Infamous Inmates
Al Capone is still considered to be one of the most notorious mobsters in American history, and he thrived during the Great Depression. Despite all of the crimes, including murder, bootlegging, and prostitution, Capone was only convicted of tax evasion. Capone was sentenced to eleven years in a federal prison. Al Capone stayed in a federal prison in Atlanta, and began manipulating the system; he was then considered an escape threat. The correctional system then determined the only solution was Alcatraz.
George Kelly was considered "an expert machine gunner," and that appeared on each one of his wanted posters. This is where George acquired the nickname "Machine Gun Kelly". George was in and out of jail his whole life for various crimes. Then one day George and his accomplices kidnapped the wealthy oil tycoon Charles Urschel, and then held him at a ransom of 200,000 dollars. They got the money and were eventually caught. George and his accomplices were all given life sentences and George was transferred to Leavenworth in Kansas, but George's girlfriend told the guards that he was going to breakout and save her and that they were going to spend Christmas together. The correctional system took this as a threat and then transferred him to Alcatraz, he was eventually transferred back to Leavenworth; where he died.
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Robert Stroud is considered to be the most famous or well-known inmate of Alcatraz. Stroud was convicted of first degree manslaughter and was sent to McNeil Island. While there, he developed a violent personality. Stroud stabbed several inmates and a hospital orderly. These actions forced him to transfer to Leavenworth. While in Leavenworth Stroud refused to visit his brother and then fatally stabbed a guard in the mess hall. This incident got Stroud convicted of first degree-murder and was sentenced to death by hanging. His sentence eventually became life in solitary confinement. After thirty years in Leavenworth, he was transferred to Alcatraz. While in prison, Stroud developed an obsession with canaries; Stroud eventually wrote two books on canaries and provided biologists with important research about these birds. This is where his nickname came from.
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