Letters From Alcatraz - Michael Esslinger [233]
As attached reports will indicate, searches of the basement area had been ordered and apparently completed. The bars had been tapped by officers on both Saturday and Sunday, the day of the escape. At first glance it seemed strongly indicated that disciplinary action should be instituted against those who were ordered to knock the bars in this unit. However, after careful examination of all of the facts it became highly conceivable, from a technical or mechanical standpoint, that the officers hammering these bars with rubber hammers could very well have struck them a heavy blow (and they insist they did) without noticing any particular difference from any other bar. It is obvious, of course, that their visual inspection was not effective. However, since the cuts were on the back side of the main bar, and the duty of hammering bars is rather monotonous, it is highly possible that they could have overlooked the carefully concealed cut, thinking that they were doing a good job. With all of this in mind, and after careful consideration of all of the facts by the Captain, Associate Warden, Mr. Aldredge, and myself, at this point we do not feel that disciplinary action against the officers is indicated.
To further explain the reasoning, the top of the upright bar was not cut, but was eventually removed by SCOTT through the use of a three by two foot piece of oak, and it required considerable leverage to break loose the welds at that end. SCOTT claims that enough of the lower section of the bar was left solid that it took him five minutes to remove it, which would have fastened that end, making both ends rather solid and quite capable of receiving a heavy blow with a rubber hammer without showing any appreciable movement.
In reviewing our obvious weaknesses and in endeavoring to correct as many weaknesses as possible, we have instituted the following:
(1) We welded in bar material to replace that which had been removed. We then fabricated an additional set of stainless steel bars and secured them on the outside window, which now makes three sets of detention material that must be gone through to escape from this unit.
(2) We have completely secured with expanded metal the entrance to the elevator at the Kitchen level. This will be kept locked at all times unless actually in use, and then under direct supervision.
(3) Under existing operations the officer furnishing coverage for the back of the Kitchen was patrolling from side to side on the cat-walk around the yard wall in order to check both sides and the end of the Kitchen area. We have now stationed one man on the northeast corner of the cat-walk, which will permit him to constantly observe the east side of the Kitchen and the north end at any time inmates are out of the cellhouse, and in any part of the Kitchen area. We have stationed another officer on the yard wall that can observe the west side of the kitchen and dining roof unit as well as assist in viewing the north end.
(4) We have issued a specific order that no inmate, or inmates, will he permitted in the basement of the Culinary unit unless under direct and constant supervision, and any time an employee takes inmates to that unit he must advise the Control Center first, indicating who he is taking. He must call the Control Center each fifteen minutes and must advise the Control Center as soon as he departs and secures the Kitchen basement area. This is, of course, to prevent an employee from being overpowered or otherwise incapacitated without someone being aware of it.
(5) We have issued an order that in order to protect all employees' families, in the event of escape, the gates on the Parade Ground near "B" Building will be secured during the hours of darkness and more specifically, from 5:40 p.m. until 8:10 a.m.