Treasure trove of Alcatraz records reveal secret FBI findings about sighting of infamous escapees who 'melted into the mist'

A treasure trove of Alcatraz records have revealed secret FBI findings about a little-known sighting of the first two inmates to ever escape the infamous prison.

The collection of historical news clipping and photos was shared with DailyMail.com by Genealogy platform MyHeritage to mark the 90th anniversary of when the first prisoners arrived at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on Sunday, August 11, 1934.

Among them was short newspaper article from a 1939 edition of the Kentucky New Era that revealed the two bank robbers from Oklahoma - Theodore 'Ted' Cole, 27, nicknamed 'Teddy the Terror' and Ralph Roe, 33 - had allegedly been spotted in Pueblo, Colorado after escaping from Alcatraz in December 16, 1937. 

An ex-convict claimed he had played cards with the pair, prompting the FBI's Oklahoma City bureau to ramp up search efforts for the duo.

'Although no agent of the law has seen the Oklahoma desperados since they melted into the mist December 16, 1937, Nat J. Pieper, FBI Chief at San Francisco admitted the search persisted in every bureau,' the July 6, 1939 article reads. 

The Lewiston Tribune wrote at the time: 'Whether dead or alive, they were the only two men ever to elude the guards' vigilance and reach the sea in an escape attempt since the island became a prison in 1934.' 

Cole and Roe had been transported to Alcatraz after two failed escape attempts at other prisons. They were assigned to the prison's mat shop, and later used a file to cut through the iron bars of the prison windows, before fleeing to the water. 

The men were reportedly up against dense fog and stormy conditions leading officials to believe they drowned. But no bodies were ever found.

The pair's brazen escape was later eclipsed by the most famous - and boldest - prison break in Alcatraz's 29-year history by notorious bank robbing trio - Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin - who escaped on June 11, 1962.

The brothers and Morris tunneled out their cells, crept through ventilation ducts and through an unguarded utility door before fleeing into the shark-infested bay on a handmade raft.

Morris, who worked as the prison barber and was known as the brains behind the operation, had even created dummy heads with plaster and human hair to trick the night guards by making it look like they were still in their cells.

Their bodies were also never found, leading to wild speculation about where they may have ended up and if they could still be alive to this day. 

MyHeritage.com has since released digitally enhanced color pictures of the trio and shared a selection of old newspaper clippings from the time of their daring escape. 

The Sarasota Journal published one article on June 11 1962 illustrating growing concerns as the search for the missing men continued two days later. 

Headlined 'Three Alcatraz Cons Still Free,' it explained how air, sea and ground patrols were trawling the bay area for the escape artists. 

Before Alactraz permanently closed its doors in 1963, there were a total of 14 separate escapes involving 36 inmates.

According to reports 23 were captured, six were shot and killed during the attempt, two drowned and five were never found. 

MyHeritage also shared a series of newspaper articles published in the months before Alcatraz opened.

'A penitentiary in San Francisco Bay from which it is said there is no possible escape, reported The Southeast Missourian on June 30, 1934.

Other reports detailed the incredible steps the jail had taken to prevent escapes. 

An Evening Star edition from February 1934 reported how the federal government was at one point considering installing an 'invisible mysterious magnetic field trap' that would 'sound an alarm if a prisoner ventures too near unguarded gates or walls'.

The Spokesman Review added on April 5, 1934, how 'walls that see and gates that speak will probably be installed.'

The news clipping also cited additional ways the prison would prove inescapable - including how 'specially trained guards schooled in criminology, psychology, wrestling, boxing and jiu-jitsu will be in charge of that prison.'

The director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons told the media at the time: 'We want something more clever than sluggers to handle these dangerous men.'

When Alcatraz finally opened its doors in August 1934, the press went wild again.

Spurring on the media frenzy was the arrival of the prison's most famous ever prisoner on August 22, 1934: gangster Alphonso 'Al' Capone.

The Lewiston Morning Tribune wrote: 'Scarface Capone and 52 other prisoners slept tonight in their cells at Alcatraz Island'.  

Sanford Bates, director of the federal prison bureau, said the former Chicago gangster had been sent to the so-called American 'Devil’s Island'.

The Brownsville Herald headlined another story: '100 criminals locked up in Island prison' - adding that among the 'trainload' of convicts brought in was the notorious 'George 'Machine Gun Kelley.' 

Roi Mandel, head of research at MyHeritage told DailyMail.com: 'As we commemorate the 90th anniversary of Alcatraz, MyHeritage's deep dive into historical records, including our vast OldNews archive - a collection of millions of historical newspaper articles -sheds new light on the stories that defined this infamous prison'.

'From its reputation as an 'escape-proof' fortress to the daring breakouts, these rich historical records allow us to re-examine and preserve the legacy of Alcatraz. By using these invaluable resources, we continue to unravel the myths and mysteries that have captivated the world for decades,' he added.  

He added that the animated images shown above were created from still photos using a feature called DeepNostalgia, which aims to provide a realistic depiction of how a person could have moved and looked if they had been captured on video.