On the surface this seems like a simple story – three men escape from prison and then disappear. But like many mysteries, there’s what’s known by people, and then there’s the story beneath the story. Who were these men and what life experiences and skills did they possess that made their escape possible? And once out, how were they able to disappear without a trace? The answers to these and other powerful questions are almost beyond belief, and all of them true.
As to who the escapees were, the co-writer for this book, Ken Widner, is the nephew of John and Clarence Anglin. He possesses information no one else has – letters the brothers wrote from Leavenworth and Alcatraz prisons, never before seen family photos, and stories of the brothers’ growing up years that have never been told outside the family until now, which will make for an interesting and engaging read.
John and Clarence grew up as dirt farmers, and so became accustomed to fixing just about anything with nothing, skills that later proved invaluable during their escape preparations. The brothers were also strong swimmers. They enjoyed tying ropes to boats as boys and being pulled down the Manatee River, which also played a crucial role in the escape.
Many other stories of their growing years are also covered in the book, such as being made fun by other children because the family was poor, which started the brothers down a path of crime, Clarence learning how to cut hair, John developing an interest in painting, and the brothers creating their own special code that allowed them to share important information with each other while keeping it secret from outsiders, to name a few.
Frank Morris, on the other hand, grew up in foster homes and was in and out of prison for most of his life. Police and FBI records, which are included in the book, document his many escapes from those prisons. And with a documented IQ of 133, he was probably the most intelligent prisoner serving at Alcatraz at the time, an ability that helped him formulate and execute their plan of escape. One example is his purchase of an accordion, which he would play in the evening hours when it was Allen West’s (the fourth member of the group) turn to dig through the back of his cell, effectively masking the noise he made. Morris was also instrumental in establishing a peace between West and some of African-American inmates he had harassed on numerous occasions. Being well read, Morris provided the group with the information needed to make the life vests and raft used in the escape. Without those, they would never have made it to the transport boat and eventual freedom.
After years of failed escape attempts, John, Clarence, and Frank knew their chances of success were slim when they hit the water. They needed help from the outside and so turned to their friend and mobster, Mickey Cohen. John and Clarence had worked for him several years before in the illicit drug business. Mickey had the money, means, and motivation to get the escapees what they needed. Corroborated in the FBI report, he secured a boat for them, which picked up the three the night of the escape. They were then taken to a nearby airport, where their old friend, Fred Brizzi, flew them down to Mexico. When Alfred (brother of John and Clarence) died in 1964 under mysterious circumstances at Kilby Prison, the three feared he might have told the FBI where they were hiding while being interrogated, and fled to Brazil, where the Anglin brothers eventually married and had children. Morris disappears from history at this point.
How can we make these audacious claims? After years of painstaking research, the two of us have uncovered official government documents that confirm mobster Mickey Cohen’s involvement in the escape, the seventeen unpublished prison letters sent by notorious criminal Whitey Bulger who was at Alcatraz at that time, first-hand accounts from family members who were in contact with the Anglin brothers after the escape, and most compelling of all, Fred Brizzi’s recorded testimony of how he met the escapees in Brazil in 1975. Not only did Fred tell them his amazing story, but he also showed the family proof in the form of photos of the brothers and where they lived. The photo of John and Clarence was later analyzed and determined with a 99% probability of being them.
There is no other book about the escape and escapees like ours. The stories told about their years growing up and accompanying photos are available nowhere else. And just as important, we’ve provided evidence about what happened after the escape, solving one of the great mysteries of our time.
Amazon Link: Alcatraz: The Last Escape
Recommended Article: Alcatraz: The Last Escape – a Review
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