Birdman of Alcatraz Page #5

That's all, Stroud.

I never thought Uncle Sam

would go back on his word.

Meaning what?

There's been an understanding between

the government and me, for 11 years,

that I could raise my birds.

That pledge has been broken.

- As far as I'm concerned, all bets are off.

- That sounds like a threat.

Warden, you just got through

tellin' me that I ain't very important.

How could I threaten a big,

powerful Washington bureau?

I've been doin' a lot of thinkin', Mother.

I have a plan, and it might work.

What kind of a plan?

Do you remember how

you saved my neck in 1920?

- Yes, but I don't see...

- Publicity. That's what did it.

I don't think I follow you.

How many bird owners

know I'm a convict?

- Just a few.

- Then we'll tell 'em.

We'll tell 'em how

they're gonna take my birds away.

We'll write to newspapers,

radio stations, commentators, columnists,

bird clubs, magazines.

We'll have people angry

from coast to coast.

Excellent, Robbie. Excellent.

We'll drive 'em right down the pike.

It'll be just like it was in the old days.

Just the two of us together,

fighting the world.

I've just been to see Bob,

and I smuggled out this.

It's instructions for the campaign.

Why should he give you this material?

The kind of thing he usually

entrusts to his mother.

Well, I don't know.

I guess that time was short.

It doesn't really matter, does it?

There's a great deal of copying

to be done. You'll follow my directions.

Yes, ma'am.

Start with letters to the bird clubs.

When you've finished I'll assign you more.

Yes, ma'am.

Here it is. Right here on the second page

of the Kansas City Star.

- Here.

- Oh, yes.

That's not enough.

I want the front page. We're ready now

for the next step of our campaign.

- You got another idea?

- Yes, and it's dynamite.

I came across it in an old law book.

Stell, you can save my neck.

How? Bob, you know I'd do anything.

Now, listen, how would you

like to marry me?

Let me understand you, now. Are you

trying to tell me that you married a man

serving a life term in solitary

at Leavenworth penitentiary?

Yes, sir. Yesterday.

And where did the ceremony take place?

At the penitentiary.

By the prison chaplain, no doubt?

No, sir. It was a civil ceremony.

Well, go ahead. I've listened this far.

Well, you see...

Yes?

You see, under the laws of the Treaty

of Paris and the Louisiana Purchase,

all a man and woman had to do to be

legally married was to sign a declaration.

You see, Leavenworth

is still federal property

and is therefore immune to

the laws of the state of Kansas.

It's all here, sir, if you want to read it.

Stroud got his front page - and with

a bang heard all the way to Washington.

Result:
one of the strangest

conferences in prison history.

The warden's on his way right now.

- Hello, Bob.

- Hello, Harvey.

Well, you've succeeded in creating

quite a little flurry with your birds.

Just an inmate protecting his rights.

Would you like to sit down?

Yes, thanks.

Bob... I've been sent here as a delegate

of the bureau to make you an offer.

That's what I've been waiting for.

Now the bureau is willing to let you

keep your birds. You can even sell 'em.

Now this is their official proposal.

You can continue

to raise and sell the birds,

but the profits will be turned over

to the prison welfare fund,

and you will receive a salary

in the form of a share of the profits.

10 dollars a month.

I consider that quite a generous offer

under the circumstances.

Frankly, it's more than I would

have offered, had I the authority.

Well, Stroud?

Let me see if I understand you.

You're proposing that the US government

go into the canary-bird business.

That's against private enterprise.

You sound like a Bolshevik, Harvey.

- You have no legal right to raise canaries.

- I know.

Rule 60 of the Federal Bureau of Prisons

Manual:
"An inmate cannot be permitted

to operate a business, no matter

how legitimate, while in prison."

- That right?

- You quoted it correctly.

That's what I thought.

That's why I'm confused.

The rule says I can't have a business.

You say I can, provided

I give you the profits.

That's circumventing regulations.

It's not like you.

Mr Shoemaker came to try to work out

a plan so you can keep your blasted birds.

Don't con an old con, Warden.

He came because of public opinion,

and you know it.

50,000 signatures on a petition.

Congressmen jumping

all over MacLeod's back.

I think I got you over a barrel, Harvey.

Is that your last word?

I could use more room.

For my birds.

I'll report the minutes

of our conference to Mr MacLeod.

That's all, Comstock.

Have a nice trip back to Washington.

I'm not going back to Washington.

I'm heading a new penitentiary. Alcatraz.

That's a big job, Harvey.

I wish you luck.

Thank you.

Keep one thing in mind, Bob.

The public has a short memory.

Hello, Mother. Here, sit ye down.

You hear that? You know what that is?

It's a jackhammer.

And do you know what it's doin'?

- No, I haven't been informed as yet.

- They're tearing down the wall of my cell.

And cuttin' through

a doorway into the next one.

- I'm gonna have two cells for my birds.

- How nice.

I can keep 'em and I can sell 'em.

I get larger quarters and even some

laboratory equipment. How about that?

Two women and a con,

and we whipped the bureau to a standstill.

That's very good news indeed.

Of course, there was a time

when I would have been the first to know.

It's a real victory, Mother.

And I got you and Stell to thank.

Sit down, Robbie.

- I want to talk to you about her.

- About Stella?

Your association with her

will bring you nothing but trouble.

I don't know what you mean.

She's the wrong kind of a woman

for you to align yourself with.

She's worked her heart out for me.

She saved my bacon.

All right. She was of use temporarily,

but she's served her purpose.

And now if you'll follow my advice,

you'll get rid of her.

I don't understand

what you're talkin' about, Mom.

She's my wife.

Your trouble began with

that other woman in Alaska.

She's the same kind of a woman.

- She's a common adventuress.

- Don't say things like that, Mother.

She's a good woman. And she's kind.

And she'd do anything in the world for me.

It's disaster, Robbie.

She'll bring you nothing but heartache.

Besides, all she wanted was the publicity.

Mother... you can't be serious.

I can't believe this is happening.

Give her up, Robbie. Forget her.

You act as though

you wanted me here for all time.

With you as my only outside connection.

Then...

Then you choose her

instead of your own mother?

Don't say any more, Mother.

Please.

That's your decision? To desert me?

Mrs Stroud? My name is Peterson.

I'm a reporter from the Kansas City Star.

My paper wants a follow-up story

on your son's marriage.

No comment.

Well, does this so-called marriage

come as a surprise to you, Mrs Stroud?

I knew nothing of it.

Your son's parole hearing is coming up.

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