Edwin B. Swope | |
|---|---|
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| Warden ofAlcatraz Federal Penitentiary | |
| In office 1948–1955 | |
| Preceded by | James A. Johnston |
| Succeeded by | Paul J. Madigan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edwin Burnham Swope (1888-05-06)May 6, 1888 Santa Fe,New Mexico |
| Died | December 26, 1955(1955-12-26) (aged 67) San Francisco,California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Occupation | Politician Prison warden |
| Nickname | Cowboy |
Edwin Burnham Swope (May 6, 1888 – December 26, 1955), nicknamed "Cowboy", was the secondwarden ofAlcatraz Federal Penitentiary, which was situated onAlcatraz Island,California, US. He was a native of New Mexico, having been born at Santa Fe in 1888.[1] His earlier posts as warden includedNew Mexico State Prison,Washington State'sMcNeil Island Federal Penitentiary,[2] and the Federal Penitentiary atTerre Haute, Indiana.[3]
Swope served at Alcatraz from 1948 to 1955.[4] A member of theDemocratic Party, Swope wasChairman of the City Commission ofAlbuquerque,New Mexico from February 1923 through February 1925. He was appointed Commissioner of Public Lands byNew Mexico GovernorArthur T. Hannett.[5]
Swope was the last political appointee to serve as Alcatraz's warden,[4] and the only Alcatraz warden who did not have an escape attempt while serving in that role.[6] He and his wife lived in theWarden's House on Alcatraz Island.[7] He was described as having a soft voice, gray hair, and worerimless eyeglasses.[8] His fashion style ofsombrero,cowboy boots, and rings andbelt buckles of turquoise bore out his southwest heritage. Swope was approximately 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and of slender build. He was a fan of horse racing.[4]
In his first 18 months as warden, Swope introduced painting and a prisoners' orchestra as reform measures.[9] He was a strict disciplinarian but unlike his predecessor,James A. Johnston, he was considered the most disliked warden of Alcatraz with his officers and the inmates.[10] He once said, in response to an inmate who complained to him on therecreation yard about his term of 199 years, which was really a life sentence, "My boy, we're all doing life. Every one of us is doing life."[6]
In 1950, Swope brought movies to the Alcatraz, which were viewed in the chapel every other weekend, although at some stage movies were shown in the auditorium above the dining room.[11] At the age of 66, he resigned from his post at Alcatraz on January 21, 1955, shortly before his death.[6]
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