You Have No Feelings for the Lindbergh Baby Mere Mortals

Lindbergh Kidnapping

Charles Lindbergh in the open cockpit of aeroplane at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri in 1923 (Library of Congress photograph)

Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., 20-month-one-time son of the famous aviator and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was kidnapped about 9:00 p.yard., on March 1, 1932, from the nursery on the second floor of the Lindbergh home near Hopewell, New Jersey. The child'south absenteeism was discovered and reported to his parents, who were then at dwelling house, at approximately x:00 p.m. by the child's nurse, Betty Gow. A search of the premises was immediately made and a ransom note demanding $50,000 was establish on the plant nursery window sill. After the Hopewell police were notified, the report was telephoned to the New Jersey State Police, who assumed charge of the investigation.

During the search at the kidnapping scene, traces of mud were found on the flooring of the plant nursery. Footprints, impossible to mensurate, were establish under the plant nursery window. 2 sections of the ladder had been used in reaching the window, 1 of the two sections was split or cleaved where information technology joined the other, indicating that the ladder had broken during the rise or descent. There were no blood stains in or about the nursery, nor were there any fingerprints.

Household and estate employees were questioned and investigated. Colonel Lindbergh asked friends to communicate with the kidnappers, and they made widespread appeals for the kidnappers to get-go negotiations. Various underworld characters were dealt with in attempts to contact the kidnappers, and numerous clues were advanced and wearied.

A second ransom note was received by Colonel Lindbergh on March half dozen, 1932, (postmarked Brooklyn, New York, March 4), in which the bribe demand was increased to $lxx,000. A police conference was then called past the governor at Trenton, New Jersey, which was attended by prosecuting officials, police authorities, and government representatives. Various theories and policies of procedure were discussed. Individual investigators likewise were employed by Colonel Lindbergh's attorney, Colonel Henry Breckenridge.

The commencement bribe notation

The third bribe note was received past Colonel Lindbergh'south attorney on March 8, informing that an intermediary appointed past the Lindberghs would not exist accepted and requesting a note in a newspaper. On the aforementioned date, Dr. John F. Condon, Bronx, New York City, a retired school primary, published in the "Bronx Home News" an offer to human activity every bit go-betwixt and to pay an additional $1,000 bribe. The following twenty-four hour period the quaternary ransom note was received by Dr. Condon, which indicated he would exist acceptable as a go-between. This was canonical by Colonel Lindbergh. Nigh March 10, 1932, Dr. Condon received $70,000 in cash as ransom, and immediately started negotiations for payment through paper columns, using the code name "Jafsie."

Near 8:30 p.k., on March 12, later on receiving an bearding telephone call, Dr. Condon received the 5th ransom note, delivered past Joseph Perrone, a taxicab driver, who received it from an unidentified stranger. The message stated that another note would be constitute beneath a stone at a vacant stand, 100 anxiety from an outlying subway station. This note, the sixth, was establish by Condon, every bit indicated. Post-obit instructions therein, the doctor met an unidentified man, who called himself "John," at Woodlawn Cemetery, almost 233rd Street and Jerome Artery. They discussed payment of the ransom money. The stranger agreed to furnish a token of the child's identity. Condon was accompanied by a bodyguard, except while talking to "John." During the adjacent few days, Dr. Condon repeated his advertisements, urging further contact and stating his willingness to pay the bribe.

A baby's sleeping suit, as a token of identity, and a seventh ransom note were received past Dr. Condon on March 16. The suit was delivered to Colonel Lindbergh and later identified. Condon continued his advertisements. The 8th ransom annotation was received by Condon on March 21, insisting on complete compliance and advising that the kidnapping had been planned for a year.

On March 29, Betty Gow, the Lindbergh nurse, constitute the infant's thumb guard, worn at the time of the kidnapping, about the entrance to the estate. The following solar day the 9th ransom note was received by Condon, threatening to increase the need to $100,000 and refusing a code for use in newspaper columns. The 10th ransom note, received by Dr. Condon, on April 1, 1932 instructed him to have the money ready the post-obit night, to which Condon replied past an advertisement in the Printing. The eleventh ransom note was delivered to Condon on April ii, 1932, by an unidentified taxi driver who said he received it from an unknown homo. Dr. Condon constitute the twelfth ransom note nether a rock in front end of a greenhouse at 3225 East Tremont Artery, Bronx, New York, as instructed in the eleventh notation.

