[4] Cole and Roe, both convicted bank robbers in Oklahoma, had been caught during earlier, independent escape attempts from that state's McAlester Prison.

[7] On December 16, 1937, a dense fog swept through the San Francisco Bay, impeding marine traffic and reducing visibility to near zero on Alcatraz Island.

An extensive, multi-day search ensued; portions of the island were flooded with tear gas in an attempt to flush out the escapees, with no result.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Cole and Roe had prepared for the escape well in advance, using a hacksaw blade to weaken the window bars, and disguising the damage with a mixture of grease and shoe polish.

A 1941 San Francisco Chronicle report declared that the pair were living in South America, and a cab driver in Cole's hometown of Seminole, Oklahoma, told police he had been shot by men he recognized as the two escapees.

The G-men here maintained their customary silence, but one Seminole man who had known both Cole and Roe at Leavenworth penitentiary said that he and other local residents had been questioned about the fugitives.

Ed Talley of Oklahoma City who lost two $20 bills to the hijackers ($40 in total) also said that he had not been asked to identify the pictures of Roe.