14. The first warden, James A. Johnston, ate his meals amidst the prisoners unguarded in a show of strength which earned him the respect of his charges despite his ruthless governance of Alcatraz
Described as “the great garbage can of San Francisco Bay, into which every federal prison dumped its most rotten apples”, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was unique in the prison system of the United States in that the courts did not possess the authority to sentence an individual to directly serve time in the institution. Instead, Alcatraz was only open to those already sentenced to incarceration in an existing penitentiary. As a result, all those imprisoned on “The Rock”, as Alcatraz came to be colloquially known, were already well-versed in prison life and consequently required a distinct strategy to enforce discipline among the prison population.
Previously serving as warden of Folsom and San Quentin – both maximum security state prisons in California – James A. Johnston was instrumental in organizing Alcatraz into a functioning operation. Bearing a reputation as a strict disciplinarian, Johnston served as Alcatraz’s warden from its opening in 1934 until 1948 – nearly half of its lifespan – during which time he earned both the respect, and to a degree affection, of its inmates. Attacked in 1937 by Burton Phillips in the Dining Hall, Johnston continued to attend meals unguarded and unafraid amidst the prison inmates, earning the nickname “Old Saltwater”.