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The early days of San Quentin were defined by brutality, where barbaric practices like flogging were commonplace, and public hangings drew crowds eager for macabre entertainment. Between 1893 and 1942, the hangman's noose claimed the lives of 215 inmates. The introduction of the gas chamber in 1938 marked a new chapter in a legacy stained by blood, revealing the grim reality of death row.
Among the most haunting stories is that of Alfred Wells, an inmate who helped construct the gas chamber only to meet his end there after being returned for committing murder. This tale, along with others, paints a bleak picture of a place where even the executioners succumbed to the madness surrounding them.