Hamilton-Walters

HAMILTON & WALTERS

In ApriL 1943, Floyd Hamilton managed to scale a fence while incarcerated
at Alcatraz. He made his way to a tidal cave and was presumed dead by prison
officials. After spending a couple of days in the cave he was finally recaptured.

In August 1943, Ted Walters also climbed the fence at the prison's laundry
facility. After falling from the fence and injuring his spine, he crawled to
the water's edge, but was helpless to continue on with his escape plans due
to the extent of the injuries. He was recaptured and sent to solitary confinement.

Guards Seize New Fugitive From Alcatraz

Alcatraz foiled a prison break when Huron Ted Walters, 30, Arkansas bank robber,
was captured an hour after he escaped from the prison laundry, hiding on the island
beach. Walters was found on the beach opposite the laundry, on the Golden Gate side,
where his planned getaway was balked by the cold tide, said Warden James Johnston.
Walters is a former associate of Floyd Hamilton, one-time No. 1 desperado, who less
than five months ago was captured when he and three other prisoners attempted an
unsuccessful break from "The Rock." Hamilton hid out for three days in a rocky cavern
on the beach of the prison before his capture. Walters was missed shortly after he had
sneaked through a laundry door and over the fence, the Warden said. Five Coast Guard
boats joined the prison launch in a search of the waters about the prison before Walters
was captured by the prison's beach patrol. The prisoner was serving a sentence of 30
years for three crimes, bank robbery, violation of the Dyer act (auto theft) and assault.
He had been transferred to Alcatraz in June 1940, from Leavenworth prison where he had
been confined after sentence at Fort Smith, Ark., in 1938. With Hamilton, Walters had
been captured near Dallas, Texas, after a four-month search. And with Hamilton, he had
pleaded guilty to robbing the Bank of Bradley, Ark., of more than $600. The pair was
sentenced simultaneously. Warden Johnston said Walters had escaped from the Texas State
Prison in 1936.

Strange, but true - Terrible Ted's Demise

The Ballad of Terrible Ted Walters

WALTERS AT ABOUT 250 LBS.

Walters had slipped past the laws on at least one occassion - when he was thin, because they had with them a photo of him when he weighed in at 250 pounds.

HURON TED WALTERS 1940 PHOTO

Huron Ted Walters October 1971 Obit

WALTERS FAMILY CONTRIBUTION

Thanks go to the Walters Family for the photo below
of Ted Walters from their personal collection.

The Hideout welcomes Walters Family contributors.
Ted Walters, D.F. Walters and Holly C. Walters.

HURON TED WALTERS

WALTERS & HAMILTON BUSTED

Hamilton and Walters newspaper snippit

SOUTH DALLAS SAFE HOUSE

AMERICAN BEAUTY FLOUR MILL It was after Floyd Hamilton and Ted Walters arrived back in Dallas after leaving their troubles behind them in Arkansas, that they sat on the train tracks beside the American Beauty Flour Mill.

Hamilton and Walters 1938 Wanted Posters

TED WALTERS 1959 PRESS PHOTO

MOLLS BUSTED TOO!
Galpal associates Ruby May Walters and Mary Lois Weber

RUTH FARMER Floyd's galpal associate in 1938

Floyd Hamilton's 1938 Dallas Case Report

Floyd Hamilton's 1938 Dallas Case Report (reverse side)

IRVIN GOODSPEED While holed up in the Montague Texas jail, Floyd laid out his plans for escape. It was on Saturday night when the only guard on duty would be the sheriff's 23 year old son. Hamilton, Walters and another - Irvin Goodspeed made their escape by cutting through the bars and overpowering the sheriff's son. During the escape, Goodspeed stabbed the sheriff's son in the hip with a pair of barber shears.

JOHN BASDEN

A one time crime partner of Raymond and Floyd Hamilton began a big spending spree after one of their heists. Floyd had then asked him how he was going to explain how he got all that money. He told Floyd, "I'll tell 'em that I won it at Arlington Downs". Floyd told him "That's no good", "they'll check up on the winners there, and know that that's not true". A few days later John he was picked up.

JOHN BASDEN NEWS ARTICLE APRIL 13, 1934

HAMILTON PAL JOHN BRATCHER
John Bratcher 28, Dallas was charged with entering and robbing The First National Bank at Carthage.

YEARS LATER

Floyd Hamilton (right) with Chaplain Ray
is visiting his old prison cellblock "D",
where he spent 21 days following his escape
attempt. Cell No. 22 (black & white photo)
was the one he had called home, while he
was incarcerated at Alcatraz.

HAMILTON'S EMPLOYER - W.O. BANKSTON

Above Bankston image provided by Greg Sloan

After serving many years in the prison system, Floyd Hamilton
finally got a new lease on life. Along with Houston Press reporter
Harry McCormick and lawman Ted Hinton, Dallas businessman W.O. Bankston
went before the parole board to speak on behalf of Floyd Hamilton.
It was at Bankston's Oldsmobile dealership on Ross Avenue that Hamilton
had found employment after being released.

TED HINTON HELPS

After leaving the federal prison, Floyd was being transferred through Dallas
to serve more time in the Texas prison. Ex-lawman Ted Hinton approached him and
said, "Back in the 1930's I was trying to either kill you or put you in prison,
but now I am up here to help you get out".

Hamilton leaves Federal custody

FLOYD HAMILTON - "A CHANGED MAN"

While working for W.O. Bankston as a night watchman, Hamilton had
a couple of opportunities to make some money, "on the sly". Floyd's
conversion to Christianity and his new way of thinking had changed him!
One night, one of the salesmen had pulled up in an Oldsmobile, and he
had left without his suitcase. Floyd checked the suitcase and it was
full of money. A little while later the salesman came running up to
the door in a panic. Floyd let him in and told him not to worry, that
the money was still there. The salesman was extremely relieved and told
Hamilton that he had saved him from a lot of trouble, because it was
the government's money, and he'd have a hard time explaining it's loss
and probably be accused of stealing it for himself.

On another occassion, Floyd went to check the office and noticed that
the official in charge of locking the safe, had inadvertantly left it
wide open. Even though it contained a large sum of money, Floyd walked
over to it and closed the safe's door and turned the latch to lock it.
The next morning he told the official that he had better be more careful
about securing the safe at closing time. The official said, "man, I had
completely forgot about it". Floyd could have easily taken the money on
both occassions and denied any knowledge about it, and the blame would
have been directed to the others.

IN 1974 FLOYD HAMILTON CHECKED OUT THE AMBUSH MARKER WHERE HIS PALS IN CRIME MET THEIR END

Floyd Hamilton Audio tape

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