True Story of the Lindbergh Kidnapping-John Brant-Edith Renaud-1932-287pgs-POL

8/2/2019 True Story of the Lindbergh Kidnapping-John Brant-Edith Renaud-1932-287pgs-POL

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TRUE STORY o f t h e LINDBERGH

KIDNAPPING

0 . . By .

JOHN BRANT andEDITH RENAUD

KROY WEN PUBLISHERS, INC .

6 9 7 E a s t 2 1 9 t h S t r e e t , N e w Y o r k


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C o p y r i g h t 1932

By KROY WEN PUBLISHERS, INC .

R i g h t s R e s e r v e d i n a l l F o r e i g n C o u n t r i e s

P r i n t e d i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a


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z


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PREFACEH a r k ! t o t h e h u r r i e d q u e s t i o n o f d e s p a i r :

" W h e r e i s m y c h i l d ? " - a n e c h o a n s w e r s ,

"Where? "

-From "The Bride of Abydos"

by Lord Byron .

C h a r l e s A u g u s t u s L i n d b e r g h , J r . , t w e n t y - m o n t h s

o l d s o n o f C o l o n e l a n d M r s . C h a r l e s A . L i n d b e r g h ,

was kidnapped from his crib in the Lindbergh

home at Hopewell, New Jersey, on March 1, 1932 .

The abduction has been characterized a s t h e

"most abhorrent crime of al l time . " The kid-

nappers have been cal led "Public Enemy No . 1 o f

t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s o f A m e r i c a . "

The abdu ction shocked t he world . I t s e f f e c t

r e a c h e d t h e f u r t h e s t c o r n e r s o f t h i s a n d e v e r y o t h e r

n a t i o n .

T h e a u t h o r s h a v e t r i e d t o t e l l t h e " t r u e s t o r y o f

the Lindbergh kidnapping . " I f t h e p r e s e n t e f f o r t

s e r v e s t h e p u r p o s e o f t e l l i n g a s m u c h o f t h e s t o r y

o f t h e c r i m e a s i s p e r t i n e n t a n d i n t e r e s t i n g , i t s p u r -

p o s e w i l l h a v e b e e n a c h i e v e d .

J . B . a n d E. R .New York, 1932 .


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7 or e w o

II s d o u b t f u l i f a n y c r i m e i n h i s t o r yh a s a r o u s e d t h e i n t e r e s t o f a l l m e n a n dw o m e n , e v e r y w h e r e , a s h a s t h e c r i m e w i t h

w h i c h t h i s v o l u m e d e a l s .

S o s w i f t l y h a v e e v e n t s o c c u r r e d ; s o n u -

merous have they been, and so complex

h a v e t h e y a p p e a r e d , t h a t o n l y a v e r y f e w

p e r s o n s c a n b e s a i d t o h a v e a n y c l e a r k n o w l -

e d g e o f w h a t h a p p e n e d d u r i n g t h o s e h e c t i c

weeks .

T o t h e o b s e r v e r - a n d w h o h a s n o t b e e n ?

-only bewilderment rewarded an effort

t o g e t a t t h e f a c t s . C o n t r a d i c t o r y s t a t e -

m e n t s w e r e s o n u m e r o u s t h a t e v e n m e n t i o n

o f t h e m s e e m s s u p e r f l u o u s h e r e .

I t i s t h e f u n c t i o n o f t h e " T r u e S t o r y o f

t h e L i n d b e r g h K i d n a p p i n g " t o l e a d t h e w a y

t h r o u g h t h e t a n g l e d m a s s , t o g i v e t h e i n -

t e l l i g e n t r e a d e r a c l e a r p i c t u r e o f t h e c i r -

c u m s t a n c e s s u r r o u n d i n g t h e c a s e .

KROY WEN PUBLISHERS, INC .


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CONTENTS

LINDBERGH BABY KIDNAPPEDTHE RANSOM BABY

THE CRIM E THAT SHOOK THE WORLD!8THE WORLD THEORIZES0CLEWS-CLEWS-CLEWS!8THE LADDER-A CLEW?08FORBIDDEN PRIVACY 17

CARNIVAL OF THE CRANKS46ENTER GANGLAND 55

KIDNAP EPIDEMIC! 76

THE $5 0,000 RANSOM PAID!90HIDDEN EYES ON LINDY'S WEALTH18BONANZA AT HOPEWELL22A WORLD AROUSED! 36CELEBRITIES!

42

OTHER BABY VICTIMS52THE WORLD VERSUS THE LINDBERGHS66


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CHAPTER ILINDBERGH BABY KIDNAPPED

Lindbergh Baby Kidna pped!

Three words flashed around the world . Three

w o r d s p e n e t r a t e d t h e h o m e s a n d h e a r t s o f r i c h a n d

p o o r , t h e h i g h a n d t h e l o w l y , o f e v e r y n a t i o n o n

t h e f a c e o f t h e g l o b e . T h r e e h i s t o r i c w o r d s w r i t -

t e n i r r e v o c a b l y i n t o h i s t o r y . Three words that

stamped Tuesday night, March 1, 1932, in the

records of the world as a memorable date-one

ranking in importance with the dates that men

r e m e m b e r a s s i g n i f i c a n t i n t h e a n n a l s o f t h e h u m a n

r a c e . T h r e e w o r d s , i n s h o r t , t h a t b r o u g h t f e a r ,

and horror, and sorrow and sympathy to millions

a n d m i l l i o n s o f p e r s o n s i n a l l w a l k s o f l i f e .


T h e i n c r e d i b l e , t h e i m p o s s i b l e , t h e u t t e r a b s u r d -

i t y , h a d a c t u a l l y h a p p e n e d !

W a r o f a l l n a t i o n s ? Yes, that could happen!

Japan and China were already at each other's

t h r o a t s .

The murd er of a mona rch? Y e s , t h a t , t o o ,

could happen! Unrest was rampan t throughout

t h e c i v i l i z e d w o r l d .


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2 TRUE STORY OF THE LINDBERGH KIDNAPPING

A r o c k e t t o t h e m o o n ? E v e n t h a t , o f a l l ' n o n -

s e n s e , c o u l d h a p p e n ! S c i e n t i s t s w e r e e v e r y d a y

d i g g i n g o u t n a t u r e ' s s e c r e t s .

But the Lindbergh baby kidnapped? P r e p o s t e r -

o u s ! R i d i c u l o u s ! The world might as well come

t o a n e n d !


N e w s p a p e r s f l a s h e d t h e h e a d l i n e s . R a d i o s t r u c k

i n t o t h e d i s t a n t n o o k s a n d c r a n n i e s w i t h t h e i n -

c r e d i b l e n e w s .

M o t h e r s c l u t c h e d t h e i r b a b i e s t o t h e i r b r e a s t s .

F a t h e r s w a t c h e d s o l i c i t o u s l y over their broods .

T h i s v e r y t h i n g c o u l d s t r i k e t h e m o s t h u m b l e , a s

w e l l a s t h e m i g h t i e s t .


M o d e r n s c i e n c e , m o d e r n i n g e n u i t y , m o d e r n m a n ' s

acu te brain got to work . Teletypes spread the

n e w s i n t o e v e r y p o l i c e p r e c i n c t . Telephone wires

burned with the story . Policemen, routed from

t h e i r v e r y b e d s , h u s t l e d o u t t o t h e c r o s s r o a d s , t h e

b r i d g e s , t h e r i v e r s - t h e s e a r c h w a s o n . T h e g r e a t -

e s t m a n - h u n t i n t h e w o r l d ' s h i s t o r y w a s u n d e r w a y

scarcely before the hawkers of newspapers were

o n t h e c i t y s t r e e t s w i t h t h e i r r a u c o u s " W u x t r a !

Wuxtra! "


A night city editor of a New York newspaper,

r e a d i n g t h e w i r e f l a s h , t e l e p h o n e d a f a m o u s p u b -

l is h e r .


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LINDBERGH BABY KIDNAPPED 3

"The Lindbergh baby has been kidnapped!" he

s a i d .

"Now I'll tell you a j oke!" laughed the pub-

l is h e r .

" B u t i t ' s s o ! " t h e e d i t o r r e s p o n d e d . " I t ' s s o ! "

A n d t h e n e w s p a p e r ' s m a c h i n e r y o f r e p o r t e r s a n d

p h o t o g r a p h e r s w h i r l e d i n t o a c t i o n .

Lindberg h Baby Kidna pped !

B y w o r d o f m o u t h , t h e n e w s s p r e a d t h r o u g h t h e

c o n g e s t e d c i t y n e i g h b o r h o o d s . By word of mouth

it was conv eyed from farm to farm, as country

f o l k d r o v e m i l e s t o t h e i r n e a r e s t n e i g h b o r ' s h o m e s ,

t o d i s c u s s t h e s t o r y . The Lindbergh baby kid-

n a p p i n g f i l t e r e d a c r o s s t h e n a t i o n , t h r o u g h i t s v e r y

f a b r i c , t o i t s v e r y s o u l .


The wheel s of the nation were set in motion .

R e p o r t s f l e w f r o m t h e f a r c o r n e r s o f t h e n a t i o n t o

that homestead at Hopewel l, New Jersey, where

t h e m a n - h u n t f o r t h e k i d n a p p e r s w a s b e i n g o r g a n -

i z e d . T h e o r i e s m o u n t e d e n d l e s s l y , i n t o v e r i t a b l e

t a n g l e s o f m i s i n f o r m a t i o n . Confusion and pande-

monium reigned . E v e r y b o d y w a s i n t h e c h a s e .


P r e s i d e n t H e r b e r t H o o v e r c a l l e d A t t o r n e y G e n -

e r a l M i t c h e l l i n t o c o n s u l t a t i o n .

" T h e e n t i r e n a t i o n ' s r e s o u r c e s m u s t b e p r e s s e d

i n t o s e r v i c e ! " w a s t h e t e n o r o f h i s o r d e r .

T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f J u s t i c e , t h e P o s t a l I n s p e c -


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4 TRUE STORY OF THE LINDBERGH KIDNAPING

t i o n S e r v i c e , t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S e c r e t S e r v i c e , t h e

P r o h i b i t i o n E n f o r c e m e n t B u r e a u - i n f a c t t h e w h o l e

Federal machinery devoted to the pursuit of law

v i o l a t o r s , s w u n g i n t o a c t i o n .


Thousands of letters flowed in upon Colonel

Char les A . L i n d b e r g h , t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l i d o l , t h e

p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f y o u t h , a n d h i s w i f e , A n n e M o r -

r o w L i n d b e r g h , t h e c o u r a g e o u s , s e l f - e f f a c i n g a n d

lov able girl who had borne the "most famous

baby in the world . " Authorities tracked down

every clew . Arrests and "detentions" were re-

corded throughout the nation . F o l k s s u s p e c t e d

e v e r y o n e u p o n w h o m t h e l e a s t i o t a o f d o u b t m i g h t

r e s t . T h e n a t i o n ' s h u b b u b w a s v i s i b l e a n d a u d i b l e .

The Japanese-Chinese war was rel egated to the

l i m b o o f f o r g o t t e n t h i n g s . N o t h i n g e l s e i n a l l

the world was of any importance but-


The ra nsom note . The ladder . The lonel y

S o u r l a n d m o u n t a i n s . The mysterious phone calls .

