Letters From Alcatraz - Michael Esslinger [153]
Walter and Hamilton arrived at Alcatraz on June 9, 1940. Here too, both men continued to receive negative conduct reports for numerous infringements of prison regulations. On April 14, 1943, as described in the preceding chapter, Hamilton and fellow inmates James Boarman, Harold Brest and Fred Hunter participated in a failed escape that would cost Boarman his life.
On August 7, 1943, only months after Hamilton’s luckless escape attempt, Walters decided to try his fate against the Rock. He had been assigned to the laundry for nearly two years and in the spirit of Hamilton’s escape, he had been collecting military clothing stuffed in one-gallon containers, which he would attempt to use as floats. Even though the concept had been tried unsuccessfully on three previous attempts, it still seemed to be the most promising scheme. Walters had also been able to acquire $42, which he stuffed into one of the pant pockets for use once he made it to shore.
On the day of the escape, sometime between 2:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., Walters quietly slipped away from sight. Because of staffing shortages, the number of officers posted in the Industries Building had been reduced. Clutching his two one-gallon containers and with no officer in direct view, Walters carefully made his way to the fence line. He had also acquired a pair of electrician’s wire cutters, which he intended to use to cut through the heavy security fencing. But no matter how hard he squeezed the small handles against the stiff galvanized wire, the cutters proved completely ineffective. Keeping a close eye on the towers, he carefully stacked some packing crates next to the perimeter fence, and then risked scaling it in view of the tower guards, who failed to spot the escapee. As he maneuvered over the skin-piercing barbed wire at the top, he lost his grip and fell. The fall proved to be treacherous and resulted in a serious back injury. In acute pain, Walters descended the steps that led to the water’s edge, and then contemplated his swim to the mainland.
Inside the laundry building, a supervisor making his rounds noticed Walters was absent from his workstation and immediately contacted the Armory. The alarm was quickly sounded, as Walters stood by the water’s edge, now stripped to his underwear and facing the reality that his plan had failed. A Coast Guard cutter was quickly dispatched and found Walters standing stripped down on the bank. Captain of the Guards Henry Weinhold and Associate Warden E.J. Miller captured Walters without any resistance, and brought him to the hospital to be examined. Walters spent nearly ten days in the hospital before being taken to D Block.
In a letter from Bureau of Prisons Director James V. Bennett to Warden Johnston dated August 12, 1943, it is clear that Bennett was unsatisfied with the performance of the officers. He also firmly made the point that Walters should have been spotted by the tower officers when he was climbing the fences. A telegram to Warden Johnston read:
Have asked Captain Conner to check on the Ted Walters escape and confer with you as to what action if any should be taken with respect to the officers since I cannot understand how Walters could have climbed the fence in plain daylight without being noticed by tower offices unless they were inattentive to their duties in which case disciplinary action should be taken. Captain Conner will arrive August Sixteenth.
After being released from the hospital, Walters was tried by a specially assembled disciplinary board. The following is a transcript from his hearing:
In accordance with the regulations of the Bureau of Prisons governing the forfeiture of GOOD TIME, a special court was appointed