Presently thereafter, on the same evening, by following the instructions independent in the 12th note, Condon once again met whom he believed to exist "John" to reduce the demand to $50,000. This corporeality was handed to the stranger in exchange for a receipt and the thirteenth annotation, containing instructions to the effect that the kidnapped kid could be found on a boat named "Nellie" near Martha'southward Vineyard, Massachusetts. The stranger and so walked north into the park wood. The post-obit day an unsuccessful search for the baby was made near Martha's Vineyard. The search was later repeated. Dr. Condon was positive that he would recognize "John" if he ever saw him again.

On May 12, 1932, the body of the kidnapped baby was accidentally found, partly cached, and badly decomposed, near iv and a half miles southeast of the Lindbergh dwelling, 45 feet from the highway, near Mount Rose, New Jersey, in Mercer County. The discovery was fabricated by William Allen, an assistant on a truck driven by Orville Wilson. The head was crushed, at that place was a hole in the skull and some of the trunk members were missing. The trunk was positively identified and cremated at Trenton, New Jersey, on May xiii, 1932. The Coroner'south exam showed that the child had been dead for about two months and that death was caused past a blow on the head.

The Investigation: 1932-1934

On March 2, 1932, after a briefing with the Attorney General, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had contacted the headquarters of the New Bailiwick of jersey Country Police at Trenton, New Jersey. He officially informed the organisation that the U.South. Section of Justice would beget Colonel H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, the assistance and cooperation of the FBI in bringing nigh the apprehension of the parties responsible for the kidnapping. He brash the New Bailiwick of jersey State Police that they could call upon the Bureau for whatsoever facilities or resources which the latter might exist capable of extending. The special agent in charge of the New York City Function of the Bureau, which at that time covered the New Jersey district, was instructed accordingly and, upon instructions from the Director, the special agent in charge communicated with the New Jersey Land Police and the New York City Police, offering any assist which the Bureau might be able to lend in this affair.

During the next few weeks the Bureau was acting only in an auxiliary chapters, there being no federal jurisdiction. Nevertheless, on May 13, 1932, the President directed that all governmental investigative agencies should place themselves at the disposal of the state of New Jersey and that the FBI should serve every bit a clearinghouse and coordinating agency for all investigations in this case conducted by federal investigative units.

On May 23, 1932, the FBI in New York City informed banks in greater New York that the Agency was the analogous agency for all governmental activity in the case. A shut watch for bribe coin was requested.

The New Bailiwick of jersey State Police force appear on May 26, 1932, the offer of a advantage not to exceed $25,000 for information resulting in the anticipation and conviction of the kidnapper or kidnappers. In compliance with a request fabricated by Colonel Schwarzkopf, copies of this notice of reward were forwarded by the FBI to all law enforcement officials and agencies throughout the United States.

On June 10, 1932, Violet Sharpe, a waitress in the abode of Mrs. Lindbergh's female parent, Mrs. Dwight Morrow, who had been nether investigation by the authorities, committed suicide by swallowing poison when she was about to exist requestioned. However, her movements on the night of March i, 1932, had been carefully checked and it was soon definitely ascertained that she had no connection with the abduction.

In September, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in a coming together with Director Hoover that all piece of work on the case be centralized in the Department of Justice. He requested the Manager to convey his views to Chaser General Cummings with the suggestion that the Attorney Full general brand a request of the Commissioner of the Internal Acquirement Service (IRS), either through the President or directly, for a detailed report of all piece of work performed past the IRS Intelligence Unit of measurement. On October 19, 1933, it was officially announced that the FBI would accept sectional jurisdiction in and so far as the Federal Government was concerned in the handling of whatever investigative features of the example.

The President's Proclamation requiring the render to the Treasury of all gold and gilt certificates was a valuable assistance in the case, inasmuch as $40,000 of the bribe coin had been paid in gold certificates and, at the time of the Proclamation, a large portion of this money was known to be outstanding. Therefore, this phase of the investigation was emphasized.

On January 17, 1934, a circular letter was issued past the New York City Bureau Function to all banks and their branches in New York City, requesting an extremely close watch for the ransom certificates and, in Feb 1934, all Bureau Offices were supplied with copies of the Bureau's revised pamphlet containing the series numbers of ransom bills. The New York City Bureau Role distributed copies of this pamphlet to each employee handling currency in banks, clearinghouses, grocery stores in certain selected communities, insurance companies, gasoline filling stations, airports, department stores, post offices, and telegraph companies.