T h e b a d l y w r i t t e n a n d b a d l y s p e l l e d l e t t e r s c a r r y -

i n g d i r e f u l h i n t s o f d e a t h . T h e f i n g e r o f s u s p i c i o n .

A l l w e r e o n t h e l i p s o f t h e n a t i o n .


A maniac? A degenerate? A g a n g o f i n t e r n a -

t i o n a l pl o t t e r s ? B o o t l e g g e r s ? O r g a n i z e d , m e r c e n -

a r y k i d n a p p e r s ? A c o m m o n t h r i l l - k i l l e r ?


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LINDBERGH BABY KIDNAPPEDC o n j e c t u r e s p i l e d u p o n c o n j e c t u r e s . The worl d

w a s b a f f l e d .


T h e b a b y ' s d i e t . Anne M orrow Lindberg h, with

t h e s o l i c i t u d e o f e t e r n a l m o t h e r l o v e , b r o a d c a s t t h e

l i s t o f h e r c h i l d ' s f o o d s . The heart of a nation

a c h e d . M i l k a n d c e r e a l . C o o k e d v e g e t a b l e s . S t e w e d

f r u i t . T h e b a b y ' s d i e t .

,Lindbergh Baby Kidnapped!

W h a t t h e b a b y l o o k e d l i k e . Twenty months old .

B l u e e y e s . F a i r a n d c u r l y h a i r . F a i r c o m p l e x i o n .

A t t h e t i m e o f t h e a b d u c t i o n , t h e f a m e d " e a g l e t "

w a s ' g a r b e d i n a w h i t e s l e e p i n g s u i t . He was able

t o w a l k a l i t t l e . He could tal k a bit, but used

only those "few simple words such as a child

b e g i n n i n g t o t a l k w o u l d k n o w . "


M o t h e r s , e v e r y w h e r e , r e a d e a g e r l y . F a t h e r s , w i t h

e y e s u p o n t h e i r o f f s p r i n g , w e r e e n g r o s s e d , t o o . E v e r y

s c r a p o f d e s c r i p t i o n w a s s e i z e d u p o n w i t h a v i d i t y . He

h a d a c h u b b y f a c e . T r u e , c h u b b y f a c e d b a b i e s a r e t o

b e s e e n t h r o u g h o u t t h e w o r l d a n d a l w a y s w i l l b e , b u t

t h i s b a b y h a d a c h u b b y f a c e a n d t h a t b e c a m e s y n o n y -

m o u s w i t h t h e L i n d b e r g h , i n f a n t .


Famous men dropped their work . T h e p r e s i d e n t

o f a c o l l e g e . The Governors of several states .

U n i t e d S t a t e s S e n a t o r s a n d R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . M i n i s -

t e r s a n d p r i e s t s a n d r a b b i s . F i n a n c i a l w i z a r d s a n d


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i n d u s t r i a l m a g n a t e s . O v e r l o r d s o f t h e u n d e r w o r l d .

T h e g a m u t o f A m e r i c a n l i f e , s h o c k e d , s t u n n e d , i n -

a r t i cu l a t e .


T h r e e w o r d s r a n g a r o u n d t h e w o r l d . S o b e r , e r u -

d i t e e d i t o r i a l w r i t e r s p e n n e d s u g g e s t i o n s p r e s c r i b i n g

t h e b e s t m e t h o d s o f c o n d u c t i n g t h e s e a r c h - a s t h e y

saw them . Learned men threw customary dignity

to the proverbial winds and entered the search .

E v e r y w h e r e , e v e r y o n e o f f e r e d a i d . Y e t t h e b a l d ,

i n e s c a p a b l e f a c t w a s t h a t t h e L i n d b e r g h b a b y h a d

simply dropped out of everyday existence . For

o n c e t h e w h o l e o f t h e w o r l d w a s s t u m p e d ; f o r o n c e

t h e u n t h i n k a b l e h a d a c t u a l l y t a k e n p l a c e .


I n t o e v e r y h o m e i n t h e l a n d , t h e s u b j e c t w a s c a r -

r i e d a s common conversation . The days passed .

T h e r e w e r e o p t i m i s t i c s t a t e m e n t s f r o m t h e f a m o u s

m e n w h o w e r e p l a y e r s i n t h e g r e a t e s t d r a m a o f t h e

a g e s . S t i l l m o r e d a y s p a s s e d . Everyone held out

hope . Each d ay dragged by . Each hour seemed

a n e t e r n i t y . I t c o u l d n o t l a s t f o r e v e r ! I t c o u l d

n o t !

Y e t t h e d a y s b e c a m e w e e k s a n d t h e s e a r c h w e n t

on . And still -


The words seared the minds of men . The mys-

tery gripped them . The unk nowabl e confronted

them . A l l t h e y s a w , o r h e a r d , o r t h o u g h t o f w a s



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CHAPTER IITHE RANSOM BABY

T h e m o s t f a m o u s b a b y i n t h e w o r l d !

The infant who had endeared himself to the

h e a r t s o f a n a t i o n o n t h e v e r y d a y o f h i s b i r t h !

T h e c h i l d w h o s e d i s a p p e a r a n c e s h o c k e d m i l l i o n s !

W h a t d i d h e l o o k l i k e ? W h a t s o r t o f a l i f e d i d

h e l e a d ? How was he cared for? Who were his

c o m p a n i o n s ? Whom did he resemble? What w as

h i s d i s p o s i t i o n ? Was he robust? Was he an aver-a g e , n o r m a l c h i l d ?

Only the relatives and the most intimate and

c l o s e f r i e n d s o f t h e L i n d b e r g h s k n e w t h a t C h a r l e sA . L i n d b e r g h , J r . was 30 pounds of soft chubbyb a b y h o o d , t h a t h e h a d b l u e e y e s t h e c o l o r o f t h e

sky on a soft summer day ; t h a t h i s h a i r w a s l i g h t ,

a n d c u r l e d i n p r e c i o u s l i t t l e r i n g l e t s a b o u t h i s h e a d .

A n d t h a t h e s t o o d 2 f e e t 9 i n c h e s i n h i s s t o c k i n g f e e t .

L i k e h i s f a t h e r , t h e L o n e E a g l e , h e h a d a v e r y

d e e p d i m p l e i n h i s c h i n , t h e a d o r a b l e c l e f t b e i n g

t h e m o s t d i s t i n g u i s h i n g m a r k o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o n

t h e c h i l d . And he had a broad baby smile which

made those few persons who were privil eged to

s e e , h i m - h i s i m m e d i a t e s l a v e s f o r l i f e .

7


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W h e n h e w a s b o r n , o n h i s m o t h e r ' s 2 4 t h b i r t h d a y ,

J u n e 2 2 , 1 9 3 0 , i n a s p e c i a l l y c o n s t r u c t e d h o s p i t a l a t

t h e h o m e o f h i s g r a n d f a t h e r , t h e l a t e S e n a t o r D w i g h tWM o r r o w , a t E n g l e w o o d , N e w J e r s e y , i t w a s a ni n t e r n a t i o n a l e v e n t . He weighed 74 pounds an d

h i s c e r t i f i c a t e w a s f i l e d o n J u n e 2 5 , 1 9 3 0 b y t h e a t -

t e n d i n g p h y s i c i a n , D r . Everett M . Haw ks of New

Y o r k C i t y .

But baby Lindy had not yet been named at the

t i m e . I t w a s n ' t u n t i l J u l y 1 7 t h a t a s u p p l e m e n t a r y

c e r t i f i c a t e w a s f i l e d r e g i s t e r i n g t h e n a m e o f C h a r l e s

Augustu s Lindberg h, Jr . During the foll owing

months swarms of newspapermen attempted to ob-

t a i n a g l i m p s e o f h i m , b u t h e w a s c a r e f u l l y p r o -

t e c t e d f r o m a l l o u t s i d e r s . I t w a s n ' t u n t i l g r e a t p r e s -

s u r e h a d b e e n b r o u g h t t o b e a r u p o n h i s p r o u d f a t h e r

t h a t t h e C o l o n e l i s s u e d s n a p s h o t s o f t h e c h i l d t o t h e

n e w s p a p e r s - - s n a p s h o t s h e h i m s e l f h a d t a k e n .

But the world knew him as Anne and Lindy's

baby . He had been l ovingly known a s I ' V i n d y ' s

b a b y , " s i n c e t h a t d a y w h e n t h e l o n g r o a d l e a d i n g

o f E n g l e w o o d a n d n e i g h b o r i n g d i s t r i c t s p i c k e d f l o w -

e r e d s h r i n e - t h e d a y a f t e r t h e s t o r y o f t h e b a b y ' s

b i r t h w a s p u b l i s h e d . L i t t l e c h i l d r e n f r o m t h e t o w n ,

t o t h e M o r r o w g a t e b e c a m e l i k e a p a t h t o s o m e s a -

e r s a n d c l u t c h i n g t h e m i n d a m p l i t t l e p a l m s , t a r r i e d

t h e m t o t h e g u a r d s f o r L i n d y ' s b a b y .

M o t h e r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y w a t c h e d h u n g r i l y

f o r d e t a i l s o f t h e c h i l d ' s d e v e l o p m e n t . Was he to


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THE RANSOM BABY 9

b e t r a i n e d a c c o r d i n g t o a n e s t a b l i s h e d m e t h o d o r

. w o u l d he be reared as their own children were?

Surely, nothing was too good and no method too

c a r e f u l f o r t h i s p r e c i o u s l i t t l e c h i l d .

I n S e p t e m b e r , o f 1 9 3 0 , L i n d b e r g h r e l e n t e d f r o m

h i s s t e a d f a s t r u l e n o t t o d i v u l g e t h e c h i l d ' s d e v e l o p -

m e n t t o t h e w o r l d a n d d i s c l o s e d t h a t t h e b a b y ' s f i r s t

book was to be "The Painted Pig," a work of the

c h i l d ' s g r a n d m o t h e r , M r s . Elizabeth Morrow. And

a month later he announced that when the baby

r e a c h e d t h e p r o p e r a g e h e w o u l d b e p e r m i t t e d t o

c h o o s e h i s o w n l i f e ' s w o r k . T h i s w a s i n a n s w e r t o t h e

s t e a d y r e q u e s t s c o n c e r n i n g t h e b a b y ' s f u t u r e t h a t c a m e

p o u r i n g i n .

D u r i n g t h i s t i m e s o m a n y g i f t s w e r e r e c e i v e d b y

t h e L i n d b e r g h s f o r t h e i r b a b y t h a t i t b e c a m e a r e a l

problem. They came from all parts of the world .

A s o n e m a g a z i n e w r i t e r s a i d a t t h e t i m e :

"To acknowledge them individually was com-

p l e t e l y o u t o f t h e q u e s t i o n . To have returned them

w i t h o u t a p e r s o n a l e x p l a n a t i o n t o t h o s e w h o s e n t

them would have seemed an ungracious act, while

t o s e n d t h e g i f t s o f o t h e r s t o c h a r i t a b l e o r g a n i z a t i o n s

m i g h t a l s o h a v e a p p e a r e d a s a s i g n a l l a c k o f a p p r e -

c i a t i o n . "

I t i s u n d e r s t o o d t h a t t h e p r o b l e m w a s f i n a l l y

s o l v e d w h e n t h e L i n d b e r g h s h i r e d a w a r e h o u s e f o r

t h e e x p r e s s p u r p o s e o f s t o r i n g t h e i r b a b y' s g i f t s .

