# Alcatraz warden's notebook page for Arthur "Doc" Barker, No. 268

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/nara-296721-doc-barker-alcatraz-1935/

Bureau of Prisons notebook page with the identification photograph of Arthur Barker, No. 268, received at Alcatraz from Leavenworth on 26 October 1935 under a life sentence from the District of Minnesota. A red header records his death in the institutional hospital on 13 January 1939. A copy is stored here.

The National Archives catalog titles this page "Warden's notebook page, with "mug shot," of Arthur "Doc" Barker, 268-AZ.." It is a Bureau of Prisons notebook form with an identification photograph at the upper right; the placard in the photograph reads "U.S. Penitentiary Alcatraz 268". It belongs to the series Warden's Notebook Pages (NAID 296686).

The typed entries, as printed: name "Barker, Arthur," No. 268, received 10-26-35 from Leavenworth, age 36, date of birth 6-4-99. Offense "Conspiracy to Trans.Kidnap Person," dated 5-17-35; sentence "Life"; district sentenced "D.Minn, St.Paul." The red header reads: "DIED IN INSTITUTIONAL HOSPITAL, AT 5:45 P.M.-January 13,1939, FROM GUN-SHOT WOUNDS, RECEIVED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE." The photograph's placard reads "U.S. Penitentiary Alcatraz 268." The "Reason for Transfer" box is a staff opinion (it calls the offense one of kidnapping and recommends maximum custody and discipline). A long note on the page about his family and associates is a staff summary and is not reproduced here.

Catalog data, labelled as such: this item has no scope note, and its title is the one quoted above. The matching case-file description ([NAID 117695687](/items/nara-117695687-doc-barker-alcatraz-case-file/)) gives the offense "NATIONAL BANK ROBBERY & CONSPIRACY TO TRANSPORT KI[DNAPPED PERSON]," receipt at Alcatraz 10/26/1935 from Leavenworth, transfer 01/13/1939 "to DEATH," birth date 06/04/1899, and the remark "KILLED DURING ESCAPE ATTEMPT; BARKER-KARPIS GANG." The Bureau of Prisons' account of the 13 January 1939 escape attempt is on [its Alcatraz history page](/items/bop-alcatraz-history/); the FBI's first telephone report of that morning is [a Vault memorandum](/items/fbi-vault-doc-barker-p03-alcatraz-escape-memo-1939/).

## Sources

- National Archives Catalog: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/296721
- National Archives series: Warden's Notebook Pages (NAID 296686): https://catalog.archives.gov/id/296686