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whenever the need would arise. Another advantage was his new ability to venture into D Block, in order to deliver reading materials. D Block was strictly off-limits unless an inmate had a specific reason to enter. Former inmate James Quillen later stated that Coy was thus able to study activities within the cellhouse discreetly, and to identify potential systemic weaknesses that could offer a future prospect for escape. Coy’s assignment as a library orderly proved to be a choice position, as it also provided additional opportunities to interact with the correctional officers, and to study their individual work habits. In addition to his primary assignment, he was also allowed to take an additional job as a cellhouse orderly, fulfilling these duties in the afternoon. Coy was well liked by the correctional officials, and was said to have an easygoing attitude. He was respectful toward inmates and guards alike, and as Correctional Officer Bergen recalled, he was a “mature con” that “got on well with most everyone.”

However, behind this mask of innocence, Bernard Paul Coy actually had no intention of finishing out his time at Alcatraz. During his sentencing in 1937, he had stated that “murder meant nothing” and that no prison could hold him. True to his vow, Bernie embarked on an intense study of procedural operations at the prison, exploring the systemic frailties that he believed would ultimately grant him freedom. Coy recognized that the West End Gun Gallery had one weak point that could possibly be penetrated if he acquired the necessary tools. He noticed that at the top of the gallery, the bars encasing the upper tier ran from the back wall, curving downward until they reached a horizontal cross-member several feet from where the bar-base was anchored. The bars were parallel and spaced approximately five inches apart, and he decided that if he could force the bars and separate them far enough to accommodate his body, he could gain access to the gallery, secure weapons, and take hostages. It was a brazen plan, and it seemed to have great potential.

As Coy carefully studied the individual routines of the guard staff, he also began to select his co-conspirators. He understood that in order for the escape to be successful, his plan would require exquisite orchestration, as well as the total commitment and cooperation of his accomplices. It is clear that his choice would fall on individuals who were capable of following a prescribed plan, and doing whatever became necessary to carry it out, even if this meant murder.

During Coy’s rounds of delivering books and magazines to inmates, he routinely stopped at cell #152 to visit Joseph Paul Cretzer, also known to many of the inmates as “Dutch.” Cretzer was an ideal choice as an accomplice and he had already proven his capabilities during an aborted escape attempt in May of 1941. That attempt had involved taking guards hostage, which was also an element of Coy’s plan. Although the previous attempt had failed, inmate Clarence Carnes stated afterward that Cretzer had kept calm when it became clear that the plan was doomed and this had won him a solid reputation with the other convicts. It is likely that Coy took this into consideration in deciding that Cretzer would make a perfect accomplice.

Carnes later commented that Coy had consistently reminded his accomplices of the virtue of patience and thorough planning. Coy had prepared himself for the day of the escape both physically and mentally, continually refining the procedures and chronology of the plan. He lost over twenty pounds by adhering to a strict diet regimen over a period of several months and improved his muscle tone and physical strength by performing exercises in his cell. He also arranged for pre-placement of the crudely fabricated tools that would be needed to spread the bars in the West End Gun Gallery. It is believed that inmate and cellhouse plumber Ed Mrozik smuggled pliers to Coy, and also assembled the makeshift bar spreader with the help of a fellow inmate in the Machine Shop.

Cellhouse Plumber Ed Mrozik.