A s i d e f r o m t h i s h e l e d a q u i e t n o r m a l l i f e - - s o


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1 0 TRUE STORY OF THE LINDBERGH KIDNAPPING

q u i e t t h a t a v i s i t o r a t t h e L i n d b e r g h h o m e m i g h t n o t

h a v e b e e n a w a r e t h a t a c h i l d w a s i n t h e h o u s e . Hew a s c a r e f u l l y a n d s c i e n t i f i c a l l y b r o u g h t u p . His

c l o t h e s w e r e a l w a y s o f t h e " s e n s i b l e " t y p e a n d a l m o s t

f r o m t h e m o m e n t o f h i s b i r t h h e w a s p l a c e d " o n h i s

ow n . "

F o r i n s t a n c e , t h e r e w a s n o s u c h t h i n g a s Ma ster

L in d be r g h b e i n g a f r a i d t o g o t o s l e e p a l o n e i n t h e d a r k ,

o r c r y i n g l u s t i l y u n t i l s o m e o n e p i c k e d h i m u p f r o m

h i s c r i b o r c a r r i a g e . A n d w h e n v i s i t o r s a t t h e L i n d -

b e r g h h o m e c o m m e n t e d t h a t t h e r a d i o m i g h t d i s t u r b

t h e b a b y t h e y w e r e i n f o r m e d t h a t h e w a s n o t a n e r v -

o u s t y p e . E v i d e n t l y L i n d y a n d h i s l i t t l e w i f e w e r e

i n c o m p l e t e a g r e e m e n t c o n c e r n i n g t h e r e a r i n g o f t h e i r

c h i l d - a n d o n e o f t h e i r j o i n t d e c i s i o n s w a s t h a t h e

w a s n o t t o b e s p o i l e d .

T o t h e r e p o r t e r s a n d t h e w a i t i n g p u b l i c , h o w e v e r ,

p r a c t i c a l l y n o n e o f t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e

a l m o s t r o y a l l y g u a r d e d i n f a n t w a s a v a i l a b l e . Unani-

m o u s l y , i t s e e m e d , A n n e a n d L i n d y h a d d e c i d e d t h a t

t h e w o r l d w a s n o t t o s h a r e t h e i r b a b y . H e w a s t h e i r s .

P u b l i c i t y o f a n y k i n d w o u l d b e h a r m f u l . He was to

b e k e p t a s f a r a w a y f r o m i t a s i t w a s h u m a n l y p o s -

s i b l e .

A s h e g r e w o l d e r a n d h e c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e d t h e

b r i g h t n e s s o f a y o u n g s t e r f a r b e y o n d h i s a g e h e w a s

e n r o l l e d i n a p r e - k i n d e r g a r t e n c l a s s o f t h e s c h o o l r u n

b y A n n e ' s s i s t e r , E l i z a b e t h M o r r o w , a t E n g l e w o o d .

T h e r e h e w a s l e a r n i n g t o t a l k a n d t o t o d d l e a b o u t


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THE RANSOM BABY 1 1

when he was so suddenly and ruthlessly snatched

from his crib at the Hopewell home of the Lind-

b e r g h s .

That he w o u l d b e a n e m b a r r a s s i n g p r o b l e m t o h i s

c a p t o r s w a s r e v e a l e d b y h i s g r a n d - a u n t , M r s . H i l d a

Morrow Mcl lv ane at Mead vill e, Pa . , s h o r t l y a f t e r

t h e k i d n a p p i n g t o o k p l a c e .

" H e h a s a t e l e p h o n e t r i c k t h a t m a y g i v e t h e k i d -

n a p p e r s a w a y , " s h e d e c l a r e d . " I f h e e v e r g e t s i n t o

a r o o m w h e r e t h e r e i s a t e l e p h o n e h e w i l l p e r s i s t i n

t a k i n g d o w n t h e r e c e i v e r a n d t a l k i n g i n t o t h e p h o n e ,

p e r h a p s t h e r e b y g i v i n g t h e o p e r a t o r a c l u e t o h i s

p r e s e n c e .

" T h e b a b y l o o k s s o m u c h l i k e h i s f a t h e r t h a t n o

o n e c o u l d m i s t a k e h i s i d e n t i t y . H e h e a r t i l y d i s l i k e s

s t r a n g e r s . I k n o w h e w i l l c r y a n d f u s s a n d b e u n -

m a n a g e a b l e w i t h h i s k i d n a p p e r s , p o s s i b l y b e t r a y i n g

them .

" H e i s u n u s u a l l y b r i g h t , w a l k i n g a n d t a l k i n g i n a

w a y f a r b e y o n d h i s 2 0 m o n t h s . A f t e r h i s f i r s t s h y -

n e s s a t h i s a u n t ' s n u r s e r y s c h o o l h e w a s a t e a s e i n t h e

k i n d e r g a r t e n , p l a y i n g w i t h o l d e r b o y s a n d g i r l s . And

h e h a s l e a r n e d t o c o u n t t o f o u r . "

T h o u g h t h e r e h a v e b e e n s t o r i e s t o t h e c o n t r a r y

l i t t l e L i n d y h a s n e v e r b e e n i n a p l a n e . His famous

f a t h e r h a d d e c i d e d t h e r e w a s p l e n t y o f t i m e t o b e g i n ,

a l t h o u g h t h e b a b y h a d l i s t e n e d t o h i s d a d d y ' s v o i c e

w h e n t h e C o l o n e l s p o k e o n t h e r a d i o f r o m T o k i o o n

A u g u s t 2 8 , 1 9 3 1 a f t e r c o m p l e t i n g h i s f l i g h t t o t h e


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O r i e n t . It was at the M orrow Summer home at

North Haven, Maine, that the child heard his

f a t h e r ' s v o i ce . U p o n t h e l a t t e r ' s r e t u r n , i n O c t o b e r ,

1931, littl e Lindy was removed to the Hopewel l

home .

"Charlie" was the pet name by which the baby

w a s k n o w n t o t h e f a m i l y o f M o r r o w s a n d L i n d b e r g h s .

T h o u g h C o l o n e l L i n d b e r g h h i m s e l f b e g a n t o c a l l h i s

i n f a n t s o n b y t h i s d i m i n u t i v e a n d t h e o t h e r s i n t u r n

p i c k e d i t u p , t h e f l y i n g C o l o n e l a l s o h a d a n o t h e r n i c k -

n a m e w h i c h h e a l o n e u s e d w h e n s p e a k i n g o f o r t o

h i s s o n . It was " I t . " I n f a c t i t w a s r e c o r d e d t h a t

t h i s w a s o n e o f t h e f i r s t t w o w o r d s t h e b a b y h a d

l e a r n e d t o s a y . H e h a d l e a r n e d t o r e p e a t t h e n a m e

h i s f a t h e r g a v e h i m . T h e o t h e r w o r d i n h i s e a r l y

v o c a b u l a r y w a s " B e t t y , " t h e f i r s t n a m e o f h i s n u r s e .

I n t h e i s o l a t e d H o p e w e l l h o m e t h e o n l y p l a y m a t e s

t h a t t h e g o l d e n h a i r e d b a b y h a d w e r e t w o p l a y f u l

d o g s , a w i r e h a i r e d F o x t e r r i e r a n d a S c o t c h t e r r i e r ,

" B o g g i e " a n d " S c o t t i e ." At the time of the kid-

napping Boggie had been sent to Engl ewood to be

t r e a t e d f o r a b a d c o l d . O n l y S c o t t i e w h o w a s n e v e r

m e a n t t o b e a w a t c h d o g , r e m a i n e d . If Boggie had

occupied his kennel near the house the intruder

w o u l d h a v e h a d a m u c h m o r e d i f f i c u l t t a s k. And on

t h i s n i g h t o f a l l n i g h t s e v e n S c o t t i e , a c c u s t o m e d t o

s l e e p i n t h e h a l l o u t s i d e t h e n u r s e r y , w a s i n a n o t h e r

w i n g o f t h e h o u s e a t t h e t i m e o f t h e k i d n a p p i n g .

O n t h a t e v e n i n g t h e c a r e f u l m o t h e r a n d n u r s e e n -


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THE RANSOM BABY 1 3

t e r e d t h e n u r s e r y a t a b o u t 7 : 3 0 . T h e r e , b e c a u s e

Charlie had a cold, Mrs . Lindbergh rubbed the

c h i l d ' s c h e s t w i t h o n o i n t m e n t i n a n e f f o r t t o e a s e

t h e c o l d , w h i l e t h e n u r s e c u t a p i e c e o f f l a n n e l f r o m

a n o l d s h i r t t o k e e p t h e l i t t l e w h i t e s l e e p i n g s u i t f r o m

b e i n g s t a i n e d .

L e s s t h a n a n h o u r l a t e r , a t 8 : 2 0 , t h e c h i l d ' s f a t h e r

r e t u r n e d h o m e b u t d e c i d e d n o t t o m a k e h i s c u s t o m a r y

t r i p t o t h e n u r s e r y b e c a u s e t h e b a b y w a s a l r e a d y

a s l e e p . At 8 : 3 0 t h e n u r s e m a d e a n o t h e r v i s i t t o t h e

c h i l d ' s b e d s i d e w h e r e s h e t u c k e d t h e f l a n n e l c l o t h

m o r e c l o s e l y u n d e r h i s c h i n , t u r n e d o u t t h e l i g h t s

a n d w e n t d o w n s t a i r s . At 10 o'clock when she re-

t u r n e d f o r a f i n a l i n s p e c t i o n b e f o r e r e t i r i n g s h e d i s -

c o v e r e d t h a t t h e b a b y w a s g o n e .

A s t r a n g e c o i n c i d e n c e c o n c e r n i n g t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e

o f t h e L i n d b e r g h b a b y i s r e l a t e d b y I r i t a V a n D o r e n ,

wife of Carl Van Doren, author, who asked M rs .

Dwigh t W. M o r r o w t o s e r v e o n a c o m m i t t e e f o r a

l i t e r a r y a f fa i r .

M r s . M o r r o w w a s r e l u c t a n t t o a c c e p t a n d w h e n

p r e s s e d , g a v e t h i s r e a s o n :

" I a m a f r a i d t o a c c e p t . I h a v e n e v e r a c c e p t e d w o r k

i n a p u b l i c c a u s e w i t h o u t s o m e t h i n g t e r r i b l e h a p p e n -

i n g t o s o m e m e m b e r o f m y f a m i l y . Oh, I know you

t h i n k I ' m f o o l i s h . I t d o e s s e e m t e r r i b l e t o h a v e a

s u p e r s t i t i o n o f t h i s k i n d , b u t I w o n ' t l e t i t i n fl u e n c eme. I ' l l s e r v e . "


20/287


I t w a s t h a t e v e n i n g t h a t M r s . M o r r o w ' s g r a n d s o n

w a s k i d n a p p e d !

