The publicity that this institution has received has been very unfair. The picture portrayed by the papers and by rumor is of an institution run by beetle-browed guards, whose only delight is to drive the prisoners, a broken down group who have given up all hope of ever leaving this prison except in straitjackets or in coffins, with clubs, while backed up by sub-machine guns and tear gas. I’m ashamed that I partially believed such reports.
I have never before seen a group of prisoners that is as neat as this. They are clean shaven. When they come into the dining room, every head has been combed and I believe that every face has been washed. We wear coveralls with six buttons down the front, and as yet I haven’t seen a single button gone or unbuttoned. I’ve seen several of these men in other prisons, and even those that were the crumbiest now looks like a new clothespin. It is true that most of the faces are expressionless, but I’ve only seen them in the dining room, and since a “silent-system” is in effect the men are inclined to be serious.
Another thing of which I approve highly is that the guards and the prisoners are not allowed to fraternize together. This does away with having to meet one another socially even though the two groups can have nothing in common, and does away with a great deal of friction with which most other prisons must contend.
The guards, too, have affected me favorably. I expected to meet a group of martinets that cracked the whip instead of using their brains. So far they have been extremely polite and have used patience and instructions instead of the orders and growls one would expect. They are as neat as a group chosen to represent a State highway patrol, and if there are any of the chauvinists I expected, they must be hidden in the gun towers.
My only disappointments so far, are that I will not be permitted to write to my friends, and that the library here is much inferior to that of Leavenworth. But to compensate, the correspondence courses are superior.
Your loving brother,
/s/ Richard C. Franseen
Reg. No. 387
Alphonse Capone, 85-AZ
“I’m doing very nicely here, no hardships, respect my superiors and do my work, three meals a day, plenty exercise, music and all kinds of magazines...”
-Al Capone in letter to his son, Alcatraz 1938
Al Capone at Alcatraz.
Al Capone’s Warden’s Notebook file card.
Known as America’s “Ace Enemy,” Al Capone is sustained as one of the paramount crime magnates of the 20th Century. As one of the original island cast members, he remains one of the most central and historic figures linked to the history of USP Alcatraz.
Capone arrived at Alcatraz on August 22, 1934 with the first group of federal inmates. He was 35 years old. He had pled guilty to federal tax evasion in 1931, and was sentenced to serve an 11-year term in federal prison. He was transferred to Alcatraz from USP Atlanta where he had leveraged numerous privileges from the administration and had been rumored to govern felonious activities while inside.
In an early, unpublished handwritten manuscript written while still at Alcatraz, famed inmate Roy Gardner wrote about his fellow inmate:
Al Capone looms on the horizon of public interest as the most intriguing of all criminals, and to his intimates, he is quite as mysterious and baffling as he is to the public at large.
He radiates physical energy. He’s six feet of bone and muscle, tips the scales at well over 200 pounds, but contains within itself more of the force of human generosity than has ever been found in any man of his type since Robin Hood. And even in the dusk of the years with its gathering mantel of tradition, Robin Hood appeals less to the imagination and suggests much less of mystery and power than the contemporary figure of Al Capone.
In his appearance Capone somehow suggests all the contradictory tales which pass current as factual records of his activities. His face is swarthy like that of most Italians, but from it there emulates an energy that might have made him a public benefactor instead of public enemy. The only suggestion of criminality lurks in the two livid scars which disfigure the left side of his face. Of those scars he will not speak, and on inquiry of the subject stiffens him up like a cat when a dog appears.
That he is generous by nature is evidenced by his sympathetic brown eyes. With these he looks his interlocutor direct in the eyes with a wealth of human interest and understanding. He is interested in good in all men. This is proven by his many charities, and amplified by the fact that while he was in USP Atlanta he spent his money lavishly; and no one appeals to him in vain. He even helped a couple of prison guards who found themselves in financial difficulties (or thought they were). This of course brought him a legion of sycophantic followers who fawned and praised until it is doubtful if Capone possessed any means of taking a proper measure of himself.