Post-obit the distribution of these booklets containing the series number of the ransom currency, there were likewise prepared and similarly distributed past the Bureau currency key cards which, in user-friendly course, gear up forth the inclusive serial numbers of all of the bribe notes which had been paid. This was followed by frequent personal contacts with bank officials and with individual employees in an effort to keep alive their interest.

Prior to this time, the passing of ransom bills had been reported to either the FBI, the New Jersey Land Police, or the New York City Police Section, none of which had complete data on this indicate. Therefore, arrangements were effected whereby investigation of all such ransom bills detected in the future could exist immediately conducted jointly by representatives of the three interested agencies.

One of the past-products of the example was a mass of misinformation received from well-significant but uninformed, highly imaginative individuals, and a drench of letters written by demented persons, publicity seekers, and frauds. It was essential, nevertheless, that all possible clues, regardless of the prospect of success, be carefully followed, and information technology was impossible in the vast bulk of instances to make up one's mind at the inception whether they would be fabric or false.

On March iv, 1932, a con man named Gaston B. Means was approached by Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, of Washington, D.C., who felt that she might exist of cloth aid to Colonel Lindbergh in procuring the return of his child. Mrs. McLean had go acquainted with Means as a result of some investigative piece of work which means had performed for her husband some years before. Means informed her that he felt certain he could secure a contact with the kidnappers inasmuch every bit he had been invited to participate in a "big kidnapping" some weeks earlier but had declined. Ways claimed that his friend was responsible for the Lindbergh kidnapping. The following twenty-four hour period, Means reported to Mrs. McLean that he had made a contact with the persons who had the kid. He successfully induced Mrs. McLean to paw over to him $100,000, to exist used in paying the ransom which he said had been doubled. Until Apr 17, 1932, he kept Mrs. McLean waiting, daily expecting the return of the child. During this period, he purported to be effecting negotiations with the declared leader of the kidnappers, whom he called "The Play a joke on." Mrs. McLean finally requested the return of the $100,000 and boosted money which she had advanced him for "expenses." When he failed to exercise so, the case was turned over to the FBI. Means and "The Fox," who was establish to be Norman T. Whitaker, a disbarred Washington attorney, were apprehended, and Means was after convicted of embezzlement and larceny after trust, and sentenced to serve 15 years in a federal penitentiary. Whitaker and Means were later convicted of conspiracy to defraud, and were sentenced to serve ii years each in a federal penitentiary.

There were other attempted frauds which required extensive investigations earlier they could be completely eliminated from consideration in connection with the Lindbergh case.

In all, there were literally thousands of leads in all sections of the United States which were followed to their definite conclusions by the Agency. The results of all these investigations, no matter how trivial, were reported. The activities of the known and suspected members of the and then-called "Royal Gang" of Detroit, and various rumors and allegations concerning this gang were carefully and thoroughly investigated. Numerous registries of boats were examined in a fruitless endeavor to locate the boat "Nellie," on which the baby was to accept been establish co-ordinate to the 13th and last ransom annotation handed to Dr. Condon at the time he paid the bribe money to "John." Records of cemetery employees who were employed in various cemeteries in certain sections of New York Metropolis and well-nigh Hopewell, New Jersey, were examined. Data accumulated in diverse other kidnapping and extortion cases handled by the FBI was examined in closest detail and studied with item reference to any begetting they might have upon the solution of the Lindbergh example. Hundreds of photographs and descriptive data of known criminals of all types and other possible suspects were exhibited to the few eye-witnesses in this case in an effort to identify the mysterious "John."

On May 2, 1933, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York discovered 296 x-dollar gold certificates, and one $20 gold certificate, all Lindbergh ransom notes. These bills were included among the currency received at the Federal Reserve Bank on May 1, 1933, and apparently had been made in one eolith. Immediately upon the discovery of these bills, eolith tickets at the Federal Reserve Bank for May 1, 1933, were examined. Ane was found begetting the name and address of "J.J. Faulkner, 537 West 149th Street," and had marked thereon "golden certificates," "$10 and $xx" in the amount of $2,980. Despite all-encompassing investigation, this depositor was never located.

Examination of the ransom notes by handwriting experts resulted in a virtually unanimous opinion that all the notes were written past the same person and that the author was of German language nationality but had spent some time in America. Dr. Condon described "John" equally Scandinavian, and believing he could place the man, spent considerable time in viewing the numerous photographs of possible suspects and known criminals. In this connection, the FBI retained the services of an creative person to prepare a portrait of "John" from descriptions furnished past Dr. Condon and Joseph Perrone, the taxi cab commuter who had delivered one of the ransom letters to Dr. Condon.