B u t t o t h o s e w h o w e r e d i s t r e s s e d o v e r t h e p o s s i b l e

f a t e o f t h i s b l u e e y e d i n f a n t a f t e r h e w a s s t o l e n i t

was disclosed by Dr . Arthur Frank Payne, child

p s y c h o l o g i s t a n d a u t h o r , t h a t l i t t l e C h a r l e s A u g u s t u s ,

J r . , w a s u n d o u b t e d l y t h e l e a s t d i s c o m f o r t e d o f a l l .

W h i l e h i s p a r e n t s w e r e s u f f e r i n g a n a g o n y o f g r i e f

a l m o s t b e y o n d d e s c r i p t i o n a n d h i s o t h e r r e l a t i v e s w e r e

p r a y e r f u l l y w a t c h i n g t h e f l e e t i n g m i n u t e s s g o b y , t h e

baby concerned woul d be scarcely aware of the

change in his surroundings, no matter what they

w e r e , a c c o r d i n g t o D r . P a y n e .

I n f a c t , t h e p s y c h o l o g i s t d e c l a r e d t h a t t h e c h i l d

w o u l d v e r y l i k e l y m a k e u p t o h i s k i d n a p p e r s a n d b e

j u s t a s i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e m a s i n d iv i d u a l s a s h e w a s i n

h i s n u r s e , h i s m o t h e r , h i s f a t h e r , o r a n y o t h e r p e r s o n s

w i t h w h o m h e c a m e i n c o n t a c t . A n d i f t h e c h i l d w a s

f e d t h e a v e r a g e g o o d f o o d h e w o u l d n o t e v e n m i n d

t h e c h a n g e i n d i e t .

" T h e L i n d b e r g h b a b y p r o b a b l y i s n o t e v e n a w a r e

t h a t a n y t h i n g h a s g o n e w r o n g , " D r . P a y n e d e c l a r e d

a t t h e t i m e . "He was a healthy normal child and

e v e n i f h e w a s a f f l i c t e d w i t h a s l i g h t c o l d , a c h a n g e

i n d i e t w i l l h a v e v e r y l i t t l e e f f e c t o n h i m , i f h e i s

n o t a c t u a l l y n e g l e c t e d . U n d o u b t e d l y t h e e n t i r e r o u -

t i n e o f t h e b a b y ' s l i f e w a s s u d d e n l y c h a n g e d w h e n

h e w a s k i d n a p p e d b u t e v e n t h a t i s u n l i k e l y t o h a v e

a n y s e r i o u s r e s u l t s . "


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THE RANSOM BABY 1 5

" H e m a y h a v e b e e n a l i t t l e f r e t f u l a t b e i n g f o r c e d

o u t o f h i s u s u a l h a b i t s , o r b e i n g h a n d l e d b y s o m e b o d y

w i t h a d i f f e r e n t m a n n e r a n d t o u c h f r o m t h a t o f h i s

n u r s e . But that would not be serious and would

p r o v e n o s h o c k t o h i m i n a n y w a y . "

The kidna pping of an older child, Dr . Payne

p o i n t e d o u t , i s a p t t o b e a t e r r i f yi n g e x p e r i e n c e . , T h e n

t h e i m a g i n a t i o n h a s b e g u n t o w o r k , a n d t h e s m a l l

p r i s o n e r s u f f e r s f r o m a l l s o r t s o f i m a g i n a r y d a n g e r s .

" B u t i n a s e n s e a b a b y o f t w e n t y m o n t h s i s t h e

m o s t c o u r a g e o u s a n i m a l i n t h e w o r l d , " t h e p r o f e s s o r

s a i d , " b e c a u s e h e h a s n o t l e a r n e d a s h a v e t h e c o n -

s c i o u s l y a w a r e , ` t o d i e m a n y t i m e s b e f o r e h i s d e a t h . '

H e c a n s u f f e r o n l y i n t h e m o m e n t w h i l e s o m e t h i n g

a c t u a l l y i s h a p p e n i n g . H e i s n o t a f r a i d o f t o m o r -

row or even of the next minute, and he does not

e v e n k n o w t h a t h e i s a n i n d i v i d u a l . "

B a b y L i n d b e r g h w a s r e a r e d s c r u p u l o u s l y a l o n g t h e

l i n e s l a i d d o w n b y c h i l d h e a l t h e x p e r t s a t P r e s i d e n t

Hoover's White House child wel fare conferences .

B o t h t h e c h i l d ' s p a r e n t s a t t e n d e d t h e c o n f e r e n c e i n

November, 1930 . A n n e L i n d b e r g h , l o o k i n g l i k e a

l i t t l e g i r l i n h e r b r o w n s u i t , a n d h e r a v i a t o r h u s b a n d ,

f l e w t h e r e a n d b a c k . D u r i n g t h e m e e t i n g s s h e s a t

i n t h e f r o n t r o w , n o t e - b o o k i n h a n d a n d h e r e a g e r

e y e s g l u e d o n t h e s p e a k e r s . T h o s e s t a t e m e n t s w h i c h

m i g h t a f f e c t h e r c h i l d w e r e e a g e r l y j o t t e d d o w n .

A t s o m e o f t h e m e e t i n g s s h e w a s a c c o m p a n i e d b y

h e r h u s b a n d . O t h e r t i m e s s h e w e n t w i t h M r s . B r e c k -


22/287


i n r i d g e w h o s e h u s b a n d c o n d u c t e d a s e s s i o n o n p h y s i -

c a l e d u c a t i o n f o r c h i l d r e n i n w h i c h C o l o n e l L i n d -

b e r g h w a s e s p e c i a l l y i n t e r e s t e d . H o w e v e r , t h a t s e c -

t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e p r e - s c h o o l c h i l d w a s m o s t i n t e r -

e s t i n g t o A n n e .

Everything that the White House experts pre-

s c r i b e d f o r b a b i e s , C h a r l e s A u g u s t u s L i n d b e r g h , J r . ,

had . H e h a d f r e s h c o u n t r y a i r. H e s l e p t i n a q u i e t ,

a i r y r o o m . T h e r e w a s c a r e f u l s u p e r v i s i o n o f h i s d i e t .

A n d h e h a d t w o q u i e t , p o i s e d a n d s e l f - c o n t r o l l e d

p a r e n t s . T h i s w a s e s p e c i a l l y e s s e n t i a l a n d t h i s h e

h a d , e v e n w h e n h e w a s l o s t t o t h e m . Charles and

A n n e L i n d b e r g h r e m a i n e d s e l f - p o s s e s s e d f o r t h e s a k e

o f t h e i r c h i l d e v e n a f t e r h e h a d b e e n t a k e n f r o m

them . S t o i c a l l y t h e y t o o k t h e b l o w t h a t f a t e h a d

d e a l t t h e m , b u t g r i m l y t h e y r e f u s e d t o b e l i e v e t h a t

t h e i r c h i l d w a s l o s t t o t h e m f o r e v e r . They con-

t i n u e d t h e s e a r c h .

I n t h e m e a n t i m e s u s p i c i o n s t a l k e d t h e n a t i o n a n d

s w e p t a c r o s s t h e s e a s . A b l o n d e b a b y ! I t w a s e n o u g h

t o p o i n t t h e d e a d l y f i n g e r o f d o u b t u p o n a n y m a n o r

w o m a n , n o m a t t e r h o w r e s p e c t a b l e .

F r o m M e x i c o t o C a n a d a , f r o m t h e P a c i f i c t o t h e

A t l a n t i c C o a s t , r e p o r t s o f b a b i e s b e l i e v e d t o b e l i t t l e

L i n d y d r i f t e d i n t o H o p e w e l l , d a y a f t e r d a y a f t e r

day .

Colonel Lindbergh and the brave little Anne

t a l k e d o n t h e t e l e p h o n e w i t h p e r s o n s a l l o v e r t h e


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THE RANSOM BABY 1 7

United Stat es-persons who believ ed they might

h a v e c o m e u p o n t h e m i s s i n g c h i l d .

" B l o n d e , " a v o i c e w o u l d s a y .

" Y e s , b u t - " a n d t h e n t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n w o u l d r e -

v e a l s o m e m i n u t e d e t a i l t h a t d i d n o t t a l l y w i t h t h e

r e a l b a b y .

Always disappointment and despair-but always

optimism and hope .

T h e c h e c k - u p a l w a y s e n d e d e i t h e r o n t h e c l e f t c h i n ,

a m o l e , o r t h e c h i l d ' s r e s e m b l a n c e t o h i s d a d .

Hundreds of times, Mrs . L i n d b e r g h h e r s e l f w e n t

t o t h e t e l e p h o n e t o a n s w e r t h e s e q u e r i e s . M a n y of

t h e " f i n d s " i n s t a n t l y f l a s h e d a c r o s s t h e n a t i o n a n d m o -

m e n t a r y h o p e w a s r e v i v e d . T h e s e c h i l d r e n , b e l i e v e d

t o b e t h e e a g l e t , s o o n b e c a m e s o n u m e r o u s t h a t e v e n

t h e L i n d b e r g h s w e r e l a c o n i c , t h o u g h a l w a y s e a g e r ,

i n r e s p o n d i n g t o o f f i c i a l q u e r i e s c o n c e r n i n g c h i l d r e n

p ic k e d u p a t a l l s o r t s o f p l a c e s .

E v e n a t J u a r e z , M e x i c o , a r e p o r t c a m e o f a w o m a n

w h o h a d b e e n s e e n c r o s s i n g t h e b o r d e r a t E l P a s o ,

w i t h a b a b y r e s e m b l i n g L i n d y , j u n i o r . I t w a s n o t

o n l y d if f i c u l t , b u t a c t u a l l y im p o s s i bl e t o d e t e r m i n e t h e

v a l u e , i f a n y , i n t h e s e i n q u i r i e s . I t c o u l d n e v e r b e

known, of course, yet any one of these children

might have been removed from some home to make

w a y f o r l i t t l e C h a r l e s , i n o r d e r n o t t o a r o u s e s u s -

p i c i o n w h e r e h e w a s b e i n g h e l d .

O n e i n n o c e n t , l i t t l e c h i l d - A m e r i c a ' s B a b y ! W h e r e

was he? The question remained unanswered .


24/287

CHAPTER IIITHE CRIME THAT SHOOK THE WORLD!

F r o m t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g , t h e r e p o r t s s u r r o u n d i n g

t h e a b d u c t i o n o f C h a r l e s A u g u s t u s L i n d b e r g h , J r . ,

f r o m h i s c r i b i n t h e l o n e l y L i n d b e r g h h o m e s t e a d ,

w e r e c o n t r a d i c t o r y , a t v a r i a n c e a n d s o m e t i m e s a c t u -

a l l y e v a s i v e .

O f c o u r s e t h e b a b y h a d b e e n k i d n a p p e d . B u t t h e

v e r y a c t a p p e a r e d t o h a v e b e e n s o c o n c e i v e d t h a t , l i k e

t h e c r i m e i n a m y s t e r y s t o r y , s u s p i c i o n p o i n t e d t o

n u m e r o u s p e r s o n s d e s p i t e t h e i r k n o w n p r o b i t y . The

l a c k o f c l e w s , o r a t l e a s t t h e l a c k o f c l e w s m a d e p u b -

l i c , a d d e d t o t h e h o p e l e s s n e s s o f d e d u c i n g w h a t m o -

t i v e s m i g h t h a v e p r o m p t e d t h e k i d n a p p e r s . From

t h e s t a r t t h e p r i n c i p a l l y a s c r i b e d m o t i v e w a s r a n s o m .