At Alcatraz his money is useless for there is no way that in which he can spend it on anyone, not even on himself. The result is that the energy of the fawners and moochers goes into reverse and expresses itself in petty jealously and hatred. The big shots who formerly respected and courted him because of their fear of the power he wielded or from their desire to share that power now have him severely alone, but keep their distance because they fear his physical strength. Capone has proven himself to be a dangerous antagonist in hand to hand combat, because he is a vicious slugger and he always fights to win. There is none of the compromiser in his makeup, and for his enemy he has neither compassion nor respect. In 1936 a man by the name of Lucas stabbed Capone in the back with a pair of barber scissors. Capone had a banjo in his hands at the time, and what a weapon it proved to be. In less than ten seconds both Lucas and the banjo were total wrecks. From that on, Capone had no more trouble with Lucas because he made it his business to stay out of reach of the Chicago gangster.
Although convicted of income-tax evasion, Capone is in fact serving time for murder. Scandal-mania and police records credit him with having had at least thirty men put “on the spot,” and if that be true, it is no mean accomplishment from the standpoint of human adaptability. For as fiendish as the record seems to be, it is also true that men who commit murders for pay are not easy individuals to handle. They are everything that is repulsive to a normal man, weak sniveling cowards in human form, and the most difficult of all human rates to handle or deal with. Consider then the staggering amount of ability that be necessary to hold in line a dozen or more depraved killers who were living in the shadow of the gallows on account of carrying out the orders of their chief.
Capone denies any and all knowledge of the murders, or the reasons for the commission, but since those deaths all came at a time and under conditions that would serve the cause of his wide spread operations in liquor and gambling, and further because of he is such a commanding figure, it is difficult to regard his protestations of ignorance of the manner and reason for the deaths as justified. But to a man who knows criminals of a type who could be hired to commit murder; it is quite as difficult to conceive of any man possessing sufficient authority to hold mad dogs of that kind in check. Accordingly, whether the murders were committed upon the orders of Capone or not, he is revealed as a master of men. History has recorded the criminal accomplishments of such few men.
One of the funniest things I ever saw was when Capone assumed a condescending attitude toward Warden Johnston. At first, the warden registered amazement, and then developed into a “slow burn” like Edgar Kennedy in moving pictures. Ordinarily, the warden’s voice is soft and pleasant, but when he tried to answer Capone his voice sounded like cackle from a parched throat... Capone’s vanity and arrogance is the principle reason why he is the most hated man on Alcatraz, and his enemies spend much time and thought on planning a “no rap” way to kill him.
Robert Victor Luke
Robert Luke (AZ-1118) who also served time on Alcatraz, offered his views on Capone:
He was certainly treated like any other prisoner on the island. The same set of rules and regulations. He also had cons that he talked to and got along with. But he could not hav
e been treated with the same fear and respect he had when he was a mob boss in Chicago. He was sent to Alcatraz because of his notoriety. And because there were no con bosses in Alcatraz, Capone was treated the same way as any other prisoner. He probably arrived on Alcatraz with an air of superiority, but soon learned that he was just another con. Not only did he realize this from the prison administration, but almost certainly from the other cons. We all learned this fact of prison life quickly or we learned it the hard way. I think Al Capone had to learn this lesson the hard way because some con named Lucas in June of 1936 tried to kill him with half a pair of scissors. All tough guy Capone’s injuries were defensive. The shower room was probably the most dangerous place on Alcatraz. And we were all capable of inflicting all manner of injuries to any other prisoner. And could do this without any warning or remorse.
Alcatraz was a very harsh environment with no soft spots. I had the capability of using my imagination to leave for short periods of time, and I pity the cons who didn’t have that ability. Their existence in any prison was much harder without being able to have some respite. Reading and the ‘recreation’ yard was not enough. A lot of trouble came just from boredom and looking for something different and exciting to do. And that always ended with a short, or long, trip to the hole, the dark hole or segregation. Or all three! This happened to me and Al Capone. And was a fact of life in Alcatraz.
