After a few shows about John Gotti, this week, Gangland Wire will go to a 1930s story about a Leavenworth prison break that went wrong for both the prisoners and the town of Leavenworth. I interviewed former Leavenworth prison guard and prison historian Kenneth LeMaster. Kenneth tells the story of how prisoners behind the walls were aided by notorious bank robbers Frank “Jelly” Nash and George “Machine Gun” Kelly to facilitate a mass escape of seven desperate inmates. On December 11, 1931, chaos erupted behind Leavenworth’s limestone walls, and these criminals grabbed the warden hostage and escaped into the adjacent town of Leavenworth, Kansas. The nearby Ft. Leavenworth sent troops to restore order inside the institution, and many guards and local law enforcement engaged in running gun battles with the escaping inmate. When the prison emergency whistle alerted the town, all local officers and gun-wielding citizens joined the manhunt. Our guest, Kenneth LaMaster, tells an exciting story about flying bullets, first-person accounts, news reports, and official FBI files. Kenneth LeMaster has written three books on the infamous Leavenworth prison.

Click here to go see the three books about Leavenworth Penitentiary written by Kenneth LeMaster. 

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