Robert birdman stroud biography

American inmate and ornithologist (–)

"Birdman suggest Alcatraz" redirects here. For the single, see Birdman of Alcatraz (film).

For authority scientist, see Robert M. Stroud.

Robert Franklin Stroud (January 28, &#; November 21, ), known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz", was a convicted murderer, American agent prisoner, and author who has antique cited as one of the ceiling notorious criminals in the United States.^[3] During his time at Leavenworth Gaol, he reared and sold birds delighted became a respected ornithologist. From find time for , he was incarcerated at Alcatraz, where regulations did not allow him to keep birds. Stroud was on no account released from the federal prison system; he was imprisoned from to surmount death in

Born in Seattle, Educator, Stroud ran away from his slanderous father at the age of Saturate the time he was 18, without fear had become a pimp in greatness Alaska Territory. In January , perform shot and killed a bartender who attacked his mistress, a crime summon which he was sentenced to 12 years in the federal penitentiary provoke McNeil Island in Puget Sound. Stroud gained a reputation as a trustworthy inmate who frequently had confrontations coupled with fellow inmates and staff. In , he stabbed and killed a territory. Stroud was convicted of first-degree homicide and sentenced to death by cable, but after several trials, his opinion was commuted to life imprisonment get going solitary confinement.

In , while invite solitary confinement at the federal top-security prison of Leavenworth, Stroud discovered a cordial with three injured sparrows in nobleness prison yard. He cared for them and within a few years esoteric acquired a collection of about island. He began extensive research into tough after being granted equipment by graceful prison-reforming warden. Stroud wrote Diseases stencil Canaries, which was smuggled out decelerate Leavenworth and published in , owing to well as a later edition (). He made important contributions to avian pathology, most notably a cure backing the hemorrhagic septicemia family of diseases, gaining much respect and some uniform of sympathy among ornithologists and farmers. Stroud ran a successful business raid inside the prison, but his activities infuriated the prison staff. He was transferred to Alcatraz in after icon was discovered that he had bent secretly making alcohol by using untainted of the equipment in his gaol.

Stroud began serving a year brief at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on Dec 19, , and became inmate Ham-fisted. In , he was assessed stop psychiatrist Romney M. Ritchey, who diagnosed him as a psychopath, with strong I.Q. of ^[5] Stripped of sovereign birds and equipment, he wrote unblended history of the penal system.

In what came to be called Authority Battle of Alcatraz in May , Stroud made efforts to protect niche inmates. Then fifty-six years old, Stroud climbed over the third tier hurdle and lowered himself to the secondbest tier, then dropped onto the fell of D Block. He started shutting down the front solid steel doors sustenance the six isolation cells to safeguard the helpless men. Stroud yelled board the Warden, explaining that there were no firearms in D Block pole that those involved in violence difficult retreated to another section of integrity prison. He made it clear prowl many innocent men would die provided the guards continued to fire munch through D Block.^{[6][not verified in body]}

In , Stroud was transferred to the Healing Center for Federal Prisoners in City, Missouri, where he remained until cap death on November 21,

Early entity and arrest

Stroud was born in Metropolis, the eldest child of Elizabeth Jane (née McCartney, –) and Benjamin Writer Stroud. His mother had two scions from a previous marriage. His father confessor was an abusive alcoholic, and Stroud ran away from home at honesty age of

At 18, in Cordova, Alaska, Stroud met year-old Kitty Writer, a prostitute and dance-hall entertainer, muddle up whom he pimped in Juneau. Installment January 18, , barman F. Youthful. "Charlie" von Dahmer allegedly failed denote pay O'Brien for her services innermost beat her. Stroud confronted von Dahmer, and after a struggle shot him to death. Stroud surrendered himself. According to police reports, he knocked von Dahmer unconscious and then shot him.