Al Capone’s life experience was as different from mine as night is from day... We were raised in a completely different environment; religion, family ties, early friendships that set our later activities, and our relationship with politicians/law enforcement. Al Capone believed in cooperation with these people for business reasons, whereas my view of that was completely opposite. Absolutely no cooperation! So Al Capone looked at my type of criminal as a ‘cowboy’, who was not under any ones control. ‘Cowboys’ and ‘gangsters’ didn’t mix. So the only thing we had in common was wearing a number on our backs.
Alcatraz completely isolated Capone from public view. Despite some of the depictions made by Gardner and Luke, he was generally considered a model inmate. Capone was said to quickly acclimate to the rules of the Rock, and for a short period even played the tenor banjo in a prison ensemble. His main prison cell (B-181, which was later renumbered to B-206) was located along the stretch of cells known as Michigan Avenue, and was considered a prime stretch of real estate on Alcatraz as it boasted clear northern views of the San Francisco Bay. When he first arrived, he also served time in C-433 (later renumbered to C-200), which was the end cell on the second tier closest to the recreation yard entrance.
As mentioned in Gardner’s writings, the most significant incident with Capone occurred in 1936 when he became the victim of a brutal stabbing attempt by fellow Alcatraz inmate James Lucas. Capone escaped with only minor wounds, but it would spark a series of petitions by his family to have Capone transferred from Alcatraz.
It was on Alcatraz that Capone started to exhibit unusual behaviors that were indicative of a serious neurological condition. Capone was soon diagnosed as suffering from paresis, which had been derived from syphilis. He had deteriorated significantly during his confinement on Alcatraz and in January 1939, he was transferred to Terminal Island (Federal Correctional Institution), Los Angeles, California, to receive definitive medical care.
Capone was released from prison on November 16, 1939, after having served seven years, six months, and fifteen days, and having paid all fines and back taxes. Upon his release he entered a Baltimore hospital for neurological treatment, and then went on to his Florida home, an estate on Palm Island, one of a string of islands in Biscayne Bay, which he had purchased in 1928.
Following his release, he had become mentally incapable of returning to gangland politics. In 1946, his physician and a Baltimore psychiatrist, after examination, both concluded that Al Capone had the mentality of a 12-year old child. Capone resided on Palm Island with his wife and immediate family, in a secluded atmosphere at his estate, until his death due to a stroke and pneumonia on January 25, 1947. He was 48 years of age.
Several letters in this collection were written during his time served at USP Atlanta just prior to his transfer to Alcatraz. Also included is correspondence by his brother Ralph to Warden Johnston, one of many petitions to have Capone transferred to a lower security institution.
The first featured document is a neuropsychiatric examination written while he was imprisoned at USP Atlanta. This document shows the nature of Capone’s family as related directly by Capone himself.
Ralph Capone
United States Public Health Service, United States Penitentiary Atlanta Georgia
May 18, 1932
Neuropsychiatric Examination
Alphonse Capone, 40886
FAMILY HISTORY
Capone photographed with his attorney J. Fritz Gordon (L) and Julio Morales (R), the Mayor of Havana during the Prohibition era.
Capone sitting inside the cabana of his Palm Island, Florida estate (photographed in 1930).
Father: Gabriel, died of heart trouble at the age of 55. Occupation: Barber
Teresa Riola Capone, age 68, living and in good health.
There were seven children in his mother’s family, five boys, two girls. He states that his mother exchanges correspondence with her relatives in Italy, but has no knowledge concerning the status of the family. He states the family history is negative as to insanity, tuberculosis, cancer, suicide, syphilis and consanguinity.
The families, both paternal and maternal, were natives of Italy. He has been informed that they were engaged in the business of buying, selling and exporting olive oil. His father learned the barber profession, became self-supporting and married at a very early age. Following the birth of the first child, he with his wife and child immigrated to this country, entering at New York City. He became engaged in operating a combination poolroom, bowling alley and barbershop, located in Brooklyn, where with the exception of the first child, the other members of the family were born. He was naturalized in living in the state of New York at Brooklyn, when he died. Since the death of his father, his mother and all other members of the family have been living at his home in Chicago.
