Marshals Service shared new age-progressed images of Frank Morris, Clarence Anglin and his brother John Anglin depicting what the FBI believes the men would look like now. John Pipes were rusted and leaked, walls were eroded from pipes leaking salt water, and seals to vents were eaten away by salt water in the air. And as if that was not enough, they even figured out the perfect tool for inflating the raft: Morriss own accordion. The air vents they expanded conveniently led into a utility corridor, which would prove to be a critical part of the escape. I escape from Alcatraz in June 1962 with my Brother Clarence and Frank Morris. Because Yeah. It reopened as a maximum-security facility on July 1, 1934. My brother died in 2011. Accordingly, he tried to strike a deal: Hed turn himself in if he could be guaranteed a lenient sentence and medical attention. I have existing photographs of both Anglin brothers showing their full- length body. "I was awakened by the siren," Babyak said. After making it through the vents, the men climbed pipes and plumbing to get to the prison roof and then slid down the smokestack to the ground below, officials said. The three men, along with another inmate, Allen West, hatched a plan to get out of the prison. As the Anglins and Morris navigated a network of pipes in the utility corridor that led outside (West, who couldnt dislodge his vent grill in time, was left behind), their doubles made it seem as though they were asleep. The Anglins were caught and arrested just five days later in Ohio, and all three went to prison. Alcatraz escapee John Anglin Yes we all made it that night but barely!". Other supposed evidence, including a photo that allegedly showed the Anglin brothers in Brazil more than a decade after the escape also turned up over the years, adding to the mystery of what happened to the three men. It was Between the four of them, they managed to acquire over 50 raincoats that had an unlikely purpose: They were going to build a raft. The FBI says this is the most recent piece of evidence that forced the agency to reopen the iconic cold case. CBS San Francisco obtained the letter which says that John Anglin was 83 years old and that he was diagnosed with cancer. The idea was to be prepared for the choppy Bay waters en route to freedom in nearby Marin County. Alcatraz escape letter: New evidence reopens In it, Chief Justice John Roberts says he wont testify This much is known: In the early morning hours of June 12, 1962 John and Clarence Anglin, and Frank Morris escaped from Alcatraz prison. Most were caught; some were shot and killed, while others drowned. At times, new wrinkles in the case have led to more questions. But the Anglins and Morris would have had to endure considerable adversity. According to theletter, Frank died in 2008 and John's brother died three years later. "As a law enforcement person I'd like to think that their escape attempt was not fruitful for them. One such prison where he was a temporary resident was Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. The breakout of three inmates from the famous Alcatraz prison in 1962 has been the subject of wild speculation for more than half a century. The letter, sent to police in 2013 and recently obtained by local CBS affiliate KPIX, was from a man claiming to be John Anglin. Alcatraz letter: Nephew of inmate weighs in on mystery Once a card came signed "Jerry" and another "Jerry and Joe," The family also produced a Christmas card, purportedly received in the family mailbox in 1962, saying, "To Mother, from John. I have cancer.". They set up a secret workshop on the top of their cells, where they built and hid what they needed to escape. The mystery may never be solved, leaving us to only speculate as to what became of them. There is absolutely no reason to believe that any of them would have changed their lifestyle and became completely law abiding citizens after this escape, the U.S. January 26, 201800H:40GMT/UTC/ZULU TIME, John Anglin, Frank Anglin, and Frank Morris before their escape, by Kathy DiNuzzo and Biodun Iginla, BBC News, San Francisco. The long hallway was completely unguarded, and the men were free to climb the bars and pipes to the roof at their leisure. One thing investigators and armchair detectives often point to is their travels north to Lake Michigan in the summertime. Together they would form a partnership that pulled off one of the most daring prison escapes in American history, a story that is told to the over 1.4 million visitors that visit the prison each year. The writer tries to make a deal with authorities, saying: "If you announce on TV that I will be promised to just go to jail for no more than a year and get medical attention I will write back to let you know exactly where I am. Thats why we consider this particular escape to be the only successful one; 12 of the others resulted in the inmates either being recaptured or killed, and while an additional attempt the one made on Dec. 16, 1937 by Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe ended up with the inmates simply missing, its highly likely that they drowned in the San Francisco Bay, according to Alcatraz History. To make it look like they were tucked into bed, the men crafted crude dummy heads using plaster, soap, and paints. "The FBI examined the letter received in 2013 at the request of the U.S. So they had to chisel them wider. WebFamily members of the Anglin brothers occasionally received many unsigned postcards and messages over the years. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The Anglins took the initiative on this project and managed to produce a paper mache using several materials. 