Thursday, November 21, 2013

Useless Information



Did you Know:

Robert F. Stroud, The Bird Man of Alatza never had any birds while on the Rock.

All his work with birds was done while he was imprisoned at Leavenworth.
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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Intereting - and I had to look him up.

Stroud was born in Seattle, the eldest child of German Americans Ann Elizabeth and Benjamin Franklin Stroud, although his mother had two daughters from a previous marriage. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Stroud ran away from home at the age of 13.

SO - Bob came from a dysfunctional family with serious troubles. Then:

In November 1908, 18- year-old Robert Stroud and his 36-year old girlfriend Kitty OBrien packed up their belongings, boarded a boat and left their home in Cordova, Alaska for the state capital of Juneau. The couple had struggled to afford their boat passage and they were anxious to seek better opportunities in the city.

What's a 36 year old woman taking advantage of an 18 year old kid?

Less than two months after their arrival, their dreams of a brighter future turned into a nightmare. According to Thomas E. Gaddis book Birdman of Alcatraz, in the early evening hours of January 18, 1909, Robert set off for the Juneau docks to get fish for his and Kittys dinner. A mutual acquaintance of the couple, F.K. Von Dahmer, also known by his nickname Charlie, stayed behind with Kitty. In Roberts absence, Charlie took advantage of Kitty and viciously beat her.

Eventually, Robert returned from the docks long after Charlie had departed. When he learned what had happened to Kitty, he was enraged. Robert went to Charlies home on Gastineau Avenue with a gun and confronted Charlie. A struggle ensued that resulted in Charlie being shot dead. Following the shooting, Robert walked into the office of the Juneau City Marshal where he turned himself in. He was immediately put in jail to await trial for murder.

Once again - in the American system of injustice - Robert Stroud was wronged.

A newly appointed judge, E.E. Cushman, presided over the hearing. He was determined to make his mark in the judicial system and decided to make Roberts case an example to those who resorted to violence in his jurisdiction. He used the full strength of the law to punish Robert.

I would have given the kid a medal.

Reading more - we learn about the hard life in prison that Robert Stroud had and that he was able to receive an education. However,he also suffered greatly and had to endure a guard who was a psycho:

Roberts anger and depression about his situation was further compounded by tensions between him and a new menacing guard named Andrew F. Turner.

Turner was a club wielding, cocky guard who taunted many of the prisoners, often evoking in them a combination of rage and fear. Robert was no exception. His intense dislike for the guard would later prove to have deadly consequences.

THEN:

Suddenly, Turner reached for his club to use against Robert. Before he could strike him, Robert grabbed hold of the club and the two men struggled for several seconds. Robert then produced a knife from the inside of his shirt and thrust it into Turners chest. Shock clouded over the guards face before he fell dead to the floor.

SO far Robert Stroud has ended the lives of two POS who deserved it. Give him a medal like they do soldiers at war.

In 1943, he was assessed by psychiatrist Romney M. Ritchey, who diagnosed him as a psychopath, but with an I.Q. of 134. Stripped of his birds and equipment, he wrote a history of the penal system entitled Looking Outward: A History of the U.S. Prison System from Colonial Times to the Formation of the Bureau of Prisons.

You can read more at Wikipedia

OR

Jail Birds: The Story of Robert Stroud at Crime Library

Thanks - SER.

November 21, 2013 at 6:44 AM
Toad said...

Richard, GREAT information, I too believe he deserved a medal, but he did get a great movie.

November 21, 2013 at 12:59 PM
OrbsCorbs said...

The bird is the word.

November 21, 2013 at 1:19 PM
kkdither said...

I stood in the birdman's cell on a tour of Alcatrez. What an amazing experience to stand there and look back at the city of San Francisco. If you ever have the opportunity to do the tour.... do it! The boat ride out to the island is exciting with the huge currents and they have self guided tours with headphones that describe a lot about the history of the prison. You experience the noise levels and the damp and bone chilling coldness. They also talk about prison guard life and the school on the island for the guard's children.

November 21, 2013 at 4:01 PM
OrbsCorbs said...

That sounds haunting, kk. I think I'd find it depressing.

November 21, 2013 at 6:26 PM
kkdither said...

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it, but it was fascinating. I would highly recommend it.

November 21, 2013 at 6:54 PM
Toad said...

KK, San Francisco by itself Is an amazing place isn't It? I certainly will never forget It, and I was there In 1960 and only 11 years old. We didn't go to Alcatraz because It was still open, but saw It from Fisherman's Wharf. which was also neat.

November 22, 2013 at 10:22 AM
SER said...

And at the time, it was a State of the Art prison

November 23, 2013 at 12:23 AM

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