1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Hey, y'all, We're rerunning two episodes today in Troy, the 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: show Hi there, Welcome to this day in History class, 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,639 Speaker 1: where we sift through the artifacts of history seven days 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: a week. The day was March one, nineteen sixty three. 5 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: After nearly thirty years of operation, the infamous Alcatraz Prison 6 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: closed on its tiny rocky island in San Francisco Bay. 7 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was notorious for its rough conditions, the 8 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: big name criminals it held, and the inability to escape it. 9 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: Before Alcatraz Island became a federal prison in nineteen thirty four, 10 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: it was home to a military prison. President Millard Fillmore 11 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: signed in order that the island be set aside for 12 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,959 Speaker 1: military use in eighteen fifty, and soon after a fortress 13 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: was built on the island. During the Civil War, Confederate sympathizers, privateers, 14 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: and people accused of treason were imprisoned in Fort Alcatraz. 15 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: The prison also held Native Americans who had resisted the 16 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: government and later conscientious objectors. In nineteen o nine, inmates 17 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: built a new sale house, hospital, mess hall, and other 18 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: buildings on the island, creating a new prison complex that 19 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: was completed in nineteen twelve. Alcatraz Island, with its strong 20 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 1: cold currents, was the perfect place for a prison because 21 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: nobody could attempt to escape and succeed or make it 22 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,839 Speaker 1: out alive. So in nineteen thirty three, the Army handed 23 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: Alcatraz over to the US Justice Department, which needed somewhere 24 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: to put criminals deemed especially dangerous. San Francisco citizens weren't 25 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: thrilled about having a federal prison so close to the city, though, 26 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: but the Justice Department ensured people that the island was secure, 27 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: and after construction to increase the security of the facility, 28 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: Alcatraz opened in July ninety four. There were usually about 29 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty prisoners in Alcatraz. Each prisoner had 30 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: a separate cell about nine by five ft and seven 31 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: ft high, and there was about one guard to every 32 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: three prisoners. James A. Johnston, the first warden at the 33 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: prison who was there until, was strict and ruthless. Radios 34 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: and newspapers were off limits, and most of the time 35 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: there was silence. In the early years, when prisoners could 36 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: only talk with each other during meals and recreational time. 37 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,799 Speaker 1: They would even dump the water out of their toilets 38 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: to be able to speak to each other through the piping. 39 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: Executions were not performed at Alcatraz, but a little over 40 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: a couple dozen people did die. Some were murdered, some 41 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: committed suicide, and some died from illnesses. At any time, 42 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: a few hundred civilians lived on the island. Families of 43 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 1: the guards that lived on the island had a convenience store, 44 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 1: soda shop, and bowling alley, but a boat did run 45 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: to the mainland several times a day. Prisoners at Alcatraz 46 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,799 Speaker 1: were mostly inmates from other institutions who were violent or 47 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 1: prone to escaping and needed to be transferred to a 48 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: maximum security prison. But when you think of Alcatraz, you 49 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: probably think of the well known criminals who did time 50 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: in the prison. Gangster al Capone was locked up in 51 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: Alcatraz from nineteen thirty four to nineteen thirty nine after 52 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: he continued to run his criminal operations while incarcerated in Atlanta. 53 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: Prohibition era gangster George machine Gun Kelly spent seventeen years 54 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: in Alcatraz. Crime boss James Whitey Bulger was in Alcatraz 55 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: for three years, and plenty of people also attempted to 56 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: escape from the prison, and some got farther than others. 57 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: In nineteen forty five, John Gyle worked at the loading 58 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: dock and he stole an army uniform and walked onto 59 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: an army launch that he thought was headed for San Francisco, 60 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: but his destination was Angel Island, and he was caught 61 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: when he got there. None of the fourteen attempts for successful, 62 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: though five people are considered missing and drowned. The rock, 63 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: as Alcatraz was known closed on Thursday March one, nineteen 64 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: sixty three. Alcatraz closed mainly because it was so expensive 65 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: to operate and the facilities were deteriorating to the point 66 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 1: where it would be unsafe for people in it. It 67 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: would take four million dollars in five years to repair, 68 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: so prisoners were sent to a new prison built in Marion, Illinois. 