T h e f i r s t r e p o r t s w e r e t h a t t h e b a b y h a d b e e n

s n a t c h e d f r o m i t s c r i b b e t w e e n 7 : 3 0 a n d 1 0 o ' c l o c k ,

o n t h e n i g h t o f M a r c h 1 , 1 9 3 2 . C o l o n e l L i n d b e r g h

a n d A n n e L i n d b e r g h w e r e i n t h e h o u s e a t t h e t i m e ,

a s w e r e t h e i r s e r v a n t s , c o n c e r n i n g w h o m m o r e w i l l

b e s a i d . I t w a s w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d a t t h e t i m e t h a t n o

p e r s o n o f t h e L i n d b e r g h h o u s e h o l d w a s i n t h e b a b y ' s

n u r s e r y w h e n t h e k i d n a p p e r o r k i d n a p p e r s e n t e r e d

the room . T h e f a c t t h a t s o m e p e r s o n o f t h e h o u s e -

1 8


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THE CRIM E THAT SHOOK THE WORLD 1 9

hold may have been near the room was, and re-

m a i n e d f o r a c o n s i d e r a b l e p e r i o d o f t i m e , p u r e c o n -

j e c t u r e .

B e t t y G o w , t h e c h i l d ' s n u r s e , d i s c o v e r e d t h e k i d -

n a p p i n g , a t 1 0 p . m . S h e e n t e r e d t h e n u r s e r y a c -

c o r d i n g t o t h e s e f i r s t r e p o r t s , m e r e l y a s a m a t t e r o f

c o u r s e . S h e h a d w a n t e d t o m a k e s u r e t h a t ' t h e c h i l d

w a s n o t a i l i n g f o r a n y r e a s o n , t h a t i t w a s a d e q u a t e l y

c o v e r e d , a n d a s l e e p . B u t w h e n s h e r e a c h e d t h e c r i b ,

s h e f o u n d i t e m p t y .

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e e a r l y s t o r y , t h e n u r s e t h o u g h t a t

f i r s t t h a t t h e c h i l d m i g h t h a v e r o l l e d o u t o f t h e c r i b

a n d t u m b l e d t o t h e f l o o r . S h e t h o u g h t t o o , t h a t l i t t l e

C h a r l e s may h a v e s c r a m b l e d a b o u t a n d h i d d e n h i m -

s e l f u n d e r s o m e p i e c e o f f u r n i t u r e . S h e s e a r c h e d

t h e r o o m , w i t h o u t a n y r e s u l t s , o f c o u r s e . S h e n o t i c e d ,

a t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f h e r s e a r c h , t h a t a w i n d o w w a s

closed-when it had previously been opened,-and

s h e o b s e r v e d t h a t a l a d d e r w a s i n p l a c e a g a i n s t t h e

s i l l . T h e l a s t o b s e r v a t i o n w a s r e p o r t e d a s a u t h o r i -

t a t i v e i n t h e n e w s p a p e r s t h e n e x t m o r n i n g , t h o u g h

l a t e r d e v e l o p m e n t s a l t e r e d t h a t r e p o r t a s t h e y d i d

o t h e r s .

B e t t y G o w t h e n r u s h e d d o w n s t a i r s , t h e f i r s t v e r -

s i o n h a d i t , a n d h y s t e r i c a l l y n o t i f i e d C o l o n e l a n d

M rs . L i n d b e r g h . T h e c o u p l e h a s t e n e d t o t h e n u r -

s e r y . T h e y m a d e a h u r r i e d s e a r c h a n d s o o n r e a l i z e d

t h a t t h e b a b y r e a l l y w a s g o n e . I t w a s 1 0 : 4 0 p . m . ,

a c c o r d i n g t o t h e n e w s d i s p a t c h e s , w h e n C o l o n e l L i n d -


26/287


b e r g h c a l l e d t h e p o l i c e a t N e w J e r s e y S t a t e H e a d -

q u a r t e r s , a t T r e n t o n , a n d t o l d t h e m b y t e l e p h o n e

what had happened . W i t h i n t e n m i n u t e s e v e r y c o m -

munication method known to modern science had

b e e n p l a c e d i n o p e r a t i o n .

H o w t h e c o n f l i c t i n g s t o r i e s , f r o m t h e s t a r t , s e r v e d

t o p e r p l e x t h e c a r e f u l o b s e r v e r , i s w e l l d e m o n s t r a t e d

a t t h a t j u n c t u r e . S o r e l i a b l e a n e w s p a p e r a s t h e

N e w Y o r k T i m e s , o n i t s f i r s t p a g e , o n M a r c h 2 , c a r -

r i e d t w o s t o r i e s c o n c e r n i n g t h e n o t i f i c a t i o n o f p o l i c e .

O n e o f t h e m s a i d t h a t C o l o n e l L i n d b e r g h n o t i f i e d

t h e " s t a t e p o l i c e . " A n o t h e r s a i d t h a t i t w a s P o l i c e

Chief Harry H. Wolf, of Hopewell, summoned to

the Lindbergh home, who actua ll y informed the

" s t a t e p o l i c e " o f t h e a b d u c t i o n .

T h e r e w e r e f i v e p e r s o n s a l t o g e t h e r i n t h e h o u s e

w h e n t h e m a r a u d e r s m a d e g o o d o n t h e i r w i l d c r i m e .

B e s i d e s C o l o n e l a n d M r s . L i n d b e r g h , a n d t h e n u r s e ,

M i s s G o w , t h e r e w e r e t h e b u t l e r , O l i v e r W h e a t l e y ,

a n d h i s w i f e . A l l w e r e o r i g i n a l l y r e p o r t e d o n t h e

l o w e r f l o o r o f t h e h o u s e , t h o u g h l a t e r , i t w a s s a i d

t h a t M r s . L i n d b e r g h w a s o n t h e s e c o n d f l o o r .

I t w a s i m m e d i a t e l y o b v i o u s t h a t t h e i s o l a t e d t e r -

r a i n h a d p r o v e d t o t h e k i d n a p p e r s ' a d v a n t a g e . The

c u l p r i t s h a d e v i d e n t l y , a c c o r d i n g t o i m m e d i a t e p o l i c e

t h e o r i e s , e x e r c i s e d g r e a t c a u t i o n , b u t h a d b e e n a i d e d

b y t h e l o n e l y , d e s e r t e d a r e a i n w h i c h t h e L i n d b e r g h

h o m e w a s l o c a t e d .

T h e s i t e o f t h e L i n d b e r g h e s t a t e w a s t a k e n i n t o


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THE CRIM E THAT SHOOK THE WORLD! 21

c o n s i d e r a t i o n . I t i s a r a m b l i n g , t w o a n d o n e - h a l f

s t o r y b u i l d i n g c o n s t r u c t e d f o r t h e L i n d b e r g h s w h i l e

t h e y h a d b e e n t o u r i n g t h e O r i e n t b y a i r p l a n e d u r i n g

t h e s u m m e r o f 1 9 3 1 . N a t i v e f i e l d s t o n e w a s u s e d i n

c o n s t r u c t i n g t h e h o m e s t e a d . I t w a s c o v e r e d w i t h

w h i t e c e m e n t a n d w a s t h r e e m i l e s d i s t a n t f r o m Hope-

w e l l . Any g u e s s a s t o how t h e c r i m e w a s p e r p e t r a t e d

m u s t , t h e r e f o r e , h a v e b e e n m a d e w i t h t h e l o c a t i o n

i n v i e w , f o r t h e k i d n a p p e r s d i d n o t h a v e a s m o o t h

highway and easy mode o f e s c a p e .

T h e L i n d b e r g h h o m e i s a h a l f m i l e f r o m t h e n e a r -

e s t t r a f f i c a r t e r y , t h e S t o u t s b u r g - W e s t v i l l e h i g h w a y .

W o o d l a n d s s t r e t c h o n a l l s i d e s a n d n o o t h e r h o m e s

a r e n e a r .

I m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e a b d u c t i o n , C o l o n e l L i n d -

b e r g h a n d t h e S t a t e P o l i c e m a d e a s e a r c h o f t h e

n e i g h b o r h o o d , b u t f o u n d n o t h i n g o f a n y v a l u e a s ' , f a r

a s a h i n t a s t o t h e i d e n t i t y o f t h e a b d u c t o r s o r t h e

m o d e o f e s c a p e w a s c o n c e r n e d . I t w a s i m m e d i a t e l y

a s s u m e d t h a t t h e k i d n a p p e r s h a d p a r k e d a n a u t o -

mobile on the highway a half-mile away, and had

w a l k e d t o a n d f r o m t h e L i n d b e r g h h o u s e .

G u a r d s w e r e p l a c e d a t a l l p o i n t s o n n e i g h b o r i n g

h i g h w a y s t o s e a r c h p a s s i n g a u t o m o b i l e s a n d s o m e s u p -

p o s e d d e w s w e r e a c t u a l l y b r o a d c a s t b y p o l i c e .

T h e f i r s t a u t h e n t i c p o l i c e w a r n i n g s e n t o u t t o a l l

p o l i c e s t a t i o n s , r e a d :

" C o l o n e l L i n d b e r g h ' s b a b y k i d n a p p e d f r o m L i n d -

b e r g h h o m e a t H o p e w e l l b e t w e e n 7 : 3 0 a n d 1 0 p . m .


28/287


Boy, 19 (the age was wrong) months, dressed in

s l e e p i n g s u i t . S e a r c h a l l c a r s . "

C o l o n e l L i n d b e r g h w a s f r a n t i c f r o m t h e o u t s e t .

H e l i t e r a l l y e x h a u s t e d h i m s e l f i n h i s c e a s e l e s s s e a r c h

i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f h i s h o m e , w h i l s t A n n e L i n d b e r g h ,

d e s p i t e t h e s e v e r i t y o f t h e b l o w , b o r e u p c o u r a g e -

o u s l y .

A m o n g t h e f i r s t t o b e a t t h e s i d e o f t h e d i s t r e s s e d

c o u p l e w a s A n n e L i n d b e r g h ' s m o t h e r , w i d o w o f t h e

late Ambassador Dwight W. Morrow . With her

c a m e A n n e ' s s i s t e r , E l i z a b e t h . They hastened from

their home in Englewood, New Jersey, which had

b e e n l e f t u n d e r g u a r d .

At Smith Col lege, Northhampton, Mass . , M i s s

C o n s t a n c e M o r r o w , y o u n g e s t o f t h e M o r r o w g i r l s ,

w a s g u a r d e d b y t w o p l a i n c l o t h e s m e n o f t h e l o c a l

p o l i c e d e p a r t m e n t . T h r e e y e a r s b e f o r e t h e L i n d -

b e r g h k i d n a p p i n g , t h r e a t s h a d b e e n m a d e t o k i d n a p

C o n s t a n c e . A t t h a t t i m e , i t w a s t h r e a t e n e d t h a t t h e

g i r l w o u l d be k i l l e d u n l e s s $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 w a s p a i d . C o l o n e l

L i n d b e r g h h a s t i l y t o o k t h e g i r l f r o m N o r t h h a m p t o n

to her mother's coun try home, at North Hav en,

M a i n e , o n t h a t o c c a s i o n .

