Ralph Roe

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Ralph Roe

Ralph Roe (* 1909 ; † December 17, 1937 (?)) Was an American criminal .

Along with Frank Lee Morris , the brothers Clarence and John Anglin, and Roe's partner Theodore Cole , Roe is one of five inmates of the US high-security Alcatraz prison who may have escaped . Since Roe did not reappear after attempting to escape, his fate remains unclear. It cannot be confirmed that he actually escaped successfully; since his body was not found, his death in the course of his escape attempt could not be proven. The US authorities declared him missing shortly after his disappearance.

Attempted escape from Alcatraz

On December 16, Roe and his fellow inmate Theodore Cole managed to escape from the tire workshop on Alcatraz Island . Her absence was noticed by the guard in charge at around 1:30 am on his tour. The later judicial investigation found that the two had used their work tools to remove the iron bars in front of the barred window and smash the panes. They then climbed over the security fence surrounding the work facilities and in all likelihood reached the beach. After that their trail was lost; A thorough investigation of the prison island was just as unable to uncover new findings as a nationwide manhunt for the fugitives.

Authorities believe they both used tires or oil drums to build a makeshift raft to attempt to reach the mainland. Due to the strong currents, the cold weather and the thick fog on December 16, 1937, the authorities in charge assumed that both drowned or froze in the sea with a probability bordering on certainty. Regardless of this, in the following months and years reports were repeatedly launched in American newspapers based on rumors that were tempting for the sensational press, which seemed to confirm the idea of ​​a successful escape from the “safest prison in the world” and the legend of the “successful Escape ”gave new nourishment, e.g. B. questionable theories about a possible apprehension by accomplices on the beach of Alcatraz by boat and above all new "sightings" of the missing.