69 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: Frank Weatherman was the last prisoner to board a boat 70 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 1: to leave Alcatraz. A group of Native Americans occupied the 71 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: island in the late nineteen sixties in early seventies, saying 72 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: it was their rightful land, until authorities forced them off. 73 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: Alcatraz is now a tourist destination. I'm Eve Jeff Coo, 74 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 1: and hopefully you know a little more about history today 75 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday, and if you want to learn 76 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: more about Alcatraz, I would highly recommend the movie starring 77 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: Nicholas Cage called The Rock. I'm just kidding that doesn't 78 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 1: have anything to do with alcatraz Is history. But you 79 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: can still leave us a message at t v I 80 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 1: h C podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If there 81 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: are any upcoming days in history that you'd really like 82 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: me to cover on the show, give us a shower 83 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: on social media. Thanks for showing up. We'll meet here 84 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: again tomorrow. Hey y'all, it's Eaves again and welcome to 85 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 1: another episode of This Day in History class. I am 86 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 1: still at home recording from my closet, so if I 87 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 1: sound any different than that is why. But the history 88 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: doesn't end, so less, get on with the show. The 89 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 1: day was March one. Night three, the first wave of 90 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: cases in the West Bank fainting epidemic began in the 91 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: town of Areba. The epidemic lasted until early April. In 92 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 1: the end, researchers determined that it was likely triggered by 93 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: psychological factors. On the morning of March one, a seventeen 94 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: year old student at a girls school in Areba noted 95 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 1: feeling throat irritation and difficulty breathing. She also felt dizziness 96 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: and abdominal pain. Over the next couple of hours, more 97 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: students in other classes and a teacher began experiencing similar symptoms. 98 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 1: Some of the students reported smelling rotten eggs. When public 99 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 1: health officials arrived at the school, they figured that toxic 100 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: gas was the culprit, but none was found and doctors 101 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: could not determine the cause of their symptoms. The school 102 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: was closed, but more people fell ill over the next 103 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: few days. By March, the illness had spread to the 104 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: town of Janine in northern West Bank and surrounding villages. 105 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: Though most of the cases occurred among female students, some 106 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: also occurred among Israeli Defense Force soldiers. Dozens of people 107 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 1: were admitted to the hospital, with residents reporting seeing a 108 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: car that was emitting a thick cloud of smoke. A 109 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: third wave of the epidemic occurred on April three, mostly 110 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: around the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank. 111 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: This wave spread quickly, with the most students seeing symptoms 112 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: within a couple of hours. Students and some soldiers were 113 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: affected by headaches and blurred vision. In addition to the 114 00:07:55,640 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: abdominal pains and dizziness. After these outbreaks, schools were closed 115 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: and no more people reported being affected by the epidemic. 116 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: All in all, there were more than nine and forty 117 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: people who fell ill during the epidemic. To figure out 118 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: its cause, researchers took air samples from the sites and 119 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: analyzed them. They also took soil and dust samples and 120 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: analyzed suspicious substances found, such as powders, but they did 121 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 1: not find any consistent patterns of environmental toxins. Throughout the epidemic, 122 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: the press reported on all the outbreaks. The media played 123 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 1: a role in escalating fear and suspicion surrounding the epidemic. 124 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: Some people suggested that those affected had been poisoned by 125 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: some mysterious agent. Rumors circulated among the Arab population regarding 126 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 1: the reasons behind the suspected poisonings. In April four New 127 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: York Times articles said that quote Palestinian leaders have accused 128 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: Israeli settlers and officials of using chemical warfare and Westbank 129 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: schools to drive Arabs out of the area or to 130 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:08,479 Speaker 1: sterilize Arab girls. It also said that it Israeli officials 131 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: accused radical Palestinians of using gas or chemicals to stir 132 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: up demonstrations, but in the end, researchers concluded that the 133 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: cause of the epidemic was psychological, though there may have 134 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: been low levels of an environmental toxin present initially, They 135 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: said that the effects of the epidemic were heightened by 136 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: anxiety and stress. Reports on a toxic gas being the 137 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: cause also likely contributed to the epidemics spread. There was 138 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 1: no evidence that reports have symptoms during the epidemic were 139 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: made up. I'm Eaves, Jeff Coote, and hopefully you know 140 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 141 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: If you want to leave us a comment, you can 142 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: do so on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at t d 143 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: i HC podcast, and you can also email us at 144 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,560 Speaker 1: this day at I heart media dot com. Thanks again 145 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: for listening and we'll see you tomorrow MM. For more 146 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 147 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.