Carter Roy

Drawing on past failures, the foursome concocted a plan that could actually work. At the back of each prison cell was a small grate. Behind each grate was an old, unsealed corridor used for utility work. If they chiseled the wall around the cell grates, enough to squeeze themselves through, they could access the corridor.

Drawing on past failures, the foursome concocted a plan that could actually work. At the back of each prison cell was a small grate. Behind each grate was an old, unsealed corridor used for utility work. If they chiseled the wall around the cell grates, enough to squeeze themselves through, they could access the corridor.

Drawing on past failures, the foursome concocted a plan that could actually work. At the back of each prison cell was a small grate. Behind each grate was an old, unsealed corridor used for utility work. If they chiseled the wall around the cell grates, enough to squeeze themselves through, they could access the corridor.

And if they could climb the pipes inside the corridor, they could access the roof. Then just one more climb down the outside of the building, a quick sneak past the guard towers and a bolt for the beach. All they needed was proper tools and to not get caught. Conveniently, Alan West had years worth of intelligence about the inner workings of Alcatraz.

And if they could climb the pipes inside the corridor, they could access the roof. Then just one more climb down the outside of the building, a quick sneak past the guard towers and a bolt for the beach. All they needed was proper tools and to not get caught. Conveniently, Alan West had years worth of intelligence about the inner workings of Alcatraz.

And if they could climb the pipes inside the corridor, they could access the roof. Then just one more climb down the outside of the building, a quick sneak past the guard towers and a bolt for the beach. All they needed was proper tools and to not get caught. Conveniently, Alan West had years worth of intelligence about the inner workings of Alcatraz.

He knew the cement in the cell block was rotting and porous. He could break it with a spoon. So he smuggled one from the kitchen mess and fashioned it into a chisel with a nail clipper. The Anglin brothers and Frank followed Alan's lead. They stole metal scraps from the prison workshops and made homemade saw blades.

He knew the cement in the cell block was rotting and porous. He could break it with a spoon. So he smuggled one from the kitchen mess and fashioned it into a chisel with a nail clipper. The Anglin brothers and Frank followed Alan's lead. They stole metal scraps from the prison workshops and made homemade saw blades.

He knew the cement in the cell block was rotting and porous. He could break it with a spoon. So he smuggled one from the kitchen mess and fashioned it into a chisel with a nail clipper. The Anglin brothers and Frank followed Alan's lead. They stole metal scraps from the prison workshops and made homemade saw blades.

After careful observation, the men learned they had about a 45 minute window every day between guard rotations after dinner and before lights out. With all inmates in their cells, there was a general din, instruments, radios, conversations. So each evening, under the cover of after-dinner noise, they angled small hand mirrors out of their cell bars as a lookout.

After careful observation, the men learned they had about a 45 minute window every day between guard rotations after dinner and before lights out. With all inmates in their cells, there was a general din, instruments, radios, conversations. So each evening, under the cover of after-dinner noise, they angled small hand mirrors out of their cell bars as a lookout.

After careful observation, the men learned they had about a 45 minute window every day between guard rotations after dinner and before lights out. With all inmates in their cells, there was a general din, instruments, radios, conversations. So each evening, under the cover of after-dinner noise, they angled small hand mirrors out of their cell bars as a lookout.

Then they chiseled tiny, painstaking little holes in the cement around the vent. Before lights out, they plugged the holes with toilet paper and blended it into the wall with soap chips. Apparently, no one could tell the difference. When the holes grew bigger, they covered them with cardboard.

Then they chiseled tiny, painstaking little holes in the cement around the vent. Before lights out, they plugged the holes with toilet paper and blended it into the wall with soap chips. Apparently, no one could tell the difference. When the holes grew bigger, they covered them with cardboard.

Then they chiseled tiny, painstaking little holes in the cement around the vent. Before lights out, they plugged the holes with toilet paper and blended it into the wall with soap chips. Apparently, no one could tell the difference. When the holes grew bigger, they covered them with cardboard.

Frank took it a step further, expressing a sudden desire to learn the accordion and using the case to hide his chipped away wall. Meanwhile, Clarence stole hair clippings from the prison barber shop and glued them on the paper mache heads that eventually acted as their body doubles, which they tested well before the breakout.

Frank took it a step further, expressing a sudden desire to learn the accordion and using the case to hide his chipped away wall. Meanwhile, Clarence stole hair clippings from the prison barber shop and glued them on the paper mache heads that eventually acted as their body doubles, which they tested well before the breakout.

Frank took it a step further, expressing a sudden desire to learn the accordion and using the case to hide his chipped away wall. Meanwhile, Clarence stole hair clippings from the prison barber shop and glued them on the paper mache heads that eventually acted as their body doubles, which they tested well before the breakout.

Once the grates were open, the men started crawling into the vents at night. They climbed up the ventilation shaft to the top of their cell block, which became a secret workshop. In the midnight hours, they tackled the next pressing question. How to get off the island? Anyone leaving Alcatraz on official business traveled by a daily ferry boat.

Once the grates were open, the men started crawling into the vents at night. They climbed up the ventilation shaft to the top of their cell block, which became a secret workshop. In the midnight hours, they tackled the next pressing question. How to get off the island? Anyone leaving Alcatraz on official business traveled by a daily ferry boat.