Volney Davis
Alcatraz register no. 271. The warden's notebook page records receipt from Leavenworth on 26 October 1935 under a life sentence for conspiracy to transport a kidnapped person, and a transfer back on 30 March 1947. The National Park Service names him as a softball pitcher in 1938.
- Born
- 1902-01-29
- Died
- 1979-07-20
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state. The identification photograph is a Bureau of Prisons record, public domain under 17 U.S.C. § 105.
On the record
- 1935-10-26 — The warden's notebook page (NAID 236735104) records him received at Alcatraz from Leavenworth, age 33, date of birth 1-29-02, offense "Consp. to transport Kidnap.Person," dated 6-7-35, sentence "Life," district "Minn. St. Paul."
- 1938 — The National Park Service says Davis played for both amateur and league softball teams on Alcatraz and in 1938 was the Oilers' pitching ace, appearing in 18 games with an 11-7 record.
- 1947-03-30 — The page is stamped "TRANSFERRED MAR 30 1947" with a handwritten "Leav"; the catalog gives a transfer on 03/30/1947 to US Penitentiary, Leavenworth.
- 1979-07-20 — The catalog description gives a death date of 07/20/1979, place blank, and the remark "BARKER-KARPIS GANG; CA DEATH INDEX."
The “Barker-Karpis gang” label is the catalog’s remark and is not defined by any document filed here. The National Park Service page describes him as a “bank robber and kidnapper”; the notebook page gives the offense of record as conspiracy to transport a kidnapped person. The role and family fields are left empty because no record cited here states either. Offenses are given as the notebook form prints them; the “Reason for Transfer” boxes are staff opinion and are not used.
Records
itemAlcatraz warden's notebook page for Volney Davis, No. 271Bureau of Prisons notebook page with the identification photograph of Volney Davis, No. 271, received at Alcatraz from Leavenworth on 26 October 1935 under a life sentence for conspiracy to transport a kidnapped person (Minnesota, St. Paul); stamped transferred to Leavenworth on 30 March 1947. A copy is stored here.item"Baseball on the Rock" (National Park Service, Alcatraz Island)National Park Service page on inmate recreation at Alcatraz: two hours of yard time each Saturday and Sunday, softball rather than baseball, eight teams in 1938, and cell radio jacks installed on 4 October 1955. It names Volney Davis as a pitcher.itemAlcatraz (Federal Bureau of Prisons history page)The Bureau of Prisons' history page on Alcatraz names Al Capone among the well-known criminals who did time there, and says most of its prisoners were not well-known gangsters.