PERSONAL HISTORY
He is the fourth member of the family of nine. Born at Brooklyn New York, January 18, 1899. Normal birth and childhood. He states that he has no knowledge of having had childhood diseases. Pneumonia at the age of 30. No other adult illnesses. He has three scars on the face, residuals of injuries received in a fight. Scar in the groin, residual of a bullet wound inflicted by an unknown person. No other injuries. Began school at the age of 7, attended regularly and reached six grade at 14. He states that he was interested in school and liked to attend. He took part in all the usual activities at school, and was considered apt by his teachers, and relates of nothing out of the ordinary during childhood. He states that at the age of twelve he obtained work as a pen boy in a bowling alley, working during vacation and after school hours. At the age of fourteen, he was compelled to quit school to assist with the support of his family.
He obtained employment in the production department of the United States Paper Box Company, manufacturers of fancy paper and leather boxes. He states this class of work requires considerable skill and beginners were paid seven dollars a week. He was promoted to a higher position and was receiving twenty-three dollars a week when he resigned after serving seven years with the one company. At the age of 22, he accepted a position as manager of a dance hall in New York City. Six months later he resigned to accept a similar position at Chicago. Here he became engaged in various business enterprises, including real estate, newspapers, hotels, garages, and security. He states that he is accumulated considerable money, and claims Chicago as his residence. He states that he ran away and married at the age of 17, his boyhood sweetheart. They had attended school together, and were working at the same factory when married. His wife was Mae Coughlin and 16 of age when they married. There is one child, no miscar
riages. Both wife and child are in good health and living at their home at Chicago. He contracted gonorrhea the age of 24; treated and cured by physician. In 1931 his blood wasserman showed positive for which he was given several intramuscular, anti-luetic injections. He denies the use of drugs, admits the use of beer and wine. No military record. No compensation.
CRIMINAL HISTORY
He states his arrest have been too numerous to mention, using as a criterion the fact that he was arrested at different times in twenty-four hours at Miami Florida. 1929 - Arrested in Philadelphia, PA., by city police and charged with possession of a revolver. Pled guilty. Sentenced to serve one year in jail. 1931 - Arrested in Chicago by federal officers, charged with having violated the income tax law. Pled not guilty. Sentenced to serve ten years in this institution.
MENTAL EXAMINATION
This is a large, well-developed, white man, 33-years of age. He enters the examining room promptly, answers questions freely, relevantly and coherently. He is courteous, cooperative and correctly oriented in all spheres. He states that at present he is serving a sentence of ten years in this institution, charged with having violated the federal income tax law. He states that he does not know wherein he has violated this law, as no income was proved in his case, though the fact that he had spent fairly large sums of money was brought out as evidence of his having had income. Prior to his indictment he states that he had gone to the officers of the internal revenue department and had asked them to submit figures to him, showing the amount of income tax he should have paid, and at that time he would be glad to make any satisfactory adjustment of monies due. He says that at that time he was told that the amount due would be somewhere between thirty and $50,000, but after he had advised that he would pay the amount would deftly stated, no further communication was had with him until he was indicted. He states that after having been indicted, he agreed to plead guilty and thereby saving the government about one half million dollars court costs, provided he would receive of not more than two and a half years. He states that such an agreement was made by the Attorney General Mr. Balentine, representative of the Secretary of Treasury, by the District Attorney and by the judge. It was on this account and with this understanding that he pled guilty, expecting to receive the two and a half year sentence immediately, and probably then he permitted to spend thirty days in Chicago to straighten out his financial affairs. Upon his plea of guilty he states that he was told to return to the court in thirty days and received his sentence. Upon his return he was and buys that the only condition under which his plea of guilty would be accepted would be unconditional, or without any obligation on the part of the judge. Capone states that in as much as there was a possibility of receiving seventy-seven years on the indictment and charges as preferred, he withdrew his plea of guilty and entered a plea of not guilty, whereupon he stood trial.
Letters from Alcatraz Page 6
