Now Junior, chip up, and don’t let nothing get you down, as it won’t be long before I’ll be home. In the meantime, I’m sure in good health and intend to continue, so we will have some good time very shortly.
I’m doing very nicely here, no hardships, respect my superiors and do my work, three meals a day, plenty exercise, music and all kinds of magazines, under the 200 in regards to my weight, I sure hope before I come home you can arrange a visit for you and your Mother as I sure am anxious to see you. From your Mother I received several letters this month and enjoyed all of them, also from Grandma and Mafalda, Matty, Annette, your dear Uncle Ralphie, and glad you and him are good pals and be that way always. Give your dear Mother a million kisses for me. Love and kisses to all families. Your dear Dad.
Alphonse Capone #85
Capone’s younger sister Mafalda pictured at her wedding. She wrote her brother frequently during his years in prison attempting to lift his spirits.
Sonny Capone posing with his father outside their Palm Island estate.
Al’s son, Albert Francis “Sonny” Capone lived his life as an upstanding citizen and later changed his surname to avoid any so-called crime associations that were synonymous with the Capone name. Described as “a super nice guy who didn’t have a mean bone in his body and would talk to prince or pauper on an equal level,” Sonny would shy away from discussing his father and his family past. He was married three times and had four daughters from his first wife. Sonny Capone passed away of natural causes on July 8, 2004, in El Dorado, California.
A contemporary view of Al Capone’s Alcatraz cell. Al’s cell was located on the second tier of Block B along the stretch of corridor between A and B Blocks in cell B-181.
Capone’s writing desk inside B-181.
* * *
James Ryan
August 16, 1938
Alcatraz, California
TO: Director, Bureau of Prisons
RE: Capone, Alphonse #85-AZ
Ryan, James # 189-AZ
I am enclosing you herewith a copy of the report made by Doctor Ritchey of a little trouble that developed between Capone #85 and James Ryan #189, both of whom are patients in the hospital; also, report of Junior Officer Donald McNab.
James Ryan was a member of the Tuohy mob in Chicago and, of course, four years of bad blood has existed between the Capone and the Tuohy mobs. However, this is the first direct trouble we have had between Capone and any of the other members of the Tuohy mob incarcerated here. We have made arrangements, as outlined in Dr. Ritchey’s report, which will make it impossible for these two to have any further trouble. There is nothing serious about this, but like all other matters in which Capone is involved, at some time or another they seem to reach the papers eventually and create much ado about nothing — so I thought I would advise you in full on this incident.
C.J. Shuttleworth
Acting Warden
* * *
UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
UNITED STATES PENITENTIARY, ALCATRAZ CALIFORNIA
August 16, 1938
MEMO: To Warden
RE: Altercation in the hospital at 8:15 AM, between Number 85-AZ Capone and Number 189-AZ Ryan
Capone had been turned into Ward “A” by the guard on duty in the hospital, to empty his bedpan. He was in the toiley [sic] cleaning it perhaps with a towel which the word patients used to clean the table in Ward “A”. Ryan who was mopping in front of the toilet, as to not to use it, Capone flew into a rage and struck Ryan in the temple with the bedpan inflicting a small laceration. Ryan then struck Capone over the head with the mop. Capone grabbed the mop out of Ryan’s hands and when the guard, Mr. Comerford and Mr. Sabin arrived on the scene Capone was fighting off all the patients in the ward, but no other injuries resulted.
Capone has been allowed to come into the ward to bathe an empty his bedpan and urinal under the supervision of the guard. This practice has been discontinued and Capone is not allowed in the ward for any reason, and is using the toilet at the other end of the hospital.
Ryan received a small cut above his left eye on the temple, which is not serious. Surgical dressing was applied. Capone was uninjured.
Respectfully,
Romney M. Ritchey, Surgeon
Chief Medical Officer
* * *
January 4, 1939
Mr. James V. Bennett, Director, Washington D.C.,
RE: Impending Transfer via Santa Fe Railroad
There is enclosed a letter addressed by Dr. Hess to Dr. Fuller concerning the impending transfer. I concur in Doctor Hess’s views. It would be my recommendation that when this transfer is made we secure in lieu of one drawing room, two adjacent compartments, or one compartment and one drawing room. The inmate could be kept in one of these in which the door to the pullman corridor or could be kept permanently locked. The compartments would not have a window to the pullman corridor, and such a window, as you recall, does exist in the case of drawing rooms. This would be an advantage. He would be “slept” in the upper berth, which would be kept made up permanently to avoid a need for a pullman porter to enter it. The upper berth would, of course, afford better security due to the absence of windows.
