilities[]

The barracks[]

The guards and their families lived at the barracks. After the Disappearance in 1963, all of the inmates' private belongings and personal files were stored in boxes at the barracks. ("Pilot")

During his research of Alcatraz, Diego Soto came scrolled a locked room that contained all the boxes, but could not access it. In 2012, Soto and Rebecca Madsen broke into the room in search of information on Jack Sylvane. The two were gassed by Emerson Hauser, whose underground base was located near by. ("Pilot")

Infirmary[]

Sick and injured inmates were sent to the infirmary, which was overlooked by the lead doctor, Beauregard. Both Tommy Madsen and Jack Sylvane had blood transfusions conducted by the infirmary staff for unknown reason. Sylvane had his taken while he was asleep, while Madsen was constantly giving blood, due to his bad relationship with Beauregard. ("Pilot") ("Cal Sweeney")

Smoking was permitted, as Beauregard constantly smoked, and even offered some to Kit Nelson. ("Kit Nelson")

Mentally-ill patients were also sent to the infirmary. Ernest Cobb was strapped to a bed following him sharing a cell with Yapper, and was visited by a psychiatrist, Lucille Sengupta. ("Ernest Cobb")

cell house[]

The main cell house contained the inmates' cells. Each cell was 5-by-9 feet, and included a toilet, a sink, and a sleeping cot. A tag on each cell included the inmate's personal number.

Regular routines would include lining up for visiting hours and morning counting by the guards. Punishment for disobedience during any of the routines was solitary confinement.

Mess hall[]

The tear gas cans in action.

The mess hall was also known as "the Gas Chamber," due to the 13 tear gas cans attached to the ceiling. As described by Guy Hastings, the mess hall was the most dangerous room in the most dangerous prison in the world, due to the freedom of movement given to the prisoners. A fight between the white and black inmates due to Clarence Montgomery being a chef in the kitchens resulted in the guards evacuating and detonating the tear gas cans.

Recreation yard[]

Inmates, constantly under the supervision of guards, were allowed to spend time in the recreation yard. Activities included gathering in groups, smoking, or beating a fellow inmate. While usually such a behavior would not be accepted, the guards looked the other way when Kit Nelson, a known child killer, was routinely attacked. ("Kit Nelson")

Solitary[]

Main article: Solitary confinement

Visiting area[]

Family members would visit the inmates during the visiting hours. The visitors and inmates were separated by a glass, and communicated via a phone. A list of visitors had to be approved by both inmates and wardens, though when Mr. Nelson, who was not on the visitors' list, desired to visit his son, Warden James allowed it. ("Pilot") ("Kit Nelson")

Jack Sylvane was not given a visit by his wife when Warden Tiller planted a screwdriver in his cell. A month later, during another visit, Sonya asked Sylvane for a divorce, as she was going to marry his brother. Sylvane angrily tossed his chair and was dragged away to solitary for his behavior. ("Pilot")

Warden's residence[]

Underground base[]

Main article: Underground Alcatraz Base

The underground base was built by Emerson Hauser and the Alcatraz Task Force sometime after 1963. The base serves as the task force's headquarters, and currently, the access to the base was not yet shown. ("Pilot")

Notable residents[]

Wardens[]

Edwin James[]

Main article: Edwin James

“	This is my prison, son, and I can do whatever the hell I like.	”
—Edwin James, "Ernest Cobb"

Edwin James was the chief warden of Alcatraz from 1950 onward, to at least 1960, maybe until 1963. He took pleasure in torturing inmates by taunting them and using their weaknesses against them. A key example of his hospitality was Ernest Cobb, who suffered from frequent emotional taunts from James. James held a high position, and was feared and respected even by his guards. He enjoyed much better facilities then those of his inmates.

E.B. Tiller[]

Main article: E.B. Tiller

“	Remember, this is Alcatraz. Things can always get worse.	”
—E.B. Tiller, "Pilot"

Deputy warden Elijah Bailey Tiller (commonly known as E.B. Tiller,) was deputy to Edwin James. He imposed his power with a substantial amount of corruptness on the inmates, from the age of 18 to 28, a notable example being when he planted a screwdriver inside Jack Sylvane's cell and refused to allow him a visit from his wife, framing him with an escape attempt. Tiller then joined the FBI, and received the Medal of Valor. At the age of 78, he was murdered by Sylvane in an act of revenge.

Inmates[]

Main article: List of Alcatraz Inmates

Guards[]

Ray Archer[]

Main article: Ray Archer

Ray Archer is Rebecca Madsen's surrogate uncle, later found out to be her real uncle; and a former police detective and Alcatraz guard. To ensure that the reality about Rebecca's grandfather, Tommy Madsen, was kept secret, Ray told her they were both guards and best friends during their service on Alcatraz. In reality, Madsen was inmate #2002. Archer quit Alcatraz before March 21, 1963, as he was not affected by the unknown disappearance and resurfacing of the other inmates and personnel.