There was another Morrow child who was also

c a r e f u l l y g u a r d e d . He was Dwight, Jr . , a s t u d e n t

a t A m h e r s t C o l l e g e . A t t h e t i m e o f t h e k i d n a p p i n g ,

h e m a d e a h u r r i e d t r i p t o t h e s i d e o f h i s f a m i l y .

D u r i n g t h e f i r s t f o r t y - e i g h t h o u r s , t w o o u t s t a n d -

i n g f a c t s e v o l v e d . T h e f i r s t w a s t h e r e p o r t e d r a n s o m


29/287

THE CRIM E THAT SHOOK THE WORLD 2 3

n o t e , s u p p o s e d t o h a v e b e e n l e f t b y t h e a b d u c t o r s ,

d e m a n d i n g $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 a s t h e p r i c e o f t h e c h i l d ' s r e t u r n.

T h a t t h i s n o t e h a d b e e n l e f t b y t h e k i d n a p p e r s w a s

l a t e r e m p h a t i c a l l y d e n i e d b y t h o s e l e a d i n g t h e s e a r c h .

T h e s e c o n d s i g n i f i c a n t p o i n t w a s t h e p a u c i t y o f

m i n u t e f a c t s a v a i l a b l e c o n c e r n i n g t h e k i d n a p p i n g .

T r u e , t h e d a y a f t e r t h e k i d n a p p i n g , a p o s t c a r d w a s

intercepted at Newark, New Jersey, by Mau rice

G r a d y , a p o s t a l c l e r k . H e w a s o n t h e a l e r t , u n d e r

g o v e r n m e n t o r d e r s , f o r a n y d e w s i n t h e L i n d b e r g h

c a s e . W h i l e s o r t i n g m a i l , h e c a m e u p o n a c a r d a d -

d r e s s e d t o " C h a s . L i n b e r g , P r i n c e t o n , N . J ." Hope-

w e l l i s n e a r P r i n c e t o n .

T h e m e s s a g e s c r a w l e d o n t h e c a r d , s a i d t o r e s e m b l e

t h e h a n d w r i t i n g o n t h e s u p p o s e d o r i g i n a l r a n s o m

n o t e , r e a d :

" B a b y s a f e . I n s t r u c t i o n s L a t e r . A c t a c c o r d i n g l y . "

T h e r e w a s n o s i g n a t u r e o n t h e c a r d . T h e p o l i c e

f e l t t h a t t h e y h a d t h e j u m p o n t h e a b d u c t o r s , f o r

t h e y h a d a n t i c i p a t e d a n e f f o r t t o c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h

t h e C o l o n e l b y m a i l a n d h a d a s k e d p o s t a l a u t h o r i t i e s

t o b e o n t h e l o o k o u t . The search in Newark was a

l i t e r a l f i n e - c o m b i n g o f t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d w h e r e t h e

c a r d w a s m a i l e d a n d w h e r e i t e v e n h a d b e e n b o u g h t

i n a p o s t o f f i c e s u b - s t a t i o n a n d c a n d y s t o r e a t P l a n e

S t r e e t a n d C e n t r a l A v e n u e , N e w a r k . T h e o n l y r e -

s u l t o f a h e a t e d , r e l e n t l e s s p u r s u i t o f a l l d e w s , w a s

a d e s c r i p t i o n o f a m a n s a i d t o h a v e p u r c h a s e d t h e

c a r d . H e w a s d e s c r i b e d a s a " d a r k , s o f t - s p o k e n m a n . "


30/287


M rs . A n n i e F i s c h e r , w h o l i v e d a b l o c k a w a y f r o m

t h e , p o s t o f f ic e s u b - s t a t i o n , t o l d p o l i c e t h a t s h e h a d

s e e n a s e d a n c o n t a i n i n g t h r e e m e n a n d a w o m a n , w h o

h a d a b a b y w r a p p e d i n a b l a n k e t , i n f r o n t o f h e r

h o u s e a t a b o u t 1 : 3 0 p . m . o n M a r c h 2 , t h e d a y a f t e r

t h e a b d u c t i o n . A m a n g o t o u t o f t h e c a r , M r s . F i s c h e r

t o l d d e t e c t i v e s , a n d a s k e d h e r i f s h e c o u l d r e n t a f e w

r o o m s f o r l i g h t h o u s e k e e p i n g. She informed him

t h a t s h e c o u l d n o t a n d h e d e p a r t e d w i t h t h e o t h e r s

i n t h e c a r . S h e d e s c r i b e d t h e f e l l o w a s " a s m o o t h -

s p o k e n m a n , " c o n s e r v a t i v e l y d r e s s e d i n d a r k , u n o b -

t r u s i v e c l o t h i n g .

E v e n a s " h o t " a t i p a s t h i s , l e d n o w h e r e a n d , s o

f a r a s o u t w a r d a p p e a r a n c e s w e r e c o n c e r n e d , t h e p o -

l i c e g a v e u p a l l h o p e o f s u c c e s s a l o n g t h a t c h a n n e l

a n d a b a n d o n e d t h e i n q u i r y .

T h e N e w a r k e p i s o d e , a s t i m e p a s s e d , p r o v e d t o b e

a m o d e l f o r o t h e r s . T i m e a n d a g a i n " i n s i d e t i p s "

d e v e l o p e d , w e r e q u i c k l y i n v e s t i g a t e d a n d p r o v e d t o

b e e n t i r e l y w i t h o u t v a l u e i n s o l v i n g t h e m y s t e r y .

T h o s e w h o s o u g h t a b a s i s u p o n w h i c h t o p u r s u e t h e

a b d u c t o r s f a c e d a b l a n k w a l l . T h e r e a s o n w a s a l -

ways the same : t h e r e w e r e " n o d e w s " l e f t b y t h e

a b d u c t o r s a t t h e L i n d b e r g h h o m e .

S h e r l o c k ' H o l m e s h i m s e l f w o u l d h a v e b e e n b a l k e d .

W h a t w e r e t h e f a c t s ?

W e l l , t h e r e w a s t h i s :

" T h e k i d n a p p e r w a s i n s t o c k i n g f e e t . E i t h e r t h a t ,

o r h e h a d h e a v y s t o c k i n g s d r a w n o v e r h i s s h o e s . His


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1

THE CRIME THAT SHOOK THE WORLD!, 25

f o o t p r i n t s e x t e n d e d f r o m t h e s p o t u n d e r n e a t h t h e

window from which the child had been taken to a

p o i n t f i f t y f e e t a w a y , w h e r e t h e l a d d e r w a s f o u n d .

T h e n t h e f o o t p r i n t s r a n t o w a r d t h e H o p e w e l l r o a d

a n d w e r e j o i n e d b y a n o t h e r s e t o f f o o t p r i n t s , t h o s e

of a woman . "

T h e f o r e g o i n g s u m m a r i z e s t h e f i n d i n g s o f M a j o r

C h a r l e s S c h o e f f e l , o f t h e S t a t e P o l i c e , i m m e d i a t e l y

after he arrived at the Lindbergh home and had

m a d e a p e r s o n a l s u r v e y o f t h e w h o l e a r e a . He add ed

t h a t h e h a d f o l l o w e d t h e t r a i l o f t h e f o o t p r i n t s f o r

two miles through woods and fields towards the

H o p e w e l l r o a d , b u t h a d l o s t t h e t r a c k w h e n t h e f o o t -

p r i n t s r e a c h e d h a r d , h i g h , s t o n y g r o u n d .

T h i s p o l i c e o f f i c i a l ' s s t a t e m e n t w a s i m p o r t a n t n o t

o n l y b e c a u s e i t c a m e f r o m a m a n t r a i n e d t o h a v e a n

a c u t e p o w e r o f o b s e r v a t i o n a n d a c c u r a c y i n s u c h m a t -

t e r s , b u t a l s o b e c a u s e i t f u r n i s h e d p a r t o f a f o u n d a t i o n

f o r t h o s e s t u d yi n g t h e c a s e .

A d d e d t o t h e i n f i n i t e c o l l e c t i o n o f y a r n s a t t a c h e d

t o t h e o r i g i n a l s t o r y o f " w h a t h a p p e n e d , " w a s t h e

p r e s u m a b l y a u t h e n t i c a c c o u n t o f C o n s t a b l e C h a r l e sE. W i l l i a m s o n , o f t h e H o p e w e l l p o l i c e . I t w a s h ew h o w a s a m o n g t h e v e r y f i r s t t o r u s h t o t h e L i n d -

b e r g h h o m e o n t h e n i g h t o f t h e k i d n a p p i n g .

One of the many s t o r i e s w a s t h a t C o l o n e l L i n d -

b e r g h t e l e p h o n e d t h e W i l b u r t h a T r a i n i n g S c h o o l o f

t h e S t a t e P o l i c e , a f e w m i l e s a w a y . W i l l i a m s o n w a s ,

h o w e v e r , s u p p o s e d t o h a v e b e e n t h e f i r s t o f f i c e r t o


32/287


r e a c h t h e s c e n e . W h e n h e a r r i v e d , h e s a i d , C o l o n e l

L i n d b e r g h w a s a l r e a d y o n t h e l a w n o f t h e e s t a t e

s e a r c h i n g w i t h a f l a s h l i g h t . T h e C o l o n e l w a s b a r e -

h e a d e d , w e a r i n g a b l a c k j a c k e t .

L i n d b e r g h t o l d h i m , W i l l i a m s o n s a i d , t h a t h e h a d

h e a r d n o i s e s o u t s i d e t h e l i b r a r y w i n d o w , d i r e c t l y

u n d e r t h a t o f t h e n u r s e r y t h r o u g h w h i c h t h e b a b y

was kidnapped . C o l o n e l L i n d b e r g h w a s w o r k i n g i n

t h e l i b r a r y a t t h e t i m e , a c c o r d i n g t o W i l l i a m s o n , a n d

t h o u g h t t h a t t h e n o i s e s w e r e m e r e l y t h o s e m a d e b y

t h e w i n d , w h i p p i n g a b o u t t h e m a n s i o n a n d s l a m m i n g

s h u t t e r s t o a n d f r o .

I t w a s W i l l i a m s o n w h o f i r s t p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e

k i d n a p p e r s s e e m e d t o h a v e c h o s e n a n i g h t w h e n t h e

w i n d s w o u l d m a k e s u f f i c i e n t n o i s e t o h i d e t h e i r o w n

d e p r e d a t i o n s . To this, Brigadier General Jay J .

