Behind San Quentin's walls
Subtitle: the history of California's legendary prison and its inmates, 1851-1900
By: William B. Secrest
Publisher: Craven Street Books
Published: 2015
Language: eng
Number of pages: 281
ISBN-13: 9781610352215
Subjects: Prisoners; History; California State Prison at San Quentin; Prisons
Description: It's one of the most famous prisons in American history, featured in countless movies and novels. Its inmates have included such diverse characters as Charles Manson, Sirhan Sirhan, Eldridge Cleaver, Merle Haggard, and Neal Cassidy. It's the one of the oldest continually operating institutions of California state government. San Quentin State Prison is as iconic a symbol of California as the Golden Gate Bridge or the Hollywood sign, yet few people today know the prison's origins or colorful early history. --Publisher's description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: The journey of the waban; title: A cellblock called "the stones"; title: Breakouts and bandit gangs; title: The big jailor; title: The state takes over; title: The chellis break; title: Those troublesome women; title: The stage robbers' ball; title: Escape as a fine art; title: Hanged by the neck until dead; title: The incorrigibles.