Letters From Alcatraz - Michael Esslinger [194]
Bergen and Fred Mahan were now all alone in the West Gallery, studying every sound and every shadow.
Correctional Officer Fred Mahan.
Bergen and Fred Mahan were now all alone in the West Gallery, studying every sound and every shadow. The cellhouse remained still, and free of any movement. They could only hear an occasional cough or a muffled voice from an anonymous cell. Mahan maintained his position in the D Block end of the gallery, while Bergen advanced alone into the main area of the cellhouse. Bergen was especially cautious, and he studied every discernible figure and shadow that he could make out through the gallery bars. As he progressed cautiously through the darkened gallery, he finally came across Burch, who was cold and shivering, and relieved to hear Bergen’s voice. Burch briefed Bergen on what little he could remember. He didn’t recall being struck, but had some recollection of the fight that had ensued with an inmate who he believed to be Bernie Coy. Burch was sore and had several scrapes and bruises, but amazingly he didn’t appear to have suffered any other injuries. He was unclothed, except for his undergarments and socks.
Bergen and Burch slowly crawled their way back into D Block. As soon as they met up with Mahan, they called the Armory and notified the staff there that they had located Burch, and that he appeared to be unhurt. Burch was assisted out of the gallery and walked back into administration, where he was examined and provided with clothing. Against the advice of the physician, he immediately returned to the gallery to provide support. Bergen had decided to make another excursion into the West Gallery, where he would attempt to locate his fellow officers. Holding his pistol at the ready, he skillfully advanced into the narrow corridor. He again studied every tier of cells, looking for even the slightest indication of where the captives could be located. He ascended the staircase at the north end of the gallery, careful and alert, and ready to react should the convicts attempt to ambush him. As he made it to the top level, the mystery of how Coy had infiltrated the galley became clear. From a crouched position he could see the bars and how they had been bent. It was clear that Coy had somehow acquired tools that were capable of bending the steel that had been termed “tool-proof.” Bergen inspected the gallery, and was finally confident that no inmates were waiting in ambush. He descended back into the D Block section, where he was met by Mahan, and he reported his findings back to the Armory via the gallery telephone. Bergen and Mahan maintained their positions and continued a close surveillance of the cellhouse, awaiting further orders from the Warden’s office.
The Warden was behind closed doors, plotting with his aides about how to perform a stealthy rescue and free his men. With Lieutenants Isaac Faulk, Frank Johnson and Associate Warden Ed Miller, he debated the pros and cons of making entry into the cellhouse without firm knowledge of the whereabouts of the captive officers. It was later reported that Warden Johnston had also felt uneasy about sending in a team carrying weapons, which could potentially be seized by the already armed inmates. It was known that the inmates had only a small arsenal of weapons and ammunition, and the prison staff realized that the battle could intensify if the convicts secured more firearms and drew more inmates into their scheme. This had been one of the most critical elements of the security system at Alcatraz. Weapons were never to be allowed into the cellhouse under any circumstances. But clearly this type of situation had never been anticipated, and some invasive action would have to be implemented, beyond what was