M A D DY H AG E R

THE LINDBERGH KIDNAPPING

VICTIMS

In the year 1932, an intruder entered the Lindbergh mansion and abducted Charles and Anne Lindbergh’s two year old son, Charles Jr. Charles and Anne Lindbergh were aviators (pilots) and they were known nationwide and were very famous.

WHAT BEGAN THE GREAT MANHUNT

On the night of March 1st, 1932, Charles Jr. was taken from the nursery on the second floor of the Lindbergh mansion around 8:00 pm.

Muddy footprints were found on the floor as well as a ransom note, left on the radiator in the nursery room.

THE RANSOM NOTE

The ransom note was opened and inside was a handwritten letter, saying:

“Have 50,000$ redy 2500$In 20$ bills 15,000$ in 10$Bills and 1000$ in 5$ bills.After 2-2 days we will inform you were to deliver the Mony. We warn you for making anyding public or for notify the polise the child is in gute care. Indication for all letters are singnature and 3 holes.”

TOOLS POSSIBLY USED BY CULPRIT

Outside of the mansion, a three piece ladder (which was homemade) was found. It appeared broken, showing that it either broke when the culprit was ascending or descending the house.

There was also a chisel that was found lying around the house and footprints that were located both inside the house and near the location of the car the person must’ve been driving.

FIRST SUSPECT & DAYS THAT FOLLOWED

Violet Smith was immediately a suspect due to the fact that she worked inside the mansion and took care of the baby sometimes.

The days that followed, Charles Lindbergh told the police that he was willing to negotiate with the kidnapper without any interference, and that no arrests were to be made until then.

COMMUNICATION & NEGOTIATION

On March 5th, the Lindbergh’s began talking to their child’s kidnapper. They only began talking over handwritten letters.

The first letter than arrived to the Lindbergh’s said: “Don’t by afraid about the baby two ladys keeping care of it day and night.” The note had also warned them to keep the police out of the “cace” (case).

COMMUNICATION & NEGOTIATION (CONT)

The kidnapper notified them that the next note to come was going to tell them where to deliver the money.

Al Capone (famous gangster) heard about the kidnapping and offered $10,000 to find out information leading to where the child might be and how to get the child back to the parents.

COMMUNICATION & NEGOTIATION (CONT)

70 year old, Dr. John Condon joined the other people, sending $1000 of his own money to the kidnapper. He also told the kidnapper that he would meet with him in private and give him additional money for any information- and he wouldn’t utter the person’s name to anyone, not even the police.

POSSIBLY A NEW SUSPECT?

Dr. Condon eventually met up with the kidnapper, not bringing any money however. He wasn’t going to until he saw the baby. There was a shadowy figure behind the kidnapper, telling him that it was too dangerous to give any information to Dr. Condon. The shadowy figure then began to run, only getting chased down by Dr. Condon, who then found out this man called himself, “John”.

TOKENS

“John” told Dr. Condon that the baby was not dead and that he would send him a token from the baby, the sleeping clothes.

A few days later, Dr. Condon received the sleeping clothes, the same ones worn the night of the kidnapping. There was also a note from John in the box, stating that the ransom money needed to be ready by that Saturday.

RANSOM MONEY

Charles joined Condon, who met back up with John, giving him the $50,000. John gave Condon an envelope that told where he might find the Lindbergh baby; It said, “A boat called Nelly.” The following day Charles Lindbergh flew over, searching for the boat, trying to find his missing son.

ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED..

On May 12th, 1932 a truck driver was driving and stopped on the side of the road to “relieve” himself. As the truck driver (William Allen) was doing so, he looked down and saw a head peeking out of the ground;

it was Charles Lindbergh Jr.

HOW FORENSICS CAME INTO PLAY

This investigation was a particularly special and different one because of the use of forensics.

The investigators searched the entire nursery, not finding a single fingerprint (one forensic test example), only the muddy footprints.

The investigators also matched Condon’s description of “John” and went out interviewing people asking if they’d seen a man similar to him.

HOW FORENSICS CAME INTO PLAY (CONT)

The investigators also took the information on the kind of car the suspect had driven and went to the car dealership, eventually getting the license plate tags matching it up to a man named Richard Hauptmann.

THE ARREST

On September 16th, 1934 the police followed Hauptmann from his apartment. He soon noticed what was going on and tried to escape, running red lights and blowing by other drivers at high speed.

Hauptmann eventually had to stop the car and was then put in handcuffs and arrested.

HOW MEDIA WAS INVOLVED

During Hauptmann’s arrest the investigators went into his apartment finding $15,000 dollars of the ransom money and the address and phone number of Dr. Condon. The media got ahold of the information, sharing it on CBS Radio for all to hear. There were also air times that discussed what was going on during all the Hauptmann trials and meet ups.

THE HAUPTMANN TRIAL

Edward J. Reilly was Hauptmann’s defense attorney, trying to help him win the case. Hauptmann’s wife Anna was called to the stand to say whether or not she knew anything aboutwhat had happened.

Author Koehler was one of the lead forensic scientists for the case and he went ahead and told the judge and jury that there were no fingerprints of Hauptmann’s found on the ladder, the ransom notes, or anyplace inside the nursery.

THE VERDICT

The outcome of the trial was a bad one. Richard Hauptmann was convicted to life in prison and actually died in prison, being put on death row and sent right to his death on the electric chair.

ALTERNATE THEORIES?

Many people actually believed that Violet Smith was the kidnapper, since she was living in the mansion with the Lindbergh family.

Dr. John Condon was suspicious to the police, who claimed his behavior was “not right”. Condon also never showed the sleep clothes to the authorities, making it seem all the more mysterious, considering there could’ve been hair fibers on the outfit which could’ve ended up possibly helped to find the child.

ALTERNATE THEORIES? (CONT)

People also believed it was all an organized crime, meaning that Charles Lindbergh planned on having his child kidnapped (whether for more fame or maybe he just didn’t want a kid anymore). Charles kept a lot of information from the police and often led them in very different directions, using his power as a rich person against the case.

MY INPUT

After researching this case I must say it’s VERY difficult to understand the first few times you read. There’s a lot that went on during this case and it’s very very complicated. I truly don’t know whether or not Hauptmann really deserved to be put on death row, because the alternate theories (especially the one about Charles) is so convincing. I almost immediately believed that Charles was doing this for the fame. It did seem a tad drastic that Hauptmann was put on death row, although this was back in the 30s when they weren’t too aware of which consequences were considered proper for a situation or verdict.