Suddenly, one of the inmates signaled that someone was coming through the main gate. At about 1:45 p.m., the gate opened and an unsuspecting Ernie Lageson strolled into the main cellhouse. While making his way down Broadway, he quickly noticed that something was wrong. Turning to look back, he recognized Bernie Coy wearing a pair of officer’s pants and no shirt. But before he could act, Coy aimed a rifle at him, leaving him no chance of escape. Coy forced Lageson to walk through the cutoff and onto Seedy Street, where he was searched and stripped of his keys and other valuables. With few words exchanged, he was shoved into the now crowded cell #404.
Sam Shockley then turned up at the cell front, yelling that Lageson had assaulted him previously when shoving him into the strip cell. Shockley insisted that his comrades let him at the officer, but Hubbard and Cretzer only pointed their weapons, discouraging this foolish behavior. Still Sam was fixated on injuring Lageson, and he stood at the cell front making threatening slurs. Finally Cretzer aimed the pistol at Shockley’s head, warning him to back off and calm himself.
As Lageson entered and moved to the middle of the crowded cell, Corwin quickly briefed him as to what had happened. It baffled them as to how Coy had managed to penetrate the gun gallery and access the weapons. Their initial assumption was that Coy had perched himself on something, then grabbed Burch by his clothing from outside, repeatedly smashing him against the tool-proof steel bars. Another hypothesis was that a guard had been held hostage until Burch surrendered the weapons. The gun gallery had once been thought to be one of the most secure positions in the prison, and it was hard to imagine how its security had been breached.
Officer Joseph Burdette had been busy tending to his duties down in the kitchen basement and had finally come up to inspect the dining area. Like Officer Bristow, Burdette was puzzled to find the Dining Hall gate open, with no sign of any floor officers in the vicinity. As he carefully looked around the area he noticed Coy walking by, and thinking that the prisoner was about to get into a fight with another inmate, Burdette made the ill-fated decision to venture out into the cellhouse and investigate. In a matter of only seconds, Burdette was captured, escorted through the cutoff and thoroughly searched before being placed in #404 with the five other occupants.
By this point, Coy was in a frenzy to locate key #107. He probably realized that his time was running out and that someone would soon notice that the guards were missing from their post assignments. Once the island’s siren was activated, it would be all over. The prison would go into lock-down mode and every guard, including all of the reserves, would be issued firearms and stationed at all points on the island. Coy started to verbally trace the chain of custody of Key #107. The guards being held captive could hear Coy’s desperation as he struggled to locate the key. Then Lageson and Bristow asked Cretzer if they could untie Miller, who was still bound to the bunk, and surprisingly Cretzer agreed. While Lageson and Bristow were untying him, Miller covertly passed the key to Burdette, who stealthily slid to the back of the cell. As the other guards stood at the front of the cell, blocking the view and distracting everyone’s attention by asking questions, it is alleged by some historians that Burdette quietly dropped the key into the toilet bowl, and then submerging his hand, pushed it back until it was out of view (It should be noted that in at least one of the official FBI statements derived from interviews with the hostages, it was indicated that the key was simply hid behind the toilet and not submerged. The above is simply the most common written theory, and it is likely inaccurate).
A few minutes later Coy returned to the cell front and demanded that Miller tell him where he had put the key. Quite heroically, Miller maintained that the key must still be in the gallery, since he remembered passing it to Burch. But Bernie Coy was furious, and opened the cell demanding that Miller’s person and every inch of the cell be thoroughly searched. Miller was forcefully removed from the cell, and was searched in an aggressive manner by Cretzer while standing in the aisle of Seedy Street. Still in acute pain from the attack, Miller held his ground, telling Coy that he would have to go back into the gun gallery if he wanted to find the key. Coy was incensed.
The conspirators then transferred the officers from cell #404 into cell #403. The two inmate hostages, Egan and Moyle, begged Cretzer to let them go, pleading that they didn’t deserve to be locked up with the guards. In what may have been his only act of kindness, Cretzer nodded and told them to go back to their cells. Both scurried out, looking for any open cell in which to take cover. Hubbard and Cretzer thoroughly searched the other officers, sometimes jabbing them with the barrel of the pistol. Thompson and Coy took a box of keys from the cellhouse officer’s desk, and tried every key in hope of finding a duplicate disguised with a dummy number. Both inmates went key-by-key, forcefully inserting them into the yard door lock tumbler, hoping to find a match.