During his sleeping hours one officer would be continually on duty, of course. The other two would sleep in the immediately adjacent compartment. Meals could be set up by the waiter and the second compartment without the waiter ever seeing him. By following this plan, which I feel could be followed, it would not be necessary for anyone on the train to come into visual contact with him, barring, of course, all unforeseen developments. The use of the two compartments would, in the daytime, also afford more space and, mentally, the inmate would probably react better to this arrangement.
When the transfer is ordered we would plan to leave this and on the “Santa Fe Limited,” which carries a through sleeper to St. Louis. We would board this train at either Pasadena or San Bernardino at 8:25 or 9:35 p.m. The inmate could be taken there in a private car. As noted, this train carries a through sleeper to St. Louis which arrives there at 7:30 the third morning out. The C&O “George Washington” leaves St. Louis at 9:10 the same morning. I am sure we could affect arrangements to transfer the image directly from the first pullman to another pullman on that train. This train runs directly through to Richmond. Again, I am sure we could have the train stopped, if necessary, to make a special shop shortly before reaches Richmond. I feel sure this could be done because the chief special agent of the C&O, Cassidy, is an old friend of mine. We could notify Petersburg to meet us at the designated point in a private car.
It seems to me that the foregoing would be the best plan. Of course, you may have other and better ideas but I’m submitting this now for your consideration. Probably we will have plenty of time to work it out because I understand from Mr. Cooper that you advised him yesterday this move will be made not before the latter part of next week.
Mr. Cooper has issued an order that I am here in training and I shall, of course, be available either at my hotel in Long Beach, “The Hilton,” for your orders. Mr. Cooper has been handling this matter very well here.
With best wishes, I am
Sincerely,
Clark Schilder
* * *
USP Terminal Island Warden Lloyd (R), and W. T. Hammack (L), Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, seen inspecting the cellhouse which underwent an extensive remodel prior to Al Capone’s arrival in January of 1939.
An officer manning one of the gun towers at USP Terminal Island where Al Capone was transferred after serving four and half years on Alcatraz.
January 8, 1939
Warden Lloyd
Federal Correctional Institution
Terminal Island, California
RE: Alphonse Capone, No. 85-AZ
Dear Warden Lloyd:
Associate Warden Miller has just returned and reported to me regarding the trip in which he transferred Capone to your institution. He informs me that the trip
was uneventful and that the prisoner was well behaved and cooperative, that apparently nobody on the train had any inkling as to his identity, that when they reached the station at Glendale you had your automobile parked right opposite the car and that they were able to step out of the car to the automobile without attracting any attention.
I have just written to the director informing him about the means taken for the transfer and your fine cooperation. No announcements were made here until the prisoner was securely in your institution, where, according to previous instructions, Mr. Miller sent a telegram to Mr. Bennett and Mr. Bennett made an announcement to the press associations that the transfer had been accomplished.
Because we did not want to cause any stir or arouse curiosity we did not pull the files in advance. However, the files are now being assembled and the record clerk will mail the correspondence record and Dr. Ritchey will forward the complete medical file to Dr. Hess. I sent Dr. Hess a copy of the last report that Dr. Ritchey and I sent to the director regarding Capone’s condition, as I thought Dr. Hess should have it pending receipt of the complete medical file with history of treatment, much of which, of course, he is money with. I am now enclosing a copy of the U.S. Public Health Service Release Report, that is, medical certificate of departing prisoners made by Dr. Ritchey on January 6th after he examined Capone just prior to the transfer.
If we received an e-mail for Capone in the next couple of days which his relatives are likely to write him, we will forward the letters to you for delivery in the regular way, and when he writes me, of course, can get his relatives his new address. When you receive the central file I think you will have everything necessary, as it contains everything that we have on the case. I can only think of one thing that you may require to complete your records and that may be a statement from the director as to the computation of time in the payment of fines, and should you want these, of course, Mr. Bennett will advise you.
Sincerely,
J.A. Johnston
Warden
* * *
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
UNITED STATES PENITENTIARY
ALCATRAZ ISLAND, CALIFORNIA
January 8, 1939
Mr. James V. Bennett, Director
Bureau of Prisons
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
RE: Alphonse Capone, No. 85-AZ
My Dear Mr. Bennett:
Pursuant to orders, Alphonse Capone, No. E5-AZ., Has been transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution, Terminal Island, California.
Following the receipt of your letter of December 29, 1938, and the formal orders and the two telegrams that you sent on January 4, 1939, I made my plans to effect the transfer is you had directed any time after January 4th and in such a way that it could be accomplished without advance notice, leaving the announcement to be made by you after the transfer had been completed.
