Alcatraz has been known as the most menacing prison on the face of the earth. It’s secluded on an island and nearly impossible to escape. Or, at least that’s what they said.
That was until one day in June of 1962. A group of three men dared to do the impossible and their fate still remains unknown. Did they drown? Did they escape and create new lives for themselves under a different alias? Let’s take a deeper look.
Why This Is Being Talked About
This was a cold case for decades. No one really knew where the three men who escaped in 1962 really went. Police hadn’t heard anything.
That is until the San Francisco police received a letter claiming the be John Anglin, one of the guys who escaped, in early January, 2018.
What The Letter Contained
The letter, if legitimate, could explain exactly what happened that June day. It could put to rest all of the conspiracy theories that have followed this case since 1962.
The letter itself was written in 2013, but kept under wraps by police to verify its authenticity until 2018. That was when the FBI decided to re-open the case.
What Makes The Story So Compelling?
This story is truly incredible. Alcatraz was regarded as the toughest prison on the planet and housed some of the worst criminals.
It was a maximum security prison that never had a prisoner escape. There were many attempts. Some were caught, others were found dead in the water after trying to swim across the bay.
How They Were Going To Do It
In theory, the plan was fairly simple. Actually, it was really simple. But, it would require the coordination of many people, which in Alcatraz would be nearly impossible.
Like I mentioned, many have tried to escape before and none of them were successful. So, what was going to make these guys different?
Let’s Meet The Inmates
The members of the group were brothers John and Clarence Anglin, Frank Lee Morris, and Allen West.
The four men all had cells near each other and spent much of their time devising this plan. This plan would take all of the courage they could muster up, and any resources they could get their hands on.
Frank Lee Morris
Morris was a troublemaker who was no stranger to crime and prison. He was convicted at the age of 13 for his first crime.
Little did he know, he was destined for greatness. Just not the greatness most people want beside their name. He’d go down as the mastermind behind this Great Escape.
He’s Been There Before
As an adult, Morris served prison time in many different states for many different crimes. He had previously escaped from a prison in Louisiana that was dubbed the “Alcatraz of the South”.
He was caught a year after escaping for trying to rob a bank. After that capture he was sent to Alcatraz.
The Bros
Morris would not be able to do this by himself. He needed some help. That help came in the form of two brothers named John and Clarence Anglin.
The brothers would spend a lot of their childhood swimming in Lake Michigan. It didn’t seem like an important point at the time, but it would help them in their escape.
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