Once home to the US ’s most evil criminals, Alcatraz now only opens its doors to tourists looking for a taste of the darker side of history. On August 11 1934 – 90 years ago today – Alcatraz welcomed in the first prisoners who once ran riot across America. The maximum security jail was marooned on a remote island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, and house more than 1,500 prisoners in the 30 years it ran.
Inmates only had the right to food, shelter, clothing and medical care, everything else was deemed a luxury, and had to be earnt under the strict regime. So who were the most notorious people housed between its walls? Alvin Karpis Karpis, once officially public enemy number one, was the leader of a gang of robbers, hijackers and kidnappers. The group killed anyone who got in their way, including innocent bystanders, and even pulled off a train robbery in Garrettsville, fleeing with a £27,000 fortune.
He was eventually captured and sentenced to life in prison in 1932 for ten murders, six kidnappings and a robbery. Karpis served out the longest sentence of any other prisoners at 26 years long. One former guard Al Bloomquist described him as a ‘mild nuisance’ and said he often complained about the prison’s poor conditions and fought with other inmates.
He was transferred to McNeil Island Penitentiary in Washington as Alcatraz began closing down in 1962, where he died. Al Capone Alphone Gabriel Capone – also known by his nickname ‘Scarface’ – was an infamo.