M orrow, M rs . L i n d b e r g h ' s u n c l e , a d d e d t h e p o i n t

- t h a t t h e k i d n a p p e r s h a d c h o s e n a n i g h t f o r t h e i r

crime "when the baby's own parents did not know

i n a d v a n c e t h a t t h e y w e r e g o i n g t o b e i n H o p e w e l l . "

A c u r i o u s f a c t a b o u t t h e C o l o n e l ' s l i k i n g f o r t h e

s i t e o f h i s h o m e i s t h a t h e c h o s e i t , a m o n g o t h e r r e a -

s o n s , b e c a u s e t h e a i r c u r r e n t s a r e e x c e l l e n t f o r f l yi n g

p l a n e s . The Lindbergh field had been under con-

s t r u c t i o n f o r m o n t h s p r i o r t o t h e a b d u c t i o n . Y e t i t

w a s t h e v e r y " p e r f e c t " a i r c u r r e n t s t h a t f o o l e d t h e

C o l o n e l ! T h e n o i s e s o f t h e k i d n a p p e r s , w h i c h h e

s e e m s t o h a v e h e a r d , h e t h o u g h t h a d b e e n c a u s e d b y

w i n d s , o r " a i r c u r r e n t s ! "


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THE CRIME THAT SHOOK THE WORLD! 2 7

T w o d a y s a f t e r t h e k i d n a p p i n g , t h e f i r s t d e n i a l o f

t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a r a n s o m n o t e l e f t b y t h e k i d n a p -

p e r s , c a m e f r o m J o h n F . T o o h e y , s e c r e t a r y t o G o v -

e r n o r A . H a r r y M o o r e , o f N e w J e r s e y . The report

c o n c e r n i n g t h e r a n s o m n o t e a n d t h e $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 d e m a n d -

e d r a n s o m h e c h a r a c t e r i z e d a s " f i c t i t i o u s . " D e s p i t e

c o n t i n u e d s t a t e m e n t s o f t h i s k i n d , i t w a s w i d e l y r e c -

o g n i z e d t h a t , h a d a r a n s o m n o t e b e e n l e f t b y t h e

a b d u c t o r s , i t w o u l d h a v e b e e n w i s e f o r C o l o n e l L i n d -

b e r g h n o t t o m a k e p u b l i c i t s c o n t e n t s . The "leak"

c o n c e r n i n g t h e r a n s o m n o t e c a m e i n t h e f i r s t , h e a t e d

m o m e n t s o f t h e c a s e , b e f o r e C o l o n e l L i n d b e r g h a n d

h i s a i d e s h a d h a d a c h a n c e t o g i v e s o b e r t h o u g h t t o

t h e d a n g e r s i n v o l v e d .

A s a m a t t e r o f f a c t , a f a m o u s e d i t o r o f a N e w

York newspaper made the flat statement that he

p o s s e s s e d " t h e t e x t " o f t h e r a n s o m n o t e a n d h a d r e -

f r a i n e d f r o m p u bl i s h i n g i t s o l e l y b e c a u s e o f h i s d e s i r e

t o p r o t e c t t h e i n t e r e s t s o f t h e L i n d b e r g h s .

T h e r e c o r d s s h o w t h a t w h a t h a p p e n e d a f t e r t h e

a b d u c t i o n o b s c u r e d t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e k i d n a p -

p i n g i t s e l f . C o u n t l e s s " c r a n k " a n d " n u t " l e t t e r s

p o u r e d i n u p o n t h e L i n d b e r g h s . M essages of sym-

p a t h y c a m e f r o m a n e n d l e s s a r r a y o f w o r l d - f a m o u s

f o l k . E a r n e s t l e t t e r s f r o m o r d i n a r y , e v e r y - d a y f o l k ,

a l s o f i l l e d t h e m a i l s . P o l i c e m e n , r e p o r t e r s , c e l e b r i -

t i e s , o v e r - r a n t h e L i n d b e r g h p l a c e . D e s p i t e t h e d e -

s i r e o f e v e r y o n e c o n c e r n e d t o " k e e p a c o o l h e a d , "

t h e w i l d c o n f u s i o n m o u n t e d u n t i l n o t h i n g c a m e f r o m


34/287


t h e p u r s u i t o f t h e k i d n a p p e r s e x c e p t a s e r i e s o f i n -

n u m e r a b l e c h a s e s a f t e r " d e w s " t h a t p r o b a b l y o u g h t

t o h a v e b e e n i n v e s t i g a t e d a n d y e t t h a t p r o v i d e d n o t h -

i n g o f a n y i m p o r t a n c e i n t h e s e a r c h i t s e l f .

H o w e a s i l y e v e n L i n d y ' s o r d e r s w e r e d i s o b e y e d

a n d o b s t a c l e s p l a c e d i n h i s p a t h i s e v i d e n c e d b y

the story of Edwa rd Copner, Hopewel l mail

c a r r i e r .

T h e f l o o d o f l e t t e r s t o t h e L i n d b e r g h s r e q u i r e d

m a i l b a g s a n d C o p n e r d e l i v e r e d t h e m i n a t r u c k e v e r y

day . O n o n e o c c a s i o n , s o m e s t a t e t r o o p e r s a t t h e

e n t r a n c e t o t h e L i n d b e r g h h o m e s t o p p e d C o p n e r ' s c a r

a n d d e m a n d e d t h a t h e l e a v e t h e m a i l s a c k s a t t h e

g a t e , w i t h t h e m . C o p n e r h a d e v i d e n t l y h e a r d o f t h e

C o l o n e l ' s w i s h t h a t m a i l be d i r e c t l y d e l i v e r e d , s o t h a t

t h e w a y m i g h t b e p a v e d f o r t h e k i d n a p p e r s t o r e a c h

h i m w i t h o u t i n t e r f e r e n c e .

" T h e y c a n ' t i n t e r f e r e w i t h U n c l e S a m , n o m a t t e r

w h o t h e y a r e , " C o p n e r s a i d , a n d h e t h r e a t e n e d t o

d r i v e a w a y w i t h o u t d e l i v e r i n g t h e m a i l i f t h e t r o o p -

e r s p e r s i s t e d . T h e n t h e y a l l o w e d h i m t o d r i v e r i g h t

u p t o t h e L i n d b e r g h h o m e a n d d e l i v e r t h e m a i l h i m -

s e l f .

N o m a n w a s e v e r m o r e a n x i o u s t o b e " r e a c h a b l e "

t h a n L i n d y , i n t h o s e t r y i n g t i m e s - a n d , b y a c u r i o u s

q u i r k , n o m a n w a s m o r e d i f f i c u l t t o r e a c h .

T h e o r i g i n o f t h e v e r s i o n t h a t p l a c e d t h e C o l o n e l

a t a d e s k n e a r t h e v e r y w i n d o w w h e r e t h e k i d n a p p e r s '

l a d d e r w a s p l a c e d , c a n b e d e f i n i t e l y t r a c e d t o G o v -


35/287

THE CRIM E THAT SHOOK THE WORLD!.

2 9

ernor A. Harry Moore, of New Jersey . I n p i e c i n g

t o g e t h e r t h e f a c t s c o n c e r n i n g t h e k i d n a p p i n g h e s a i d ,

t w o d a y s a f t e r t h e c r i m e , t h a t t h e a v i a t o r w e n t i n t o

t h e r o o m d i r e c t l y u n d e r t h e n u r s e r y , a t 9 : 1 5 o ' c l o c k .

According to Governor Moore, Colonel Lindbergh

w a s a t h i s d e s k , a t t h e w i n d o w , f r o m 9 : 1 5 o ' c l o c k o n .

H a d a n y o n e g o n e u p a l a d d e r , L i n d b e r g h w o u l d h a v e

s e e n h i m , t h e G o v e r n o r s a i d .

S i n c e t h e C o l o n e l w a s s u p p o s e d t o h a v e a r r i v e d

home around 8 : 3 0 p . m . , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e G o v e r n o r ' s

p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e e v e n t s , t h e k i d n a p p i n g m u s t h a v e

b e e n p e r p e t r a t e d b e t w e e n 8 : 3 0 a n d 9 : 1 5 , a t o t a l o f

f o r t y - f i v e m i n u t e s , d u r i n g w h i c h t h e C o l o n e l w a s

n o t a t t h e w i n d o w d i r e c t l y u n d e r t h e s p o t a g a i n s t

w h i c h t h e l a d d e r h a d b e e n p l a c e d t o e f f e c t t h e a b d u c -

t i o n .

G o v e r n o r M o o r e s a i d t h a t t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s s h a r e d

t h e v i e w t h a t t w o m e n d i d t h e j o b . I n v i e w o f t h e

i n f i n i t u d e o f s t o r i e s , t h i s c o n t r i bu t i o n t o t h e m a z e i s

w o r t h y o f c o n s i d e r a t i o n .

T h r e e d a y s a f t e r t h e a b d u c t i o n , C o l o n e l L i n d b e r g h

a n d h i s w i f e s o u n d e d t h e k e y n o t e o f t h e i r a t t i t u d e

i n a n y f u t u r e d e a l i n g s w i t h t h e k i d n a p p e r s w h e n t h e y

s i g n e d a p l e a p u b l i s h e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y i n

f a c s i m i l e .

I t r e a d :

" Mrs . L i n d b e r g h a n d I d e s i r e t o m a k e a p e r s o n a l

c o n t a c t w i t h t h e k i d n a p p e r s o f o u r c h i l d .

" O u r o n l y i n t e r e s t i s i n h i s i m m e d i a t e a n d s a f e


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r e t u r n a n d w e f e e l c e r t a i n t h a t t h e k i d n a p p e r s w i l l

r e a l i z e t h a t t h i s i n t e r e s t i s s t r o n g e n o u g h t o j u s t i f y

t h e m i n h a v i n g c o m p l e t e c o n f i d e n c e a n d t r u s t i n a n y

p r o m i s e t h a t w e m a y m a k e i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h h i s

r e t u r n .

" W e u r g e t h o s e w h o h a v e t h e c h i l d t o s e l e c t any

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e t h a t t h e y d e s i r e t o m e e t a r e p r e s e n t a -

t i v e o f o u r s w h o w i l l b e s u i t a b l e t o t h e m a t a n y t i m e

a n d a t a n y p l a c e t h a t t h e y m a y d e s i g n a t e .

" I f t h i s i s a c c e p t e d , w e p r o m i s e t h a t w e w i l l k e e p

w h a t e v e r a r r a n g e m e n t s t h a t m a y b e m a d e b y t h e i r

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e a n d o u r s s t r i c t l y c o n f i d e n t i a l , a n d w e

f u r t h e r p l e d g e o u r s e l v e s t h a t w e w i l l n o t t r y t o i n -

j u r e i n a n y w a y t h o s e c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e r e t u r n o f

t h e c h i l d . "

T h e s t a t e m e n t w a s c o n s i d e r e d a d e p a r t u r e f r o m

c o m p l e t e r e l i a n c e o n p o l i c e . I s s u e d s o e a r l y i n t h e

c h a s e , i t w a s l o o k e d u p o n a s a g e s t u r e m a d e i n d e s -

p a i r . Inasmuch a s i t w a s r u m o r e d f o r d a y s , a f t e r t h i s

p r o n o u n c e m e n t , t h a t t h e L i n d b e r g h s w e r e i n c o n t a c t

w i t h t h e k i d n a p p e r s , t h e g e n e r a l v i e w w a s t h a t s u c h

n e g o t i a t i o n s w o u l d b e c o n f i d e n t i a l a n d t h a t , t h e r e -

f o r e , t h e f a c t s w o u l d n e v e r b e k n o w n u n t i l t h e L i n d -

berghs chose to make them known .

