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| {{Short description|Prison warden of Alcatraz}} | |||
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| {{about|James Aloysius Johston|musical composer James Alan Johnston|Jim Johnston (composer)}} | |||
| '''James Aloysius Johnston''' (born ], ] in Brooklyn, N.Y.; died ], ] in San Francisco, California) was the first ] of ] prison. He was warden from ] to ]. | |||
| {{Infobox officeholder | |||
| | name = James A. Johnston | |||
| | image = James A Johnston 001.jpg | |||
| | alt = | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | office = ] of ] | |||
| | term_start = 1934 | |||
| | term_end = 1948 | |||
| | predecessor = ''Prison opened'' | |||
| | successor = ] | |||
| | office1 = ] of ] | |||
| | term_start1 = 1914 | |||
| | term_end1 = 1924 | |||
| | predecessor1 = | |||
| | successor1 = | |||
| | birth_name = James Aloysius Johnston | |||
| | birth_date = {{Birth date|1874|9|15}} | |||
| | birth_place = ] | |||
| | death_date = {{Death date and age|1954|9|7|1874|9|15}} | |||
| | death_place = ] | |||
| |spouse = {{marriage| Ida Mae Fulton|November 7, 1905}} | |||
| |children = 5 | |||
| | nationality = | |||
| | occupation = Politician<br/>Prison warden<br/>Writer | |||
| ⚫ | | office3 = Member of the ] | ||
| | term_start3 = 1907 | |||
| | term_end3 = 1909 | |||
| | predecessor3 = Eusebius Joseph Molera | |||
| | successor3 = John L. Herget | |||
| | office2 = ] of ] | |||
| | term_start2 = 1912 | |||
| | term_end2 = 1913 | |||
| }} | |||
| '''James Aloysius Johnston''' (September 15, 1874 – September 7, 1954) was an American politician and prison warden who served as the first and longest-serving ] of ], serving from 1934 to 1948. He had earlier served as wardens of ] state prisons at ] (1912-1913) and ] (1914-1924). | |||
| ==Biography== | |||
| Orphaned at the age of ten, began working at age 15 at Weinstock, Lubin and Co., selling ties in the menswear dept. Rose to General Manager of Weinstock Lubin. Later started Johnston's Men's Wear at 916 Market St. in San Francisco. | |||
| Born in ] and orphaned at the age of ten, Johnston began working at age fifteen in a clothing store at Weinstock, Lubin and Company in ]. He sold ] in the menswear department. He rose to General Manager of Weinstock Lubin. | |||
| After moving to ], he started his own store, ''Johnston's Men's Wear'', at 916 ]. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| Entering politics in the young city, he was elected to the ] in 1907. In 1911 he was appointed to the California State Board of Control, headed by new gubernatorial appointee ]. The state legislature had given the board "centralized control of the financial outlays of most state agencies."<ref>{{cite news|title=Here is a chance to stop waste of public money|newspaper=Santa Ana Register|agency=San Francisco Bulletin|date=March 18, 1911|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30543344/here_is_a_chance_to_stop_waste_of/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> {{citation needed|date=October 2021}}<!-- Source does not mention Johnston on the board or staff --> | |||
| Appointed Chair, California State Board of Control, 1911 | |||
| The next year Johnston was appointed to serve as warden of the state prison at ] (1912-1913), followed by serving a decade as warden at ] (1914-1924) (see caption of image of Johnston).<ref name="cdcr">{{cite web|url=https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/insidecdcr/2018/06/14/cdcr-time-capsule-1914-san-quentin-warden-focuses-on-redeeming-offenders/|title=1914: San Quentin warden focuses on redeeming offenders|date=14 June 2018|publisher=California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation|access-date=27 September 2021}}</ref> He became known for his focus on redeeming offenders and work to improve their lives; for instance, he treated those who needed it for drug abuse, and established educational and employment programs for inmates. In 1912 the state hired its first dentists to treat prisoners.<ref name="cdcr"/> | |||
| Ten of the fourteen escape attempts took place when he was warden. Johnston wrote several books during his lifetime including "Prison Life is Different" where he documents his time spent as warden at ], ], and Alcatraz. Johnston is credited with challenging the barbaric tactics used in the prisons when he was there, including ]s and solitary confinement in darkness and working towards the general improvement of the lives of prisoners. He was married to Ida Mae Fulton and had one son and three daughters. | |||
| Johnston was considered to be both a strict disciplinarian and devout reformist. His rules included a strict code of silence, and he was nicknamed the '] Warden' while at San Quentin. He was relatively popular among inmates and guards, and also became known as "Old Saltwater". He is credited with challenging some of the harsh tactics used in the prison, including ]s and solitary confinement in darkness. He worked to improve the lives of prisoners. | |||
