Opening Day Auction Closing May 9th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/10/2015
The “Birdman of Alcatraz,” notorious criminal Robert Stroud, was inmate #594 at Alcatraz Prison. Stroud was originally sentenced to prison for manslaughter for shooting a man at point-blank range and while in prison he continued his violent lifestyle. While in prison he shanked a cafeteria prison guard and was sentenced to death but his sentence was commuted to life in prison at Leavenworth Penitentiary. He earned his nickname their as he found a nest with three injured sparrows in the prison yard and he began to raise them. He became a respected ornithologist and ran a successful business in prison rearing and selling birds. With just 10 minutes notice, he was transferred to Alcatraz prison, where he had to leave his beloved birds behind as Alcatraz did not allow for such activities, which did not sit well with Stroud. Presented, is a signed letter from Robert Stroud handwritten in black ball point ink, dated “November 12, 1954.” Stroud signed his name at the end of the letter, “Love, Bob, Robert Stroud 594.” Item comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA #X03907.