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Brief History Of Alcatraz In The 1930's

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The 1930’s was hard for many citizens of the United States. Many people were losing their jobs and turning towards a life of crime to feed their families. Ordinary people became criminals to make money to get the basic needs that any human being deserves. Prison after Prison was built to accommodate criminals during the rise in the crime rate. One of the best known prisons during this time was Alcatraz also known as the ‘The rock’ or ‘hellcatraz’.

Alcatraz was known as a secure and harsh place for chronic criminals who caused trouble at other correctional facilities. It was built to be virtually escape proof, “there were elevated gun houses on each end of the cellhouse. From behind narrow walkways guards could see prisoners at all times. A series of electronically controlled gates and doors secured the cell house entrance. In the ceiling of the dining hall were tear-gas canisters. Barbed wire topped a cyclone fence that encircled the prison. Even if a man got past the guards and man-made obstacles, he still faced a formidable …show more content…

Even though Alcatraz was so secure some still tried to escape. One such attempt happened in 1946 six prisoners led by Bernard Coy and Joseph Cretzer managed to confiscate weapons from a guard. They intended to make a daring escape but were halted from leaving the cellhouse. The convicts controlled the building for two days while the Navy and coast guard circled around. Marines volunteered to take care of the problem and they did with overwhelming force. The Marines threw grenade after grenade at the wall and inside the building through the vents that all you could see was smoke . To get them to stop, Cretzer pointed his gun at the officers they had hostage and open fired. This did not stop the Marines from opening fire on the building. In the end Cretzer, Coy and Martin Hubbard died from bullet wound or grenades maybe even both. The others were soon after executed at San Quentin. Escape attempts were almost impossible for average

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