Like every other inmate at Alcatraz in the early 1930’s, Capone was to do hard time. He was among the first group that arrived from Atlanta Federal Penitentiary during what was considered the toughest era at Alcatraz. The mandatory rule of silence was in full implementation and strictly enforced by the correctional staff. Capone would occupy a standard cell located on the second tier of B Block (B-181), coined Michigan Avenueby fellow inmates. Almost overnight, Capone had been completely stripped of his persona as a crime czar. The great Capone was now little more than a common inmate. He received favorable reports at his work assignments which included a detail in the prison laundry and a stint as a cellhouse orderly delivering books and magazines to other inmates, as well as performing menial tasks such as sweeping and mopping. It is documented that Capone’s favorite pastimes at Alcatraz were reading celebrity magazines and playing the tenor banjo.
During his years on The Rock, Capone did receive discipline for misconduct on occasion. On February 20, 1935, Capone was placed in solitary confinement for starting a fight with inmate William Colyer, and it was noted by other inmates that he had been trying to “bully” several of them. Warden Johnston wrote about the event, stating in part:
A page from Al Capone’s conduct report at Alcatraz.
Alphonse Capone, #85-AZ, and William Colyer, #185-AZ, were working in the laundry on opposite sides of a mangle. Capone was feeding towels in the mangle; Colyer was taking them out the other side.
Colyer became angered because, according to his claims, Capone was not feeding the mangle properly, with the result the towels were coming through partially wet, but Capone’s claim was that he was feeding them correctly but faster than Colyer could handle them. At any rate, Colyer, receiving some towels on his side that did not suit him, threw them back at Capone, whereupon Capone went around the mangle to Colyer’s side and punched him in the eye.
Colyer sought to get a tool to resist Capone but Capone picked up a wooden bench and either struck Colyer in the wrist or Colyer, endeavoring to strike him, hit his wrist against the bench, at any rate the result was a sprained wrist. It all happened very quickly and the guard on-duty separated them and brought them both immediately to the Deputy, who heard their stories and locked them both in solitary.
Capone’s various offenses at Alcatraz would range from fighting with other inmates, to spitting, to destroying and throwing his clothing from his cell tier onto the aisle floor. It is documented that Capone attempted to manage the affairs of several other inmates, with little success. He was unable to establish any underground networks at Alcatraz, and his communications to the outside world were strictly censored. Gifts sent to Capone were never accepted and visits from family members were limited to the same number as for other inmates.
There were also rumors that Al’s life was threatened by his fellow prisoners. It is suggested in several documents that other inmates schemed to take advantage of Capone’s financial status, in order to secure outside assistance and collaboration in potential escapes. In a letter written to Al’s brother Ralph by fellow Alcatraz inmate and music teacher Charles Mangiere on May 18, 1936, it is alleged that some inmates plotted to kill Al if he refused to front the money to hire a gun boat for one such escape attempt. Mangiere stated that inmates Charles Berta and Bert McDonald had told him that unless Al provided them with $5,000, they would never let him leave Alcatraz alive. He further alleged that several others were plotting to frame Capone under a similar pretense.
Capone himself was aware of these threats, at least one of which would have near fatal consequences. On June 23, 1936, Capone was assaulted by a violent Texan inmate, Jimmy C. Lucas. Lucas was serving time for bank robbery, and he also boasted a previous murder conviction, as well as several reported escape attempts from other institutions.
Jimmy C. Lucas
The following reports chronicle the attack:
Re: ATTACK UPON CAPONE #85-AZ 6-23-36
About 9:30 A.M. this date I received a call from Mr. Hansen at the west end of the cell house stating there was a cutting scrape just happened in the basement. I rushed back there to find out from Mr. Hansen that Lucas #224 stabbed Capone #85 and that both of them were up in the hospital.
I immediately went to the hospital. Waiting outside in the hallway of the hospital was Lucas with Junior Custodial Officer Lapsley. I asked Lucas what happened. He said that he had struck Capone with a pair of scissors. Asked him why he had done it and he said because Capone “snitched to you and had me removed from the barbershop.” I told him that Capone had nothing to do with his removal from the barbershop and went on into the Hospital to see the condition of Capone.
He was on the table in the Out Patient Office, lying on his side stomach, upper of his body stripped. The Doctor with Guard Attendant Ping was attending to stopping the heavy flow of blood from a small wound on the left side of his back and about half way down his back, near the side.
At this time he was conscious, smiling, and I asked him what had happened and he said that Lucas had come up from behind him, stuck him in the back while he was standing looking at a mandolin which was laying on the counter in the Clothing Room. Upon being attacked he grabbed the mandolin and swung it around, hitting Lucas in the head. Lucas continued to attempt to attack him and in the attempt to disarm Lucas, he got a few minor cut on his hands.
Asked him what the cause of the attack was and he said it was the same old story, because he would not furnish money requested by Lucas.
Guard Sanders who was on duty in the Clothing Room at the time reports that a few minutes before he had gone in the clothing room and went over to a small desk with #107-Best. They were drawing a design for some additional pigeonholes for inmates clothing. Mr. Sander’s back was towards the door. He noticed Capone enter the Clothing Room and saw him looking at the mandolin but did not notice Lucas come in. The first he noticed was when he heard a scuffle and yelling.
At that time Capone was trying to protect himself against the attack of Lucas. Mr. Sanders was only about ten feet away, pulled out his club and jumped over to them, pushed Capone behind him and with Lucas in front of him ordered Lucas to surrender the half of scissors he was holding in his hand, which Lucas did without any resistance. Mr. Sanders took Lucas then up the stairs to the cellhouse and turned him over to Mr. Lapsley. At the same time he blew a whistle to attract attention of the cellhouse guard.
#107-Best went with Capone up the stairs through the kitchen to the mess hall gate. Through this gate Best took Capone on up to the Hospital while Mr. Sanders cleared the basement of all inmates. Mr. Lapsley took Lucas to the Hospital and stayed with him.
This is all the information I have been able to obtain up to the present time (3:00 P.M., excepting that as soon as Lucas had a slight cut on his head dressed I order him placed in Solitary Confinement “D” Cell Block, about 10 A.M.
The second memorandum included with this text was written to Warden Johnston by the Chief Medical Officer, George Hess. The memo provides a detailed summary of Capone’s injuries:
On June 23, 1936 the above inmate was brought to the hospital with multiple stab wounds and with a history as follows;
About 9:30 A.M. while engaged at work in the clothing room he was attacked by another inmate with a pair of clothing scissors. He gave the name Lucas, number 224, as the man who stabbed him. His condition at the time he was brought to the hospital was that of semi-shock. He was given the usual circulatory stimulants and then first aid measures and an examination.