In a further endeavor to place the private who received the ransom payment, representatives of the New York City Agency Office engaged Dr. Condon to prepare a transcript of all conversations had past him with "John" on March 12 and April 2, 1932, the dates on which Dr. Condon personally contacted the kidnapper in guild to negotiate the return of the child and the payment of the bribe. These conversations were, during March, 1934, transcribed in detail on phonograph records by Dr. Condon who imitated the pronunciations and dialect of "John." In this way the nationality, teaching, mentality, and grapheme of the kidnapper were more clearly divers and permanently preserved for future use.

Some other interesting endeavor to place the kidnapper centered around the ladder used in the crime. Constabulary quickly realized that it was crudely built, but congenital nonetheless past someone familiar with wood who was mechanically inclined. The ladder had been thoroughly examined for fingerprints and had been exhibited to builders, carpenters, and neighbors of the Lindberghs in vain. Slivers of the ladder even had been analyzed, and the types of wood used in the ladder had been identified. Peradventure a complete exam of the ladder by itself past a woods adept would yield additional clues, and in early on 1933, such an proficient was chosen in—Arthur Koehler of the Forest Service, Usa Department of Agriculture.

Koehler disassembled the ladder and painstakingly identified the types of woods used and examined tool marks. He also looked at the pattern made by nailholes, for information technology appeared likely that some wood had been used before in indoor construction. Koehler made field trips to the Lindbergh manor and to factories to trace some of the forest. He summarized his findings in a study, and later played a disquisitional part in the trial of the kidnapper.

Hauptmann is Located

A series of bribe notes post-obit the kidnapping led to a meeting between Dr. John Condon, a representative of the Lindbergh family, and a mysterious man named "John." An artist sketch of "John" was developed from the verbal clarification of Dr. Condon and proved to be very similar to Bruno Richard Hauptmann (correct), who was arrested on September xix, 1934.

For a catamenia of seven months prior to August twenty, 1934, no gilt certificates were discovered except for those received in the Federal Reserve Depository financial institution, previously mentioned. Starting on August 20, 1934, and extending into September, a total of xvi gold certificates were discovered, nigh of them in the vicinity of Yorkville and Harlem. The long-awaited opportunity had finally arrived. As each bill was recovered, a colored pivot marking the location of the recovered nib was inserted in a large map of the Metropolitan Area, thus indicating the movements of the individual or individuals who might be passing the ransom money. When the first few fabricated their appearance, it was decided to concentrate on golden certificates, as experience had proven the futility of tracing the ordinary currency included in the bribe money. In keeping with the cooperative policy previously established with the New Bailiwick of jersey Land Police and the New York Urban center Police force Department, teams composed of a representative of each of these police agencies and a special agent of the Bureau were organized to personally contact all banks in Greater New York and Westchester County. Every bit a issue, the diverse neighborhood banks discovered the bills shut to the point at which they were passed, and information technology then became possible for the investigators to trace the bills to the person who had originally passed them. For the first time in the history of the instance, the investigators succeeded in finding that the clarification of the private passing these bills fit exactly that of "John" as described by Dr. Condon. It was adamant through the investigation that the bills were existence passed principally at corner produce stores.

Most 1:twenty p.grand. on September 18, 1934, the assistant managing director of the Corn Exchange Bank and Trust Company, at 125th Street and Park Avenue, New York Urban center, telephoned the New York City Bureau Office to advise that a $10 golden document had been discovered a few minutes previously by one of the tellers in that bank. It was soon ascertained that this bill had been received at the bank from a gasoline station located at 127th Street and Lexington Avenue, New York Urban center. On September xv, 1934, an alert attendant had received a pecker in payment for five gallons of gasoline from a man whose clarification fitted closely that of the individual who had passed other bills in recent weeks. The filling station attendant, being suspicious of the $10 golden certificate, recorded on the bill the license number of the car driven by the purchaser. This license number was issued to Bruno Richard Hauptmann, 1279 Due east 222nd Street, Bronx, New York.

Hauptmann's house was closely surveilled past federal and local authorities throughout the night of September eighteen, 1934, until at approximately 9:00 a.m. on September 19, 1934, an individual, closely fitting the clarification of "John," every bit supplied by Dr. Condon, and the clarification of the purchaser of the gasoline, every bit supplied past the service station attendant, left his house and entered his auto parked nearby. He was promptly taken into custody by representatives of the three interested agencies.

