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emotionally unstable and without psychosis.” However, fellow inmates of Bowers’ at Alcatraz considered him insane. In a subsequent report by Dr. Hess, there were references to Bowers that indicated some suggestion of mental illness. Bowers believed that other inmates were plotting against him, and he alleged that he could “hear” them talking about him at night after lights out. On March 7, 1935, he attempted suicide by trying to cut his own throat with a broken glass lens. The attempt was unsuccessful, as the wound was only superficial. He apparently reported hearing voices, and would continually ask to be admitted to the hospital for protection. But each time he was admitted, he would quickly demand to be released.

The silence rule and strict unrelenting routine at Alcatraz seemed to weigh heavily on Bowers’ mental state. In one incident which occurred on June 1st, 1935 and was documented by Deputy Warden C.J. Shuttleworth, Bowers was waiting in line to go to work in the laundry when he started shouting: “Put me in the dungeon. I do not want to go to work.” While this may have seemed to some like a relatively minor misbehavior, Bowers was punished harshly by being placed in solitary confinement with the “solid door open,” and put on a restricted diet. At around the same time, a letter from an inmate was smuggled to a San Francisco newspaper, alleging “cruelty practices on prisoners” at Alcatraz, which were causing inmates to go insane. The letter was rumored to have been smuggled out by a correctional officer, and Bowers was one of four inmates named in the case.

Warden Johnston later wrote that he looked at Bowers as “a weak-minded man with a strong back who would get piece of mind by exercising his body.” This essentially translated to a trivial and tough labor work assignment for Bowers at the island’s incinerator, which was located on the lower level on the west side of the island, close to a wire fence that rimmed the shoreline. It appeared that Bowers was coping well with his job until the day of the escape. There have been several versions proposed as to the etiology of Bowers’ ascent of the fence.

Correctional Officer E.F. Chandler

The Road Tower and Incinerator from where Chandler pitched aim at Bowers with a high powered rifle. After being struck by two bullets, Bowers fell on the side of freedom onto the rocky cliff.

On the day of the escape attempt, Correctional Officer E.F. Chandler reported his recollection of the events to Warden Johnston in a formal memorandum:

While on duty in the Road Tower at about 11:00 A.M., I suddenly looked to see inmate Joseph Bowers 210-AZ on the top of wire fence attempting to go over, I then yelled at him several times to get down but he ignored my warning and continued. I fired two shots low and waited a few seconds to see the results. He started down the far side of the fence and I fired one more shot, aiming at his legs. Bowers was hanging on the fence with his hands but his feet were pointing down toward the cement ledge. After my third shot I called the Armory and reported the matter. When I returned from calling the Armory, the body dropped into the bay.

Several other correctional officers witnessed the shooting, and essentially confirmed Chandler’s report. Guard Joe B. Steere also described what he had witnessed in his report to Deputy Warden C.J. Shuttleworth:

At about 11:00 A.M., I was in the industries area between the Mat Factory and Blacksmith Shop, when I heard a shot fired apparently from the Road Tower. I ran to the corner of the building and looked at the tower and saw Mr. Chandler raise his rifle for another shot. I looked in the direction he was aiming, expecting to see a boat, but saw Number 210 with his back to me going over the fence in back of the incinerator. Mr. Chandler fired and I started to run towards the incinerator. When Mr. Chandler fired a third shot, I was between the Renovating Plant and the Rock Crusher. I looked at Number 210 then and could see only his head due to the fact I was running parallel to the fence at this point