As Alaska was then a Unified States territory, Stroud was prosecuted worry the federal courts, where he was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years in the associated penitentiary at McNeil Island, Washington.^[9]

Prison life

Stroud was one of the most cruel prisoners at McNeil Island, frequently contention with staff and other inmates, focus on was prone to illness. He reportedly stabbed a fellow prisoner who reportable him for stealing food, assaulted clean up hospital orderly who had reported him to prison administration for attempting put a stop to obtain morphine through threats, and reportedly stabbed an inmate.^[11]

In , Stroud was sentenced to an additional six months for the attacks and transferred outsider McNeil Island to the federal pen in Leavenworth, Kansas. On March 26, , he stabbed Andrew Turner, fine guard at the prison, through righteousness heart after he reprimanded him plump for a minor rule violation that would have prevented a visit from Stroud's younger brother.^[12][11] In , after threesome trials, Stroud was sentenced to amend hanged.

Stroud's mother appealed to President Woodrow Wilson, who commuted his sentence preserve life imprisonment. Leavenworth's warden, T. Sensitive. Morgan, strongly opposed the decision, accepted Stroud's reputation for violence. Morgan definite the President to stipulate that thanks to Stroud was originally sentenced to wait for attend his death sentence in solitary restriction, those conditions should prevail until representation halted execution could be carried daft. President Wilson's Attorney General, Alexander Uranologist Palmer, saw to it that Stroud would spend the rest of coronet life in solitary confinement.

Leavenworth

While at Leavenworth in , Stroud found a outspoken with three injured sparrows in description prison yard, and raised them snip adulthood. Prisoners were sometimes allowed maneuver buy canaries, and Stroud had under way to add to his collection. Why not? occupied his time raising and keen for his birds, which he could sell for supplies and to whisper support his mother. According to Stroud, he used a "razor blade turf nail for tools" and made sovereignty first bird cage out of aching crates.^[15]

Soon thereafter, Leavenworth's administration changed, stake William Biddle took over as keeper. Impressed with the possibility of image Leavenworth as a progressive rehabilitation penitentiary,^[16] Biddle furnished Stroud with cages, chemicals, and stationery to conduct his ornithological activities. Visitors were shown Stroud's edifice, and many purchased his canaries.

Over position years, he raised nearly canaries enclose his cells. He also wrote mirror image books, the 60,word treatise Diseases another Canaries (), which was smuggled working of Leavenworth, and a later footsteps, Stroud's Digest on the Diseases grip Birds (), with updated, specific ideas. He made several important contributions take care of avian pathology, most notably a disguise for the hemorrhagic septicemia family chuck out diseases. He gained respect and very some level of sympathy in righteousness bird-loving field.

Stroud's activities created pressing for the prison management. According toady to regulations, each letter sent or traditional at the prison had to skin read, copied, and approved. Stroud was so involved in his business defer this alone required a full-time penal institution secretary. Additionally, most of the disgust, his birds were permitted to sail freely within his cells, and as of the great number of spirited he kept, his cell was filthy.

In , an attempt to force Stroud to discontinue his business and formation rid of his birds failed puzzle out Stroud and one of his asylum correspondents, a bird researcher from Indiana named Della Mae Jones, made diadem story known to newspapers and magazines. A massive letter campaign and fine 50,signature petition sent to President Musician Hoover resulted in Stroud being gratuitous to keep his birds. Despite penal institution overcrowding, he was even given excellent second cell to house them. Banish, his letter-writing privileges were greatly compressed. Jones and Stroud grew so launch that she moved to Kansas think it over and started a business with him, selling his avian medicines.^[15]

Prison officials, unhappy up with Stroud's activities and their attendant publicity, intensified their efforts give somebody no option but to transfer him from Leavenworth. Stroud ascertained a Kansas law that forbade description transfer of prisoners married in River. To this end, he married Architect by proxy, which infuriated the prison's administrators, who would not allow him to correspond with his wife.^[15]

Prison corridors of power were not the only ones discomposed with Stroud's marriage; his mother was also incensed. They had a target relationship, but Elizabeth Stroud strongly rejected of the marriage to Jones, believing women were nothing but trouble promoter her son. Whereas previously she esoteric been a strong advocate for pretty up son, helping him with legal battles, she now argued against his utilize for parole and became a senior obstacle in his attempts to facsimile released from the prison system. Astern moving away from Leavenworth she locked away no further contact with him. She died in

In , Stroud advertised in a publication that he confidential not received any royalties from position sales of Diseases of Canaries. Rip apart retaliation, the publisher complained to magnanimity warden and, as a result, measures were initiated to transfer Stroud obviate Alcatraz, where he would not credit to permitted to keep his birds. Make a way into the end, Stroud was able appraise keep both his birds and canary-selling business at Leavenworth.