The train known as “The Lark” leaves San Francisco for Los Angeles at 9:00 p.m. there is a car made up at Oakland for East Bay travelers desiring to make that trip, and the car that they board in Oakland goes down the East side of the Bay to San Jose, and at that point is attached to the “Lark.”
On Thursday the 6th, I had Mr. Mills the chief clerk make arrangements for three tickets and a compartment on the car leaving Oakland at 8:15 p.m. Dr. Ritchey and Associate Warden Miller arranged to take the prisoner from the hospital at about 7:00 p.m. He was dressed in prisoners blue suit, but over the prison blue he wore an overcoat and a fedora hat. Associate Warden Miller accompanied by Junior Officer Curry took the prisoner in bus to the wharf, leaving here at 7:05 p.m., and reaching Oakland just a little before 8 o’clock. Mr. Mills, who accompanied them, went up to the ticket office, picked up the tickets, spotted the car and the compartment, went back to the launch and the officers and prisoner would direct me to the car without having to go to the regular depot or meet with any other persons or any persons traveling on the regular ferry boats. The births in the compartment were already made and they were on the train and in the compartment before other passengers arrived. Before their departure I telephoned Warden Lloyd, told him that they were located in Train Car #71, and that they would leave the train at Glendale, requesting that he be at Glendale with automobile in advance of arrival of train, and that he keep his automobile and motion until he can locate the car number and then park his automobile immediately opposite the steps to the car.
Mr. Miller, who has just returned, informs me that Mr. Lloyd was on hand with his automobile directly opposite the car and that as they got out they had a few steps to walk across the platform to the automobile, and that so far as he could tell no person saw them in no persons knew there was a prisoner on the train except the conductor and porter, and they did not know the identity of the prisoner.
In accordance with plan instructions before they left here, Mr. Miller wired to you and to me that he had arrived safe and secured receipt without revealing names prisoner. Because it was Saturday morning, and calculating the difference between Pacific and Eastern Standard Time, I thought it advisable to telephone you so you would be anticipating and waiting for this telegram so you could get out announcements to press associations. In accordance with our understanding I informed the San Francisco papers after I received a telegram. Inquiries have been made almost every day during the last couple of months as to plans for transfer in all the papers were making efforts to learn the exact time and method in place to which he would be transferred, but when it actually was executed they were taken by surprise and they apparently had no rumors the night of the six, but on the morning of the seventh they were putting in calls for me which I did not answer until after I had talked to you and have a telegram from Mr. Miller.
In order not to show any activity here there was nothing taken from the files except the commitment and that was taken just a few minutes before the associate warden got ready to take the boat. Through Mr. Miller I sent Dr. Hess, in an envelope marked confidential, the copy of the communication that I addressed to you under date of December 23, 1938 as to the doctor’s report on Capone’s condition at that time. As that was the last report made I thought Dr. Hess should have it pending the arrival of the complete medical file which Dr. Ritchey is sending Dr. Hess by mail. The central file in the mail records are also going forward by mail to Warden Lloyd. When they receive the files I think the officials that Terminal Island will have the complete record in everything they need except the possibility that they may want to be advised by you concerning the computation time in the payment of fines.
Associate Warden Miller delivered his prisoner the morning of the 7th, following which he was shown around the institution, and he returned on the train the night of the 7th, arriving here this morning. On his return he reported to me that the trip was uneventful. On the launch trip from here in Oakland Capone displayed no special curiosity except to see the bridge, which he viewed from the lunch cabin windows. When they got to the compartment in the car the berths were already made. Capone went to bed and the lower birth, but Mr. Miller and Mr. Curry decided that they would alternate taking naps while sitting in their chairs. Capone did not sleep throughout the night that all three of them dosed occasionally for short periods. Mr. Miller states that Capone was not nervous and not excited but seemed pleased about his transfer and was in every way normal, although not as talkative as they thought he would be, which Miller accounts for by stating that they did not ask any questions or get him to talk, and he apparently pursue the course that he thought was required to adapt himself to the situation, showing his desire to cooperate with the officers and not talk out of turn. The only thing that seemed surprising was when they were getting off the train at Glendale, where one of the officers said something like “does this look like Chicago?” And he responded “I should say not” from which they judged that while he had not appeared unduly curious he may have thought that he was being transferred to Chicago.
I am enclosing a copy of the U.S. Public H
ealth Service Release Report; that is, the medical certificate of departing prisoners which Dr. Ritchey made out after his examination of Capone at the time he was taken from the hospital for the transfer.
When I get a chance to gather the newspapers of yesterday and today I will clip and send you any articles concerning this matter that I think may be of interest to you.
Letters from Alcatraz Page 10