Correctional Officers Ed Stucker and Emil Rychner.
Joe Fisher
Officer Ed Stucker was assigned to the cellhouse basement, to supervise inmate barbers Joe Fisherand William Bartlett, as well as the activities in the clothing room and the shower area. Stucker carried the reputation of a by-the-book guard who generally engaged in very little small talk with the inmates. There were eighteen other inmates under his supervision and some of them were getting haircuts, while others were on work detail sorting clothing. Two inmates asked if they could be released back to the main floor after getting their haircuts, as they had been promised time in the recreation yard if they finished early. Stucker agreed, and the two ascended the stairs that led up to the base of the West End Gun Gallery, at the juncture of Times Square and Michigan Avenue. When the inmates reached the top of the stairs, they looked around through the large-link steel caging that enclosed the stairwell, but couldn’t locate Miller or any other officer. After calling out and brashly tapping the steel mesh access door, the two inmates descended and asked Stucker if he could get someone to come and let them out, as no one had responded to their calls.
Stucker was puzzled that the inmates couldn’t get the attention of any officer. If Miller was busy, then Burch would usually hear the tapping from the gallery and summon an officer. Stucker instructed the inmates to remain in the basement, and went up to see if he could catch Miller’s attention. Once he reached the top, he looked through the steel grating and was shocked to see a few inmates standing around unsupervised. Stucker swiftly secured the padlock, which was generally used as an added security measure, and headed back downstairs. At the bottom of the stairwell he pulled the receiver from the only phone that he could access in the basement, and dialed the Armory (Note: Stucker in an FBI interview, indicated that he had seen Cretzer with a pistol and reported this information to the Armory. Although not verifiable, for the sake of accuracy, his testimony should be considered as an equal account). As soon as Fish picked up, Stucker explained that he thought there was something seriously wrong in the cellhouse. Fish immediately hung up and started ringing the West Gallery and dining area. After dialing several phones in the west cellhouse with no response, Fish immediately contacted Lieutenant of the Watch Joseph Simpson, who was in the Administration Office doing paperwork. Fish explained that there seemed to be a problem in the cellhouse, and that he could not reach any of the officers at their posts.
Simpson quickly summoned Records Officer Carl W. Sundstrom and Bob Baker, the mail officer who spent most of his time reading and censoring inmate mail. The three men quickly entered the Armory and inquired whether Fish had received any updates from the floor or gallery officers, but still no one had picked up the cellhouse phones. Fish now suspected the worst and started communicating to the others that he felt it was not safe to enter the cellhouse. All three officers ignored his advice and prepared to make entry. Simpson and the three others navigated their way through the sallyport gates and carrying only wooden billy clubs, entered the cellhouse heading straight down Broadway toward the Dining Hall.
Officer Bob Baker
Unfortunately, they
would meet the same fate as the other officers. The armed inmates all stood waiting at the west end of the cellblock, and they ambushed the three officers. The captive guards had been moved out of #404 and into #403 to allow for the cell search, and Bristow and Simpson were led to cell #402.
Back at the Armory, Officer Fish had finally been able to get through to the hospital, where the staff members on duty were going about their business, unaware of the events that were transpiring just downstairs. Fish instructed them to secure themselves, because something was happening on the cellhouse floor. Fish then called back to Stucker, explaining that no one was answering the phones, not even Officer Burch. It was becoming evident that something serious was afoot. The two officials quickly got off the phone, and Stucker explained to the twenty inmates that there was a “problem” in the cellhouse. He said that they would need to remain in the basement for a little longer than usual today, since he didn’t want any of them to get involved. He tried to downplay the prospect of any serious trouble, realizing that if the inmates caught on to what was happening in the cellhouse, his life could potentially be placed in jeopardy. Stucker quickly and calmly moved the inmates into the band practice area, explaining that they would be allowed to head back upstairs shortly. He walked to the base of the stairs, looked up, and noticed someone attempting to pry open the basement door. Not wanting to tip anyone off, he casually walked back into the band practice room and secured the door.
