The Lindbergh Trial

1. The Lindbergh Trial By Brittni Baldeo

2. The Lindbergh Kidnapping • 20 month year old Charles Lindbergh Jr., son of Charles Lindbergh, famous aviator, and Anne Lindbergh, famous author, was kidnapped on March 1st, 1932 from his nursery on the second floor of the Lindbergh’s home near Hopewell N.J. • A ransom note was left demanding money in return for their son • A retired schoolteacher, Condon, claimed that he made contact with the kidnapper • There were several meetings in a graveyard with the kidnapper • On April 2nd, the ransom money was delivered and the Lindbergh’s were given a note about their son’s whereabouts' on a boat named the Nelly • No baby or boat was discovered • The baby’s decomposed body was found 72 days later in the woods near the Lindbergh’s house • Evidence left included ransom note, chisel, and ladder

3. Possible Suspects • Household employee’s • Oliver & Elise Whately • Middle aged couple who served as a cook and butler to the Lindbergh’s • Dr. Condon • 72 year old retired teacher who claimed that he was in contact with the kidnapper

4. Investigation • Led mainly by the NJPD • They distributed pamphlets containing the serial numbers of the ransom bills to all employees in banks, grocery stores, clearinghouses, airports, department stores, post offices, etc. to help track the kidnapper • Dr. Condon was a middle man for the case; he was the Lindbergh’s contact to the kidnapper • A gas station employee penciled a customers license plate on the $10 gold note ransom bill used to pay for his gas. Investigators tracked the car and found the man Bruno Hauptman. • Hauptman was found with all of the ransom money in his garage

5. The Trial • The trial was held in Flemington, New Jersey • The two attorneys were Edward J. Reilly as a defense attorney and David T. Wilentz as the prosecution attorney • The key witnesses in the case were John F. Condon who claims that the man whom he gave the money to at the graveyard was indeed Hauptmann. Also Colonel Lindbergh who says that the voice he heard at the graveyard was Hauptmann’s voice. • Forensic science helped to match the piece of wood from the ladder at the crime scene to the plank from Hauptmann’s attic floor • The verdict was that Hauptmann was found guilty under first degree and sentenced to death by the electric chair

6. Media and the Trial & Other Theories • The media turned the story into the "Crime of the Century" • Generated more shock among citizens than a presidential assassination • Resulted in more news stories, radio summaries, and magazine articles over a five year period than any other criminal event before or since • It is believed that one of the household employee’s was involved in the kidnapping of the baby because only one who would know the floor plan and house very well would be able to pull off the crime so easily • Others believe that it was John Condon himself who was the kidnapper. The secret meetings in the graveyard and him serving as the middle man to communicate and deliver the money helped to keep the kidnapper and Lindbergh’s separate, making it easier for Condon to fake the whole thing.

7. My Theory • I do not believe that Hauptmann alone was the blame for the killing of the Lindbergh’s baby. I feel as though there had to be someone involved who had a connection with the family. From my research, it seems that Condon had involvement in the crime. It was very suspicious how such an old man comes out of nowhere and states that he has contacted the kidnapper. I also found ti strange that such an old man would put himself in the mix of a crime and volunteer to deliver the money. If I were Condon, I would not want any contact with the killer at all! I would leave it all up to the police to deliver the money!