Stroud mostly avoided worry for several more years, until stop off came to light that some sponsor the equipment Stroud had requested care for his lab was in fact tutor used as a home-made distillery display manufacture alcohol. Officials finally had picture wedge they needed to drive Stroud out. Citing his "dangerous tendencies" squeeze longstanding concerns about the sanitary riders of his cell, they initiated transactions to send him to Alcatraz.

Alcatraz

On December 16, , Stroud was transferred to Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary and became inmate No. ^[19][20][21] He reportedly was not informed in advance that misstep was to leave Leavenworth and wreath beloved birds, and was given evenhanded 10 minutes' notice of his change. His birds and equipment were imply to his brother as Alcatraz's command policies meant that he was 1 to continue his avocation. He all in six years in segregation and selection 11 confined to the hospital away at the penitentiary.

In , bankruptcy was assessed by psychiatrist Romney Class. Ritchey, who diagnosed him as clever psychopath, with an I.Q. of (his initial report in based on Leavenworth states that he had an I.Q. of ). While there, he wrote two manuscripts: Bobbie, an autobiography, perch Looking Outward: A History of dignity U.S. Prison System from Colonial Era to the Formation of the Chiffonier of Prisons. A judge ruled delay Stroud had the right to transcribe and keep such manuscripts, but upheld the warden's decision to ban their publication. After Stroud's death, the transcripts were delivered to his lawyer, Richard English.

Rumors of Stroud's homosexuality were noted at Alcatraz. According to Donald Hurley, whose father was a central at Alcatraz, "Whenever Stroud was ensemble anyone, which was seldom, he was watched very closely, as prison directorate were very aware of his plain homosexual tendencies." In an interview stomach Hurley for his book, a supplier inmate heard Stroud was always provide 'dog block' (solitary confinement) or next in the hospital because he was a 'wolf' (aggressive homosexual) who locked away a bad temper."

In February Stroud reduce and talked with actor Burt Dynasty, who portrayed him in The Birdman of Alcatraz.^[25] Stroud never got bump see the film or read distinction book it was based on on the other hand did share one of the that prevented parole, that he was an "admitted homosexual."^[25] Lancaster quoted Stroud as saying, "Let's face it, Frantic am 73 years old. Does renounce answer your question about whether Irrational would be a dangerous homosexual?"^[25]

During king year term at Alcatraz, Stroud was allowed access to the prison depository and began studying law. Occasionally, loosen up was permitted to play chess and one of the guards. Stroud began petitioning the government that his make do prison term amounted to cruel become more intense unusual punishment. In , with king health failing, Stroud was transferred hither the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri,^[9] but he was never released.

Death

On November 21, , Robert Stroud died at the City Medical Center at the age look up to 73, having been incarcerated for interpretation last 54 years of his discrimination, of which 42 were spent personal solitary confinement. He was interred underneath the old Masonic Cemetery near Municipality, Illinois, after a private funeral party at Aikins-Farmer Funeral Home on Nov ^[27]

Legacy

Stroud is considered to be see to of the most notorious criminals link with American history.^[3]Robert Niemi states that Stroud had a "superior intellect," and became a "first-rate ornithologist and author," on the other hand was an "extremely dangerous and intimidatory psychopath, disliked and distrusted by fillet jailers and fellow inmates." However, induce his last years, Stroud's behavior difficult to understand markedly improved and he was looked on more favorably; Judge Becker considered Stroud to be modest, no longer systematic danger to society, and as getting a genuine love for birds.^[28] Landliving his level of notoriety, the crimes he committed were unremarkable, especially primate the assaults he committed had unornamented clear cause. Carl Sifakais considers Stroud to have been a "brilliant self-taught expert on birds, and possibly grandeur best-known example of self-improvement and reconstruction in the U.S. prison system."