D i d t h e L i n d b e r g h s r e a l l y g e t a n o t e f r o m t h e

k i d n a p p e r s , o t h e r t h a n t h e r a n s o m n o t e , d u r i n g t h e

f i r s t t h r e e w e e k s o f t h e m y s t e r y ?

T h e c u r i o u s a s w e l l a s d e v i o u s m a n n e r i n w h i c h


37/287

THE CRIM E THAT SHOOK THE WORLD!. 3 1

c o m m u n i c a t i o n w a s f i n a l l y e s t a b l i s h e d - i n t h e c a s e

o f " J a f s i e " - w i l l b e d e s c r i b e d l a t e r .

A t a n y e v e n t , t h e b a b y h a d b e e n m i s s i n g s i x d a y s

when the bald announcement was made by the As-

s o c i a t e d P r e s s t h a t t w o n o t e s h a d c o m e t o t h e L i n d -

b e r g h s f r o m t h e a b d u c t o r s a n d t h a t t h e L i n d b e r g h s

w e r e c o n v i n c e d t h e y w e r e a t l a s t i n c o m m u n i c a t i o n

w i t h t h e p e r s o n s w h o k i d n a p p e d t h e i r b a b y .

O n e o f t h e s e n o t e s , t h e A s s o c i a t e d P r e s s s a i d , w a s

o n p a p e r i d e n t i c a l t o t h e p a p e r o f t h e o r i g i n a l r a n s o m

n o t e . T h e h a n d w r i t i n g w a s a l s o v e r y s i m i l a r . The

o t h e r n o t e w a s t y p e w r i t t e n , b u t t h e p a p e r w a s t h e

same .

Governor Moore promptl y announced that he

would "erect no barriers between the Lindberghs

a n d t h e k i d n a p p e r s . "

C a p t a i n J o h n J . La m b , o f t h e s t a t e p o l i ce , s a i d h i s

m e n h a d o r d e r s t o " d o a n y t h i n g p o s s i b l e " t o h e l p

t h e k i d n a p p e r s r e s t o r e t h e b a b y .

T h e c o n f u s i o n w a s s o g e n e r a l t h a t , w h e n a n " o f -

f i c i a l s t o r y o f t h e k i d n a p p i n g " w a s i s s u e d a w e e k

a f t e r t h e k i d n a p p i n g , i t w a s t a k e n i n a l l g r a v i t y b y

o f f ic i a l s , t h e p r e s s a n d t h e p u bl ic .

M a j o r C h a r l e s S c h o e f f e l , D e p u t y S u p e r i n t e n d e n t

o f t h e N e w J e r s e y S t a t e P o l i c e , m a d e t h e o f f i c i a l

s t a t e m e n t . I t w a s e x p l a i n e d t h a t , b e c a u s e o f t h e h o u r

a t w h i c h t h e " d e t a i l s " o f t h e k i d n a p p i n g w e r e g i v e n

o u t o n t h e m o r n i n g o f M a r c h 2 , t h e f a c t s h a d b e e n

"misunderstood . "


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The New York Times announced, in pu blishing

t h e r e p o r t : " I n v i e w o f t h e m a n y c o n f l i c t i n g r e p o r t s

w h i c h h a v e g a i n e d c i r c u l a t i o n ( s i n c e t h e k i d n a p p i n g ) ,

t h e ( o f f i c i a l ) s t a t e m e n t i s p r i n t e d h e r e w i t h . "

The importance of the Schoeffel announcement

w a s n e v e r d o u b t e d , f o r t w o p r i m a r y r e a s o n s . The

f i r s t w a s t h a t i t s v e r y n a t u r e m i g h t r e v e a l w h a t t h e

L i n d b e r g h s t h o u g h t i t b e s t t o k e e p q u i e t a b o u t , i n

o r d e r n o t t o f r i g h t e n t h e k i d n a p p e r s a n d p e r h a p s

f o r c e t h e m i n t o d o i n g s o m e t h i n g t h a t w o u l d g r a v e l y

e n d a n g e r t h e c h i l d ' s l i f e . T h e s e c o n d w a s t h a t i t

m i g h t d i s c l o s e s o m e g e n u i n e f a c t s t h a t w o u l d b e v a l u -

a b l e i n p u r s u i n g t h e g u i l t y p e r s o n s .

T h i s , t h e n , w a s t h e o f f i ci a l s t a t e m e n t , a s p ub l i s h e d :

" T h e b a b y w a s d i s c o v e r e d m i s s i n g a t 1 0 o ' c l o c k .

H e w a s p u t t o b e d a t 8 o ' c l o c k b y h i s n u r s e , B e t t yGow . At 8 : 3 0 M i s s G o w r e t u r n e d t o l o o k a t t h eb a b y a n d h e w a s s a f e . S h e d i d n o t r e t u r n u n t i l 1 0

o ' c l o c k a n d t h e b a b y w a s n o t t h e r e . He had been

l if t e d f r o m h i s c r i b a n d c a r r i e d o u t i n h i s n i g h t - d r e s s ,

a s o r t o f b a b y - bu n t i n g a f f a i r .

" T h e r e w e r e t w o w i n d o w s i n t h e r o o m , u n l o c k e d .

Entrance had been gained through a window with

a w o o d e n s h u t t e r , w h i c h w a s u n l o c k e d . The reason

why the shutter was unlocked was because it was

warped . T h e C o l o n e l h a d t r i e d t o f a s t e n i t , b u t w a s

u n a b l e t o d o s o .

" O n t h e s i l l o f t h e w i n d o w , a b o u t t w e l v e i n c h e s

w i d e , w e r e f o u n d d i r t t r a c k s m a d e b y e i t h e r h a n d s


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THE CRIM E THAT SHOOK THE WORLD! 3 3

o r f e e t . On the floor beneath the window was a

s m a l l b o x . There were more tracks on t h e f l o o r t o

t h e c r i b a n d b a c k t o t h e w i n d o w .

" U n d e r n e a t h t h e w i n d o w w e r e p r i n t s m a d e b y l a d -

d e r s . T h e r e w e r e a l s o f o o t p r i n t s , p r e s u m a b l y m a d e

by a man i n s l ip pe r s o r i n h i s s t o c k i n g f e e t . There

were no heavy heel marks . T h e s e p r i n t s l e d t o a

w o o d e d r o c k y s e c t i o n a b o u t s e v e n t y f e e t w e s t o f t h e

h o u s e . A t t h i s p o i n t w e f o u n d a m a k e s h i f t l a d d e r .

" T h e r e w e r e f o o t p r i n t s w h i c h c o n t i n u e d f r o m t h e

l a d d e r t o w a r d H o p e w e l l R o a d a n d t h e s e f o o t p r i n t s

w e r e f o l l o w e d a d i s t a n c e o f t w o m i l e s b y C o l o n e l

L i n d b e r g h a n d m e m b e r s o f t h e S t a t e p o l i c e b e f o r e

t h e y l o s t t r a c k o f t h e m . T h i s s h o w s t h a t n o a u t o -

m o b i l e w a s i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f t h e h o m e . They lost

t h e t r a c k s i n a w o o d e d s e c t i o n w i t h u n d e r b r u s h a n d

r o c k s s c a t t e r e d a b o u t . "

T h e f i n d i n g o f t h e l a d d e r " a g a i n s t t h e s i l l " w a s

a t f i r s t r e p o r t e d , y e t t h e o f f i c i a l s t a t e m e n t i g n o r e d t h a t

r e p o r t . I t w a s a l s o p o i n t e d o u t b y m a n y o b s e r v e r s

t h a t t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s o n t h e c a s e h a d b e e n v e r y b a c k -

w a r d a b o u t m e n t i o n i n g t h e " s m a l l b o x " t h a t M a j o r

S c h o e f f e l s a i d w a s f o u n d " o n t h e f l o o r b e n e a t h t h e

window . " B e s i d e s , t h e q u e s t i o n o f f o o t p r i n t s w o u l d

have prevented any sleuth from drawing sensible

d e d u c t i o n s . S o m e o f t h e i n v e s t i g a t o r s h e l d t h a t t h e

f o o t p r i n t s w e r e d i s t i n c t o n l y a s f a r a s t h e p o i n t w h e r e

t h e l a d d e r w a s f o u n d . T h e y a s s e r t e d t h a t f r o m t h a t


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p o i n t o n , t h e t r a i l w a s f o l l o w e d b y b r o k e n u n d e r -

b r u s h , b u t n o t b y f o o t p r i n t s .

E v e n m o r e p u z z l i n g w e r e t h e e a r l y , b u t c o n s t a n t

r e p o r t s o f s u p p o s e d o f f i c i a l p r o b e r s t h a t t h e " d i s -

t u r b e d u n d e r b r u s h " l e d t h e t r a i l t o F e a t h e r b e d L a n e ,

a h a l f m i l e b e h i n d t h e L i n d b e r g h h o u s e , a n d a t t h a t

p o i n t , a u t o m o b i l e t r a c k s w e r e f o u n d . Ma jor Shoef-

f e l d i d n o t m e n t i o n t h e a u t o m o b i l e t r a c k s a n d s a i d ,

i n f a c t , t h a t t h e f o o t p r i n t - t r a i l e n d e d n o w h e r e .

W h a t i f t h e e a r l y r e p o r t s d i d a g r e e t h a t t h e t e l l -

t a l e l a d d e r w a s i n " t h r e e s e c t i o n s " ? T h e y m i g h t , a t

l e a s t , h a v e a g r e e d o n s u c h a d e t a i l ! I t a p p a r e n t l y h a d

b e e n m a d e i n s u c h a w a y t h a t i t c o u l d b e c a r r i e d e a s i -

l y , e i t h e r b y h a n d o r i n a c a r , a n d a n y r e a l h a n d y

m a n m i g h t h a v e f a s h i o n e d s u c h a l a d d e r . I f t h r e e

p e r s o n s h a d p e r p e t r a t e d t h e c r i m e , a s w a s w i d e l y s u s -

p e c t e d , t h e n e a c h m i g h t e a s i l y h a v e c a r r i e d a s e c t i o n

o f t h e l a d d e r . I t w a s g e n e r a l l y a g r e e d d u r i n g t h e

f i r s t t w e n t y - f o u r h o u r s , t h a t t h e l e a v i n g o f t h e l a d -

d e r a t a l l w a s a n a c c i d e n t ; p r e s u m a b l y t h e s e c t i o n s

had become somewhat stuck together, having been

f a s t e n e d w i t h w o o d e n p e g s i n o r d e r t o m a k e t h e j o b

e a s y a n d n o i s e l e s s . T h e k i d n a p p e r s a p p a r e n t l y d i d

n o t w i s h t o s p e n d t h e t i m e , o r t a k e t h e c h a n c e o f

u n l o o s e n i n g t h e p a r t s o f t h e s e c t i o n l a d d e r a n d t h e n

take them away .

E v e n o n s u c h p o i n t s a s t h e d e t a i l e d n a t u r e o f t h e

l a d d e r , t h e s t o r y a s g i v e n o u t a t t h e L i n d b e r g h h e a d -

q u a r t e r s , w a s i n c o n s i s t e n t . W h e t h e r r e p o r t e r s g a r b l e d


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THE CRIM E THAT

True Story of the Lindbergh Kidnapping-John Brant-Edith Renaud-1932-287pgs-POL

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