| ⚫ | {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston}} | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ], District Attorney ], c. late 1940s]] | |||
| {{US-crime-bio-stub}} | |||
| Based on this experience, Johnston was instrumental in the conversion and adaptation of ] from its military use to serve as a federal prison. He was involved in its design in 1934.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}} He served as the first warden of Alcatraz, from 1934 until 1948. He had the longest term of service of any succeeding warden. | |||
| In 1937 he was assaulted by ] in the ], where he customarily ate with the prisoners and was unguarded. Phillips, convicted of robbery and kidnapping, allegedly beat the warden in anger at a worker's strike. Johnston did not let this incident deter him, and returned to attending meals unguarded in the Dining Hall.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}} | |||
| ] | |||
| Ten of the fourteen escape attempts from Alcatraz took place during Johnston's tenure,{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}. These included what is called the ] from May 2–4, 1946, when Marines were finally called in to supplement prison guards in suppressing an escape attempt and related violence. Two Bureau of Prison guards were killed, as were three of the prisoners attempting escape. Others were wounded. | |||
| ] | |||
| ==Personal life== | |||
| Johnston wrote several memoirs, including ''Prison Life is Different'' (1937, published by ]). He documented his service as warden at ], ], and Alcatraz. | |||
| He married Ida Mae Fulton on November 7, 1905, with whom he had a son and three daughters.<ref>{{cite book|title=Alcatraz Island Prison|last=Johnston|first=James A.|year=1949|publisher=C. Scribner's Sons|location=New York City|pages=}} (Reissued in paperback in 2012 as ''Alcatraz Island Prison and the Men Who Live There'', by Read Books, {{ISBN|1447450213}}).</ref> | |||
| Johnston died of a bronchial infection on September 7, 1954, in ]. | |||
| ==References == | |||
| <references /> | |||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| *{{cite book|last1=Ward|first1=David A.|last2=Kassebaum|first2=Gene G.|title=Alcatraz: The Gangster Years|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kV6KXrkQjTsC&pg=PA199|access-date=8 September 2012|date=19 May 2009|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-25607-1|page=}} | |||
| *{{cite book|last=Wellman|first=Gregory L.|title=A History of Alcatraz Island:: 1853-2008|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1duAUPaHSgcC&pg=PA72|access-date=8 September 2012|date=28 May 2008|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-5815-8|page=}} | |||
| * {{cite book|last=Lewis Champion Jr|first=Jerry|title=The Fading Voices of Alcatraz|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kKCOAikATNYC&pg=PA106|accessdate=7 September 2012|date=27 January 2011|publisher=AuthorHouse|isbn=978-1-4567-1487-1|page=106}} (self-published book, not RS) | |||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| ⚫ | {{Alcatraz Island}} | ||
| ⚫ | {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, James A.}} | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
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Latest revision as of 18:06, 31 May 2023
Prison warden of Alcatraz This article is about James Aloysius Johston. For musical composer James Alan Johnston, see Jim Johnston (composer).| James A. Johnston | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Warden of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary | |
| In office 1934–1948 | |
| Preceded by | Prison opened |
| Succeeded by | Edwin B. Swope |
| Warden of San Quentin State Prison | |
| In office 1914–1924 | |
| Warden of Folsom State Prison | |
| In office 1912–1913 | |
| Member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors | |
| In office 1907–1909 | |
| Preceded by | Eusebius Joseph Molera |
| Succeeded by | John L. Herget |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Aloysius Johnston (1874-09-15)September 15, 1874 City of Brooklyn, New York |
| Died | September 7, 1954(1954-09-07) (aged 79) San Francisco, California |
| Spouse |
Ida Mae Fulton (m. 1905) |
| Children | 5 |
| Occupation | Politician Prison warden Writer |
James Aloysius Johnston (September 15, 1874 – September 7, 1954) was an American politician and prison warden who served as the first and longest-serving warden of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, serving from 1934 to 1948. He had earlier served as wardens of California state prisons at Folsom (1912-1913) and San Quentin (1914-1924).
