THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY: THE LINDBERGH BABY

By: Sarah Stefanski

Who are the Lindbergh’s?

Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh “The Lone Eagle” was a famous pilot. The first man to fly a solo nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927.

His wife, Anne Marlow, was the daughter of a diplomat. She would fly with her husband.

Their eldest son, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr., “The Eaglet” was….

On March 1, 1932 at 9pm at the Lindbergh house. He was found dead months later.

KIDNAPPED!

Evidence

Ransom note - handwriting Chisel Ladder (broken in three pieces) Mud footprint

Initial Suspects

Violet Sharpe – maid for the Lindbergh’s who committed suicide during the investigation

Betty Gow – nurse for the Lindbergh’s, last person to see the child

Dr. Cordon – retired school teacher who helped as the middle man between the Lindbergh’s and kidnappers

The Investigation

Led by the New Jersey Police Department and FBI

The President ordered all government investigation agencies to aid in the investigation

Investigators found forensic evidence by tracing the wood from the ladder to a lumberyard in the Bronx.

Charles Lindbergh himself had access to evidence and used his fame as a way to somewhat control the investigation. Some believe Lindbergh may have staged the kidnapping himself.

The Investigation Continued

The Government ordered Gold certificates back to the Treasury and were able to find the serial numbers of the ransom money.

They published the numbers and gave them to banks and local businesses.

A year later, the gold certificates started being used and were tracked.

A gas station attendants wrote down the license number of a man with a certificate. The man was Bruno Richard Hauptmann.

Ransom Money

The kidnappers gave 13 notes to the Lindbergh family, most of them going through Dr. Condon

At first the ransom amount was $50,000, but raised to $70,000 and almost $100,000.

The ransom money was paid, through Dr. Condon in return for the child’s pajama, a token of the baby.

The ransom was paid in gold certificates.

Bring Back the Wood

Investigators searched Hauptmann’s house and the wood from ladder matched a wooden panel from his house.

They also found some of the ransom money and Dr. Condon’s phone number in his closet.

Hauptmann was arrested and the case was going to trial

The Media

Media’s Big Role

News about the kidnapping of the son of an American hero spread like wildfire.

When it came time for the trial, radio broadcasts told the public of what was going on in the courtroom. During the time between broadcasts, the public would tune in and listen to music.

Famous celebrities followed the case and attended the trial causing more media there.

A photographer snuck into the morgue and took pictures of the infant’s body.

After Hauptmann died the reporters immediately surrounded the grieving widow.

The Trial

The Trial

Took Place in Flemington, New Jersey Defense Attorney: Edward J. Reilly known

as the "Bull of Brooklyn“ Prosecution: David Wilentz, the Attorney

General of New Jersey

Witnesses

Prosecution- Anne Lindbergh- Col. Charles Lindbergh- Betty Gow- Corporal Joseph Wolf- Lt. Lewis Bornmann- Sgt. Frank Kelly- Amandus Hocmuth- Dr. John Condon- Colonel Norman Schwarzkopf- Dr. Charles Mitchell- Arthur Koehler

Defense- Bruno Hauptmann- Peter Sommer (paid to testify)

After 152 witnesses, the jury had to make their decision. Was the evidence of the money and phone number in his closet, the matching wood, and the matching handwriting enough? Or were the conspiracies and Hauptmann’s denial going to win?

The Verdict was…..

Hauptmann was found guilty of first degree murder. He was sentenced to death. He appealed but was eventually executed on April 3, 1936.

GUILTY

Other Ideas?

Theories about the Kidnapping

Cemetery John, the man who met with Dr. Condon to get ransom money and give notes, was considered Hauptmann when Dr. Condon identified him on the stand. Previously though, in the line up he did not identify him. Apparently “John” had bump on his thumb that Hauptmann didn’t have. This led people to believe there was a second man involved, John Knoll.

Some believed that Dr. Condon was the kidnapper and answered his own newspaper adds to cover it up.

Some thought Violet Sharp was involved in an inside job, especially since she committed suicide and was rumored to be seen with a friend of Hauptmann.

Some even believed Lindbergh himself planned the kidnapping to gain more fame and attention. They believed this because of his suspicion control over evidence and the case.

My Opinion

My Opinion

I believe the right verdict was reached. It was very difficult to reach it in this confusing case filled with conspiracies. The conspiracy about John Knoll seemed pretty convincing to me. In the end, the evidence against Hauptmann was too strong to denied. I believe that the right man was punished.