Alcatraz_ A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years - Michael Esslinger [185]
Back at the Armory, Officer Fish had finally been able to get through to the hospital, where the staff members on duty were going about their business, unaware of the events that were transpiring just downstairs. Fish instructed them to secure themselves, because something was happening on the cellhouse floor. Fish then called back to Stucker, explaining that no one was answering the phones, not even Officer Burch. It was becoming evident that something serious was afoot. The two officials quickly got off the phone, and Stucker explained to the twenty inmates that there was a “problem” in the cellhouse. He said that they would need to remain in the basement for a little longer than usual today, since he didn’t want any of them to get involved. He tried to downplay the prospect of any serious trouble, realizing that if the inmates caught on to what was happening in the cellhouse, his life could potentially be placed in jeopardy. Stucker quickly and calmly moved the inmates into the band practice area, explaining that they would be allowed to head back upstairs shortly. He walked to the base of the stairs, looked up, and noticed someone attempting to pry open the basement door. Not wanting to tip anyone off, he casually walked back into the band practice room and secured the door.
Meanwhile Coy went back into cell #404, and he and Cretzer started methodically going through the cell inch by inch in case the guards had been bold enough to try and hide the key there. Suddenly Coy had the idea that they might have attempted to flush the key. This seemed like a long shot, but there was a slim chance that it was lying hidden inside the toilet, just out of view. Coy took off the guard’s coat, positioned himself on his hands and knees, and reached into the saltwater-filled toilet bowl. As he groped along the bottom, he suddenly felt a piece of metal with the shape and texture of a brass key. He maneuvered the key out with his fingers, and strained to read the number. Sure enough, it was #107. Coy handed the key to Thompson, who carefully guided it into the slot, and attempted to turn the mechanism... But the key still would not work. The dead bolt had been specially designed to jam if it was sufficiently tampered with. The security design had worked, and despite the inmates’ frenzied efforts, the key would not budge the heavy steel dead bolt.
The heavy steel door leading to the recreation yard from the main cellhouse.
By now Cliff Fish was incredibly nervous, and he rang all of the phones located at the main internal posts. The ringing phones could be heard throughout the cellhouse, and this seemed to contribute to the stress of the inmates involved in the plot. Still there was no answer, and at about 2:00 p.m. Officer Fish called the Warden at his residence. Mrs. Johnston answered the phone, and explained that the Warden was taking a nap and had asked not to be disturbed. Fish explained that there was a crisis in the cellhouse and stressed that he needed to speak with the Warden urgently. Fish then briefed Johnston about the situation. Johnston instructed him to contact all of the tower posts as well as the Associate Warden, and added that he would wash up and meet Fish in the Armory within a few minutes. Fish then found himself in a rare predicament – the Warden had left him to decide whether or not to sound the siren. At this point, he had been unable to confirm any serious problem. But once the siren was engaged, it would sound for three minutes with no way to deactivate it – and the siren’s wail would signal to the world that there was a major situation at Alcatraz. At 2:07 p.m., Fish reached over and unlocked the siren cover and pressed the activation key.
When the siren began to sound, it could be heard across the Bay as far as