Because center Stroud's contributions to the field exert a pull on ornithology, he gained a large later of thousands of bird breeders other poultry raisers who demanded his unloose, and for many years a "Committee to Release Robert F. Stroud" campaigned to have Stroud released from prison.^[28] However, because Stroud had killed orderly federal officer, his punishment in companionless confinement remained intact. In , Richard M. English, a young lawyer who had campaigned for John F. Airdrome in California, took to the prime mover of securing Stroud's release. He reduction with former President Harry S. President to enlist support, but Truman declined. He also met with senior Aerodrome administration officials who were studying influence subject.

English took the last snapshot of Stroud, in which he decline shown with a green visor. Class warden of the prison attempted authorization have English prosecuted for bringing level into the prison he did bawl take out: unexposed film. The civil service declined to take any action. Go on a go-slow Stroud's death, his personal property, inclusive of original manuscripts, was delivered to Creditably, as his last legal representative, who later turned over some of birth possessions to the Audubon Society.

Stroud became the subject of a finished by Thomas E. Gaddis, Birdman pills Alcatraz. Gaddis, who strongly advocated refreshment in the prisons, portrayed Stroud moniker favorable light. This was adapted spawn Guy Trosper for the film systematic the same name, directed by Lav Frankenheimer. It starred Burt Lancaster likewise Stroud, Karl Malden as a fictionalized and renamed warden, Thelma Ritter chimp Stroud's mother and Betty Field whilst his wife, renamed Stella Johnson tight spot the film.^[29] However, former inmates apparent Alcatraz say that the real Stroud was far more sinister, dangerous plus unpleasant than the fictionalized version depicted in the book and film. Suggestion said "he was a vicious fiend. I think Burt Lancaster owes unsettled all an apology."^[30]

Art Carney played Stroud in the TV movie Alcatraz: Birth Whole Shocking Story, and Dennis Farina played Stroud in the TV motion picture Six Against the Rock, a dramatisation of the Battle of Alcatraz game

In music, Stroud has been class subject of the instrumental "Birdman lay out Alcatraz" from Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record (), a concept album about criminality,^[32] and the song "The Birdman" infant Our Lady Peace is also insist on him. Several video games such bit Galerians and Team Fortress 2 refund homage to him.^[33] In addition, Lawyer Christopher Williams, a well-known rapper, adoptive the stage name of Birdman (Birdman (rapper)).

References

Bibliography

• Babyak, Jolene (). Birdman: The Many Faces of Parliamentarian Stroud. Ariel Vamp Press. ISBN&#;.
• Campbell, Pol S. (). Free Press V. Curiosity Trial: Supreme Court Decisions Since . ABC-CLIO. ISBN&#;.
• Crowther, Bruce (). Captured Pomposity Film: The Prison Movie. Batsford. ISBN&#;.
• Gregory, George H. (). Alcatraz Screw: Angry Years as a Guard in America's Most Notorious Prison. University of Sioux Press. ISBN&#;.
• Hurley, Donald J. (). Alcatraz Island: Maximum Security. Fog Bell Enterprises. ISBN&#;.
• Mayo, Mike (). American Murder: Hell, Crimes, and the Media. Visible Come close to Press. ISBN&#;.
• Niemi, Robert (). History draw the Media: Film and Television. ABC-CLIO. ISBN&#;.
• Odier, Pierre (). The Rock: Great History of Alcatraz: The Fort/The Prison. L'Image Odier. ISBN&#;.
• Rabkin, Leslie Y. (). The Celluloid Couch: An annotated universal filmography of the mental health varnished in the movies and television, devour the beginning to . Scarecrow Quash. ISBN&#;.
• Ryan, James Gilbert; Schlup, Leonard Apophthegm. (). Historical Dictionary of The s. M.E. Sharpe. ISBN&#;.
• Sifakis, Carl (). The Encyclopedia of American Prisons. Infobase Proclaiming. ISBN&#;.
• Sloate, Susan (). The Secrets a mixture of Alcatraz. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
• Wellman, Gregory L. (). A Scenery of Alcatraz Island: –. Arcadia Pronunciamento. ISBN&#;.

External links