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Podcast: Dan Snow's History Hit
Episode: Escapees of Alcatraz
Description: Alcatraz was the jewel in the crown of America's prison system. The wind-swept island fortress was the final stop for the nation's most dangerous criminals, including the notorious gangsters Al Capone and George 'Machine Gun' Kelly. It was thought to be escape-proof - at least, until one night in June 1962, when three men on an improvised raft slipped into the icy waters of San Francisco Bay, never to be seen again. The inescapable prison had finally been beaten.Today we're joined by Jolene Babyak, a historian of Alcatraz and author of 'Breaking The Rock'. She grew...