In 1934, Attorney General Homer Cummings, and Sanford Bates, the Director of Federal Prisons, made arrangements to send Capone to a facility where he would be unable to leverage the system. Alcatraz was the perfect answer to a problem that no one seemed able to manage. On August 19, 1934, without any formal notice, Capone was placed in a secure prison railroad car and was taken on a journey along with fifty-one other inmates to America’s “Devil Island”. In keeping with the heightened level of security, Capone would remain handcuffed and shackled and would be personally accompanied to California by Atlanta’s Warden, A.C. Aderhold.

Capone’s transfer order to Alcatraz signed by Bureau of Prisons Director Sanford Bates.

*     *     *

Al Capone arrived at Alcatraz on August 22, 1934, as inmate AZ-85, and from the first moment of his arrival, Capone worked to manipulate the system. Warden Johnston had a custom of meeting the “new fish” when they first arrived at Alcatraz, and he usually participated in their brief orientation. Johnston wrote in his personal memoir that he had little trouble recognizing Capone as he stood in the lineup. Capone was grinning and making quiet, smug comments from the side of his mouth to other inmates. When his turn came to approach Warden Johnston, it appeared that he wanted to show off to the other inmates by asking questions on their behalf, as if he were already their leader. Johnston quickly assigned him his prison number, and made him get back in line with the other convicts. During Capone’s time on Alcatraz, the famous prisoner would make several attempts to con Johnston into allowing him special privileges, but all were denied. Johnston maintained that Capone would not be given any special rights and would have to follow every rule without exception or privilege.

The cellblock corridor known by inmates as Michigan Avenue. Capone’s cell B-181 was located on the second tier in the right of this photograph.

A present day photograph of Al Capone’s cell B-181.

Like every other inmate at Alcatraz in the early 1930’s, Capone was to do hard time. He was among the first group that arrived from Atlanta Federal Penitentiary during what was considered the toughest era at Alcatraz. The mandatory rule of silence was in full implementation and strictly enforced by the correctional staff. Capone would occupy a standard cell located on the second tier of B Block (B-181), coined Michigan Avenueby fellow inmates. Almost overnight, Capone had been completely stripped of his persona as a crime czar. The great Capone was now little more than a common inmate. He received favorable reports at his work assignments which included a detail in the prison laundry and a stint as a cellhouse orderly delivering books and magazines to other inmates, as well as performing menial tasks such as sweeping and mopping. It is documented that Capone’s favorite pastimes at Alcatraz were reading celebrity magazines and playing the tenor banjo.

During his years on The Rock, Capone did receive discipline for misconduct on occasion. On February 20, 1935, Capone was placed in solitary confinement for starting a fight with inmate William Colyer, and it was noted by other inmates that he had been trying to “bully” several of them. Warden Johnston wrote about the event, stating in part:

A page from Al Capone’s conduct report at Alcatraz.

Alphonse Capone, #85-AZ, and William Colyer, #185-AZ, were working in the laundry on opposite sides of a mangle. Capone was feeding towels in the mangle; Colyer was taking them out the other side.

Colyer became angered because, according to his claims, Capone was not feeding the mangle properly, with the result the towels were coming through partially wet, but Capone’s claim was that he was feeding them correctly but faster than Colyer could handle them. At any rate, Colyer, receiving some towels on his side that did not suit him, threw them back at Capone, whereupon Capone went around the mangle to Colyer’s side and punched him in the eye.

Colyer sought to get a tool to resist Capone but Capone picked up a wooden bench and either struck Colyer in the wrist or Colyer, endeavoring to strike him, hit his wrist against the bench, at any rate the result was a sprained wrist. It all happened very quickly and the guard on-duty separated them and brought them both immediately to the Deputy, who heard their stories and locked them both in solitary.

Capone’s various offenses at Alcatraz would range from fighting with other inmates, to spitting, to destroying and throwing his clothing from his cell tier onto the aisle floor. It is documented that Capone attempted to manage the affairs of several other inmates, with little success. He was unable to establish any underground networks at Alcatraz, and his communications to the outside world were strictly censored. Gifts sent to Capone were never accepted and visits from family members were limited to the same number as for other inmates.

There were also rumors that Al’s life was threatened by his fellow prisoners. It is suggested in several documents that other inmates schemed to take advantage of Capone’s financial status, in order to secure outside assistance and collaboration in potential escapes. In a letter written to Al’s brother Ralph by fellow Alcatraz inmate and music teacher Charles Mangiere on May 18, 1936, it is alleged that some inmates plotted to kill Al if he refused to front the money to hire a gun boat for one such escape attempt. Mangiere stated that inmates Charles Berta and Bert McDonald had told him that unless Al provided them with $5,000, they would never let him leave Alcatraz alive. He further alleged that several others were plotting to frame Capone under a similar pretense.

Capone himself was aware of these threats, at least one of which would have near fatal consequences. On June 23, 1936, Capone was assaulted by a violent Texan inmate, Jimmy C. Lucas. Lucas was serving time for bank robbery, and he also boasted a previous murder conviction, as well as several reported escape attempts from other institutions.

Jimmy C. Lucas

The following reports chronicle the attack:

Re: ATTACK UPON CAPONE #85-AZ 6-23-36

About 9:30 A.M. this date I received a call from Mr. Hansen at the west end of the cell house stating there was a cutting scrape just happened in the basement. I rushed back there to find out from Mr. Hansen that Lucas #224 stabbed Capone #85 and that both of them were up in the hospital.

I immediately went to the hospital. Waiting outside in the hallway of the hospital was Lucas with Junior Custodial Officer Lapsley. I asked Lucas what happened. He said that he had struck Capone with a pair of scissors. Asked him why he had done it and he said because Capone “snitched to you and had me removed from the barbershop.”  I told him that Capone had nothing to do with his removal from the barbershop and went on into the Hospital to see the condition of Capone.

He was on the table in the Out Patient Office, lying on his side stomach, upper of his body stripped. The Doctor with Guard Attendant Ping was attending to stopping the heavy flow of blood from a small wound on the left side of his back and about half way down his back, near the side.