of All Tribes" and offered to buy the island from the government for $24 in beads, colored cloth and other goods. Their point in the offer was to buy the island at the same price Manhattan Island was bought years before. During the Great Depression of the 1930's, The Department of Justice wanted the island for a maximum-security facility. Alcatraz reopened on January 1, 1934 as a federal penitentiary. (Golden Gate National Park Association, Discover Alcatraz. 3, 10).
             During the twenty-nine year history of the prison, 1550 prisoners were imprisoned. Alcatraz was Uncle Sam's answer to the most notorious public enemies. Notorious prisioners like Al "Scarface" Capone, "Doc" Barker, Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert Stroud "Birdma
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