Meanwhile Coy went back into cell #404, and he and Cretzer started methodically going through the cell inch by inch in case the guards had been bold enough to try and hide the key there. Suddenly Coy had the idea that they might have attempted to flush the key. This seemed like a long shot, but there was a slim chance that it was lying hidden inside the toilet, just out of view. Coy took off the guard’s coat, positioned himself on his hands and knees, and reached into the saltwater-filled toilet bowl. As he groped along the bottom, he suddenly felt a piece of metal with the shape and texture of a brass key. He maneuvered the key out with his fingers, and strained to read the number. Sure enough, it was #107. Coy handed the key to Thompson, who carefully guided it into the slot, and attempted to turn the mechanism... But the key still would not work. The dead bolt had been specially designed to jam if it was sufficiently tampered with. The security design had worked, and despite the inmates’ frenzied efforts, the key would not budge the heavy steel dead bolt.
The heavy steel door leading to the recreation yard from the main cellhouse.
By now Cliff Fish was incredibly nervous, and he rang all of the phones located at the main internal posts. The ringing phones could be heard throughout the cellhouse, and this seemed to contribute to the stress of the inmates involved in the plot. Still there was no answer, and at about 2:00 p.m. Officer Fish called the Warden at his residence. Mrs. Johnston answered the phone, and explained that the Warden was taking a nap and had asked not to be disturbed. Fish explained that there was a crisis in the cellhouse and stressed that he needed to speak with the Warden urgently. Fish then briefed Johnston about the situation. Johnston instructed him to contact all of the tower posts as well as the Associate Warden, and added that he would wash up and meet Fish in the Armory within a few minutes. Fish then found himself in a rare predicament – the Warden had left him to decide whether or not to sound the siren. At this point, he had been unable to confirm any serious problem. But once the siren was engaged, it would sound for three minutes with no way to deactivate it – and the siren’s wail would signal to the world that there was a major situation at Alcatraz. At 2:07 p.m., Fish reached over and unlocked the siren cover and pressed the activation key.
When the siren began to sound, it could be heard across the Bay as far as the town of Marin. The conspirators were keen to the obvious. This was it – they now knew that the chances of escape were almost nonexistent. The island would soon be swarming with armed officers, and measures were probably already in place to prevent them from gaining access to the launch. Jim Quillen would recall in a later interview that he left D Block around this time and walked out onto Seedy Street, asking Cretzer if he and fellow inmate Jack Pepper could come along. Cretzer was apparently conscious that their chances of escape where dashed, and he shook hands with Quillen and told him to go back to his cell, because he didn’t think that they were going to make it to the mainland. He asked Quillen to try to get Sam Shockley to return to his cell too, but Shockley motioned them to wait a minute, and then walked away. This was the last he would ever see of them.
Coy had entered the bakery carrying the Springfield rifle, and he lined up a shot to take out the Hill Tower guard, Elmus Besk. Upon hearing the siren, Besk walked out onto the catwalk to check for any unusual activity. Coy carefully punched out one of the windows and then opened fire. Elmus was struck in the legs, and dropped to the deck in severe pain from several fragments of a bullet that had struck the railing and broken apart. Fish would later recount that Besk crawled back into the tower and phoned him, reporting that he had been shot with what had seemed almost like a shotgun. Besk communicated that he would hold out until they could get him help, and dressed his own wounds using rags.
Coy then ran up into the kitchen and punched out a pane from another window, this time targeting the Road Tower guard, Irving Levinson. The first bullet ripped through the window and Levinson quickly dropped to the floor for cover. He scanned the prison windows to see if he could make out where the shot had come from. He noticed the yard wall officer who was lying on the catwalk, looking over at him and motioning toward the kitchen. Levinson pulled his rifle over and remained ready to fire, while attempting to determine where the shot had come from. Coy then walked to the other side of the mess hall and punched out another pane, this time taking aim at the Dock Tower guard, Jim Comerford. Coy squeezed off another round, and the bullet sliced through the Dock Tower window. Comerford dropped onto the narrow perimeter catwalk, taking aim at the cellhouse with his rifle as he heard the bullet whiz past his shoulder. Comerford’s wife heard the shot and ran toward the tower, attempting to see if her husband was injured. Comerford waived that he was not hurt and directed her to go back home and take cover. The powerful rifle shots reverberated all over the island and it was later reported that they had been heard as far away as the shores of Marin and San Francisco.