Biography
Born in Brooklyn, New York and orphaned at the age of ten, Johnston began working at age fifteen in a clothing store at Weinstock, Lubin and Company in Sacramento, California. He sold neckties in the menswear department. He rose to General Manager of Weinstock Lubin.
After moving to San Francisco, he started his own store, Johnston's Men's Wear, at 916 Market Street.
Entering politics in the young city, he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1907. In 1911 he was appointed to the California State Board of Control, headed by new gubernatorial appointee John Francis Neylan. The state legislature had given the board "centralized control of the financial outlays of most state agencies."
The next year Johnston was appointed to serve as warden of the state prison at Folsom State Prison (1912-1913), followed by serving a decade as warden at San Quentin (1914-1924) (see caption of image of Johnston). He became known for his focus on redeeming offenders and work to improve their lives; for instance, he treated those who needed it for drug abuse, and established educational and employment programs for inmates. In 1912 the state hired its first dentists to treat prisoners.
Johnston was considered to be both a strict disciplinarian and devout reformist. His rules included a strict code of silence, and he was nicknamed the 'Golden Rule Warden' while at San Quentin. He was relatively popular among inmates and guards, and also became known as "Old Saltwater". He is credited with challenging some of the harsh tactics used in the prison, including strait jackets and solitary confinement in darkness. He worked to improve the lives of prisoners.
Based on this experience, Johnston was instrumental in the conversion and adaptation of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary from its military use to serve as a federal prison. He was involved in its design in 1934. He served as the first warden of Alcatraz, from 1934 until 1948. He had the longest term of service of any succeeding warden.
In 1937 he was assaulted by Burton Phillips in the Dining hall, where he customarily ate with the prisoners and was unguarded. Phillips, convicted of robbery and kidnapping, allegedly beat the warden in anger at a worker's strike. Johnston did not let this incident deter him, and returned to attending meals unguarded in the Dining Hall.
Ten of the fourteen escape attempts from Alcatraz took place during Johnston's tenure,. These included what is called the Battle of Alcatraz from May 2–4, 1946, when Marines were finally called in to supplement prison guards in suppressing an escape attempt and related violence. Two Bureau of Prison guards were killed, as were three of the prisoners attempting escape. Others were wounded.
Personal life
Johnston wrote several memoirs, including Prison Life is Different (1937, published by Houghton Mifflin). He documented his service as warden at Folsom, San Quentin, and Alcatraz.
He married Ida Mae Fulton on November 7, 1905, with whom he had a son and three daughters.
Johnston died of a bronchial infection on September 7, 1954, in San Francisco, California.
References
- "Here is a chance to stop waste of public money". Santa Ana Register. San Francisco Bulletin. March 18, 1911 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1914: San Quentin warden focuses on redeeming offenders". California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- Johnston, James A. (1949). Alcatraz Island Prison. New York City: C. Scribner's Sons. (Reissued in paperback in 2012 as Alcatraz Island Prison and the Men Who Live There, by Read Books, ISBN 1447450213).
Further reading
- Ward, David A.; Kassebaum, Gene G. (19 May 2009). Alcatraz: The Gangster Years. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-25607-1. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- Wellman, Gregory L. (28 May 2008). A History of Alcatraz Island:: 1853-2008. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-5815-8. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- Lewis Champion Jr, Jerry (27 January 2011). The Fading Voices of Alcatraz. AuthorHouse. p. 106. ISBN 978-1-4567-1487-1. Retrieved 7 September 2012. (self-published book, not RS)
