184   Stroud, Robert. (1890- 1963) "The Bird Man of Alcatraz". American criminal, a convicted murderer who became a self-taught ornithologist during his 54 years in prison, 42 of them in solitary confinement, and made notable contributions to the study of birds. While living with a dance-hall girl in Juneau, Alaska, Stroud got into an argument with a man over the girl and subsequently killed him. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Puget Sound (1909). After stabbing a fellow inmate and proving generally troublesome, Stroud was transferred to the infamous Leavenworth Prison in Kansas (1912). He continued his loner ways but began to educate himself through university extension courses. On March 26, 1916 he stabbed and killed a guard and was sentenced to be executed by hanging; but on April 15, 1920, President Woodrow Wilson commuted his sentence to life imprisonment in solitary confinement. It was during this time that Stroud began raising canaries and other birds, collecting laboratory equipment, and studying the diseases of birds and their breeding and care. Some of his research was smuggled out of prison and published. In 1943, Stroud's Digest on the Diseases of Birds was published and became an important work in the field of ornithology.

Autograph Letter Signed. Two pages, recto/ verso, Quarto, Alcatraz, CA. August 11, 1952. Written to his half-sister Mamie, regarding his political beliefs. In part:

"... After 20 years of the worst missrule the country has ever known I can't see why any one devoted to the course of free government should vote for any democrat... For that matter, any Republican will be better for the country than the best Democrat. I would rather see Old Hoover again than see Stevenson... who is just another communist stooge... ".

Very Good. Much more of Stroud's own political ideology; all from a man who was never allowed to vote in his life! .
Estimated Value $400-600.