10 He was so compelling in fact, that he was later portrayed by Clint Eastwood in the Hollywood classic, Escape from Alcatraz. In hindsight, maybe they should have separated these guys when sentencing them. While that decision is not based on any physical evidence, they believe the man was just looking for medical attention. The air vents that had been displaced were usually covered with items in their cells, like a suitcase or cardboard. It was inconclusive at best, fueling speculation that sparked a 56-year mystery that survives to this day. The U.S. Personally, as someone who swims in the bay, and we have a triathlon that goes on every year, and there's not a single person that doesn't make that swim," he added. Marshal Service, however, took jurisdiction of all federal escapes in 1978 and considers the case an open one. But the plot was about to thicken when the FBI received aucasinosonline.com/nz/ something unexpected in the mail. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Merry Christmas." I escape [sic] from Alcatraz in June 1962 with my brother Clarence and Frank Morris, it reads. "If you announce on TV that I will be promised to first go to jail for no more than a year and get medical attention, I will write back to let you know exactly where I am. The men were discovered missing on June 12, 1962, and the hunt was on. I escape [sic] from Alcatraz, Richmond station of the San Francisco Police Department in 2013, inmates either being recaptured or killed, History Channel special posited that the inmates had survived, museum maintained by the National Park Service. Their families insist they survived. Investigators doubt it. The Marshals Service. Mr Widner expressed dismay that the letter was not delivered in a timely manner to the family. All Rights Reserved. The U.S. It adds "I am 83 years old and in bad shape. This button displays the currently selected search type. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. In it, Anglin claimed that Morris had died in 2008 and his brother in 2011. Marshals, which is the sole agency investigating the case today, says the FBI lab examined theletterfor fingerprints and DNA, and the handwriting. Please enter valid email address to continue. Ever since brothers John and Clarence Anglin along with inmate Frank Morris disappeared, the official story has been they didn't make it, reports CBS News' John Blackstone. None, however, had the same cunning and determination as the Anglins. The letter writer claimed to be John Anglin and said he spent many years after his escape from Alcatraz living in Seattle. I have cancer. Widner remembers a letter they sent home just before the escape. Please enter valid email address to continue. "I really haven't come to a conclusion whether I believe that it's John reaching out or not," Widner said. Morris was serving 10 years, while the Anglin brothers were serving 1520 years. I escape [sic] from Alcatraz in June 1962 with my brother Clarence and Frank Morris, it reads. The FBI dedicates a page to the escape on its website. While not necessarily violent, the two brothers had a long RAP (Record of Arrest and Prosecution) sheet, and were guests at several federal prisons. After roughly six months of plotting and effort, the men were ready to ruin the prisons reputation. It was no small climb it was 30 feet to the ceiling. Someone claiming to be John Anglin wrote to San Francisco police in 2013, but it has only now been made public. He also pulled off several escapes from other correctional facilities in the Eastern United States. I'm a doctor and here are the 5 signs you may have intestinal parasites, Why I've ditched a lifetime of possessions and downsized at 70 for my children, How to give yourself a natural facelift for just 25p! In 2011, a National Geographic special claimed that the FBI had found one suspicious crime following the escape in nearby Marin County: A blue Chevrolet had been stolen, and later had a near-accident on the road. Eventually he did make it out of his cell, but by the time he reached the corridor and climbed to the roof, his three mates were long gone. Yes we all made it that night, but barely!". The writer makes a deal - "If you announce on TV that I will be promised to firstgo to jail for no more than a year and get medical attention, I will write back to let you knowexactly where I am. Two officers and three prisoners were killed, and the attempt only ended when the Marines intervened and battled it out with inmates. The next morning, guards found dummy heads made of plaster, paper mache, paint and real human hair in their cells. That obviously made communicationand plotting their escapemuch easier. It was given toSan Francisco television station KPIXfrom an unnamed source. Known as an end of the line destination for criminals serving long stretches, Alcatraz saw at least 14 escape attempts involving 36 prisoners. Yes we all made it that night but The letter, sent to police in 2013 and recently obtained by local CBS affiliate KPIX, was from a man claiming to be John Anglin. It is. Their typical robbery took place at banks and establishments that were closed to make sure they didnt have to use a weapon. He was also smart enough to recruit others. Not bad fellas. This is no joke". Brizzi, a friend of the Anglins, claimed the men had not only survived their escape attempt but had made it to South America. After returning to his cell for a good nights sleep, he was immediately seized by authorities and questioned. San Francisco police did not make the letter public despite obtaining it five years ago,according to CBS. I escape from Alcatraz in June 1962 with my brother Clarence and Frank Morris.