After some investigating, he was found to be Bruno Richard Hauptmann, the individual to whom the automobile license had been issued, a German language carpenter who had been in this country for approximately eleven years. A $twenty gold ransom certificate was found on his person. His description fitted perfectly that of "John" as described by Dr. Condon, and in his house was found a pair of shoes which had been purchased with a $20 ransom neb recovered on September 8, 1934. Hauptmann admitted several other purchases which had been fabricated with ransom certificates. On the night of September 19, 1934, he was positively identified past Joseph Perrone every bit the private from whom he had received the 5th ransom note to be delivered to Dr. Condon. The following twenty-four hour period, ransom certificates in backlog of $13,000 were constitute secreted in the garage of Hauptmann's residence. Before long thereafter, he was identified by Dr. Condon every bit "John" to whom the ransom had been paid. It was also ascertained that he was in possession of a Contrivance sedan automobile which answered the description of that seen in the vicinity of the Lindbergh home the mean solar day prior to the kidnapping.

A painstaking analysis of Hauptmann's handwriting by the Agency's new crime lab showed a remarkable similarity between the lettering of the author of the bribe notes and of Hauptmann.

Soon later on his apprehension, specimens of Hauptmann'due south handwriting were flown to Washington, D.C., where a study was made of them in the FBI Laboratory. A comparing of the writing appearing on the ransom notes with that of the specimens disclosed remarkable similarities in camouflaged, personal characteristics and writing habits, which resulted in a positive identification by the handwriting experts of the Laboratory. Upon the apprehension of Hauptmann, it was found that he diameter a striking resemblance to the portrait of "John" which had previously been prepared from descriptions furnished past Dr. Condon and Joseph Perrone.

Further investigation developed that Hauptmann, 35 years one-time, was a native of Saxony, Germany. He had a criminal record for robbery and had spent time in prison. Early in July 1923, he stowed away aboard the SSHanover at Bremen, Federal republic of germany, and arrived in the Port of New York City on July thirteen, 1923. He was arrested and deported immediately. After another failed try at entry in August, Hauptman successfully entered the United States in November 1923, on board the George Washington. On October 10, 1925, Hauptmann married Anna Schoeffler, a New York City waitress. A son, Manfried, was born to them in 1933. During his illegal stay in New York City and until the spring of 1932, Hauptmann followed his occupation of carpenter. Nonetheless, a short while after March 1, 1932, the date of the kidnapping, Hauptmann began to trade rather extensively in stocks and never worked over again.

Indictment, Trial, and Execution

Hauptmann was indicted in the Supreme Court, Bronx County, New York, on charges of extortion on September 26, 1934, and on October 8, 1934, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, he was indicted for murder. Two days after, the Governor of the State of New York honored the requisition of the Governor of the Land of New Bailiwick of jersey for the give up of Bruno Richard Hauptmann and on Oct 19, 1934, he was removed to the Hunterdon Canton Jail, Flemington, New Bailiwick of jersey, to await trial.

The trial of Hauptmann began on January iii, 1935, at Flemington, New Jersey, and lasted five weeks. The instance against him was based on circumstantial testify. Tool marks on the ladder matched tools owned past Hauptmann. Wood in the ladder was establish to match woods used as flooring in his attic. Dr. Condon's phone number and address were institute scrawled on a door frame inside a closet. Handwriting on the bribe notes matched samples of Hauptmann'south handwriting.

Lindbergh takes the witness stand during the 1935 trial of Hauptmann in Flemington, New Bailiwick of jersey. Photograph courtesy of the Library of Congress.

On February xiii, 1935, the jury returned a verdict. Hauptmann was guilty of murder in the first degree. The sentence: death. The defense force appealed.

The Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey on October 9, 1935, upheld the verdict of the Lower Court. Hauptmann's appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States was denied on Dec 9, 1935, and he was to exist electrocuted on January 17, 1936. All the same, on this same 24-hour interval the Governor of the Land of New Bailiwick of jersey granted a thirty-day reprieve and on February 17, 1936, Hauptmann was resentenced, to be electrocuted during the week of March 30, 1936. On March thirty, 1936, the Pardon Court of the Country of New Jersey denied Hauptmann'due south petition for clemency, and on April iii, 1936, at eight:47 p.m., Bruno Richard Hauptmann was electrocuted.

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Source: https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/lindbergh-kidnapping

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