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Document 256825 BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ: ROBERT STROUD Written from Alcatraz about birds and religion. ALS: "Bob/Robert Stroud", 1p, 8½x13. Alcatraz, California, 1948 November 29. To Fred E. Daw, Coral Gables, Florida. In part: "Frank.sent me a picture of his place, taken with him, his wife, and their daughter standing on the lawn before the house and a lot of birds between them and the camera. It is certainly a beautiful place. Gills knows his stuff on genetics and on birds. There is only one time I ever differed with him and that was some years ago when he advocated using deep yellow hens to increase the color of the hybrid. I differed with Carter on the same subject. Gills (sic) later works up and started usin advocating the use of buff hens. Another subject I differed with Carter on was religion. He tried to preach it to me and I politely but firmly, and you know I can be firm, told him that it was all right for people who wanted it or who felt the need of it. That I did not; that to me it was all just so much hogwash; that was not interested in anything that could not be demonstrated with a test tube and microscope.from the way things look now, I will probably be out by February. With the people I have behind me and the information now in Marc's hands, I do not see how it can fail.I am still in the hospital and I think they will let me stay up here. The conditions are very comfortable, in fact, the only comfortable conditions I have seen since I came out here.." In 1909, 19-year-old Stroud was sentenced to 12 years for manslaughter. After attacking and killing guards at Leavenworth, he was sentenced to death. At the request of his mother, President Wilson commuted the sentence to life imprisonment. Using extremely limited tools, Stroud managed to become one of the world's greatest authorities on birds and their diseases. Contrary to popular belief, however, he never had birds at Alcatraz -- his work with birds was done at Leavenworth. Stroud served 54 years in prison. Forty-two were spent in solitary confinement, including his 17-year stay at Alcatraz, where he was not allowed to keep birds. Stroud died at the Federal Medical Facility in Springfield, Missouri in 1963, a year after Burt Lancaster portrayed him in the film, Birdman of Alcatraz. Letters from Alcatraz in which Stroud mentions birds are extremely desirable. Pencil notes at left margin (unknown hand). Nicked and worn left edge. Folds, vertical fold touches the "S" in Stroud. SEE IF DOCUMENT 256825 IS FOR SALE RIGHT NOW!!
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