One interesting detail is that the Armory Officer was usually responsible for calibrating and adjusting the target sights on every Springfield that was returned to the Armory. Fish would later note that his adjustments had been off by nearly six inches and this probably had affected Coy’s aim, thus saving the lives of a few officers. Several of the island’s residents heard the rifle fire and retreated into their homes. They knew that the chance of an inmate acquiring weapons was remote, but that nothing was impossible.
Dock Tower Guard Jim Comerford.
Captain of the Guards Henry Weinhold was an ex-marine and he had the reputation among his peers as very capable but rigid officer. After talking with Fish, Weinhold took a gas billy and demanded that he be admitted to the cellhouse. Fish had been vehemently protesting against anyone entering the embattled building, but his pleas fell upon deaf ears. Weinhold went into the cellhouse by himself. He too was quickly captured by the armed convicts and was led off to join the other hostages. But before Weinhold could be put into the cell, Shockley viciously attacked him. Jim Quillen later stated that he saw Shockley throw a punch at Weinhold, who was able to duck and avoid the blow. Shockley apparently fell into a deep rage, charging Weinhold and attempting to kick him in the groin. Weinhold blocked the force of the kick by lifting his leg, then clenched his fist and struck Shockley straight in the mouth. Shockley then went crazy, just as Carnes appeared with Officer Sundstrom, jamming the billy club sharply into his back and pushing him forward into the cell. Sam struck Sundstrom in the head, knocking him off balance. The other inmates then calmed Sam down, while Cretzer made Sundstrom strip, and confiscated his pants and wallet.
An official
affidavit written by Officer Carl Sundstrom, describing the theft of his wallet by Joe Cretzer.
Associate Warden Edward J. Miller, known to his peers as “Ed” but nicknamed “Meathead” by the inmates, was at home when he received the call from Fish. Without wasting any time, Miller hiked up the steep path to the main building and hurriedly reported to the Armory. After receiving a full briefing from Fish he decided to enter the cellhouse on his own, to help ensure the safety of his fellow officers and to straighten out what he believed was a simple cellhouse fight. Once again Fish protested, knowing that something had gone seriously awry. But without further consideration, Miller grabbed a gas billy and entered the east end of the cellhouse. As he cautiously starting walking up Broadway, he observed someone who he thought to be an officer walking towards him. But within seconds he had caught a closer glimpse and he recognized that it was actually Bernie Coy, carrying a rifle. Miller quickly attempted to retreat and armed the gas billy. Coy started to run at Miller and managed to fire off two rounds. One of them struck the gas billy, causing it to explode in Miller’s face and he quickly withdrew into the sallyport, half-blinded and with moderate burns. Gate Officer Al Phillips quickly secured the main door while Miller walked back toward the administrative offices, where the Warden had just arrived.
An official affidavit written by Officer Carl Sundstrom, describing the theft of his wallet by Joe Cretzer.
By now, word was coming in that a sniper taking aim from the cellhouse kitchen might have injured a couple of the tower guards. Ed Miller, still in pain from his facial injuries, started to brief Johnston on what had taken place. Then as the sirens wailed again, resonating off nearly every structure of the island, Johnston gave the directive to assemble all of the off-duty officers immediately, as it was now obvious that the inmates intended to blast out of the prison. Johnston and Miller started to plan their strategy, and using a procedural matrix, they initiated calls to the neighboring police departments in San Francisco, Marin, and Oakland, as well as to the FBI, the Coast Guard, the U.S. Marshal, the Justice Department, and the Bureau of Prisons.
Alcatraz: A Definitive History of the Penitentiary Years Page 41