Cemetery Tales: Al Drace, from Preston to Folsom

The final installment of the 2026 Cemetery Tales series takes a closer look at Al Drace, a man who served time in San Francisco County Jail, Preston School of Industry in Ione, San Quentin and Folsom.

He went by many names throughout his criminal career including Jonathan Burke, George Brockman, George Adrian Brockman and Ed Walker. His final crime earned him the nickname the Stockton Daylight Burglar.

Drace’s story ends at Folsom State Prison’s cemetery, his grave marker bearing only a number.

Man of many names started early

There isn’t much to found on Drace in his early criminal career, but we can glean some from the prison register.

He served five months in San Francisco County Jail for petit larceny, discharged in 1897. He was roughly 13 years old. After his release, he was sentenced to four years at Preston for second-degree burglary out of San Joaquin County.

In 1901, when he turned 17, he was transferred to Folsom State Prison, assigned number 4887 (shown above). The prison register lists his name as Ed Walker, alias John Burke. He was to serve one year and was received Feb. 10. According to the register, he was discharged Dec. 9, 1901.

Drace, now going by the name George Brockman, was sentenced to three years at San Quentin on charges of petit larceny out of Los Angeles County. He claimed to be 23, according to the register. He was received Nov. 1, 1903, and assigned number 20380. The register indicates his birthplace as Oregon. His occupation is listed as cook. Drace was discharged Feb. 26, 1906.

He wasn’t out of prison long before he landed in trouble once again.

Drace dubbed Stockton Daylight Burlglar

With accomplice William Nelson in 1907, Drace was caught burglarizing the Chicago Lodging House in Stockton.

“Shortly before 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, two men were discovered by (Mrs. Webber) in the Chicago lodging house. They had ransacked the place and had appropriated several neckties, a coat and other wearing apparel,” reported the Stockton Evening Mail, March 11, 1907.

Webber ran the lodging house above the Chicago saloon at the corner of California and Main streets. When she found the men in her husband’s room, loaded down with his clothing, she began yelling for the police.

“The men (fled) from the room and rushed downstairs as soon as they were discovered,” the paper reported.

Once they reached the street, two police officers happened to be standing on a nearby corner. The burglars split up, running as the police officers gave chase. Officer Briare quickly nabbed Nelson but Drace was fast.

“(Officer W.H. Dutschke) ordered the man to halt but the burglar ran all the faster,” the newspaper reported. “The burglar was a fast runner and made the first block at about a 15-second clip. He turned on Sutter Street and when he came to the Clark and Henery Building, he rushed up the stairway with Dutschke close behind him. Police Captain Walker joined in the chase, (following) Drace upstairs. The burglar was found hiding in the attack. How he got to the top of the three-story building so quickly puzzles the officers.”

One of the robbers had $40 on him, a fair sum for two people purloining clothing, according to the Stockton Record, March 11, 1907.

Both burglars sent to Folsom

From left: Nelson was received March 14, the day after Drace, 6648. Drace’s final resting place is at Folsom State Prison, buried five months after he was received.

Bail was set at $3,000 each, which equates to roughly $100,000 today. At trial, the men pleaded guilty and were sent to Folsom State Prison. Drace earned a five-year sentence while Nelson received four.

Drace was received March 13, 1907, and assigned number 6648. His age is listed as 25 and occupation is cook. According to the prison register, Drace died Aug. 8, 1907, only five months after arriving at the institution.

Story by Don Chaddock, Inside CDCR editor
Office of Public and Employee Communications

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