1. THE CRIME OF THE
CENTURY: THE
LINDBERGH BABY
By: Sarah Stefanski
2. Who are the Lindbergh’s?
Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh “The Lone Eagle”
was a famous pilot. The first man to fly a solo
nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927.
His wife, Anne Marlow, was the daughter of a
diplomat. She would fly with her husband.
Their eldest son, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr., “The
Eaglet” was….
3. KIDNAPPED!
On March 1, 1932 at
9pm at the Lindbergh
house.
He was found dead
months later.
5. Initial Suspects
Violet Sharpe – maid for
the Lindbergh’s who
committed suicide
during the investigation
Betty Gow – nurse for
the Lindbergh’s, last
person to see the child
Dr. Cordon – retired
school teacher who
helped as the middle
man between the
Lindbergh’s and
kidnappers
6. The Investigation
Led by the New Jersey Police Department and
FBI
The President ordered all government
investigation agencies to aid in the
investigation
Investigators found forensic evidence by
tracing the wood from the ladder to a
lumberyard in the Bronx.
Charles Lindbergh himself had access to
evidence and used his fame as a way to
somewhat control the investigation. Some
7. The Investigation Continued
The Government ordered Gold
certificates back to the Treasury and
were able to find the serial numbers of
the ransom money.
They published the numbers and gave
them to banks and local businesses.
A year later, the gold certificates started
being used and were tracked.
A gas station attendants wrote down the
license number of a man with a
certificate. The man was Bruno Richard
Hauptmann.
8. Ransom Money
The kidnappers gave 13 notes to the
Lindbergh family, most of them going through
Dr. Condon
At first the ransom amount was $50,000, but
raised to $70,000 and almost $100,000.
The ransom money was paid, through Dr.
Condon in return for the child’s pajama, a
token of the baby.
The ransom was paid in gold certificates.
9. Bring Back the Wood
Investigators searched
Hauptmann’s house and the
wood from ladder matched a
wooden panel from his house.
They also found some of the
ransom money and Dr. Condon’s
phone number in his closet.
Hauptmann was arrested and the
case was going to trial
11. Media’s Big Role
News about the kidnapping of the son of
an American hero spread like wildfire.
When it came time for the trial, radio
broadcasts told the public of what was
going on in the courtroom. During the time
between broadcasts, the public would tune
in and listen to music.
Famous celebrities followed the case and
attended the trial causing more media
there.
A photographer snuck into the morgue and
took pictures of the infant’s body.
After Hauptmann died the reporters
immediately surrounded the grieving
widow.
13. The Trial
Took Place in Flemington, New Jersey
Defense Attorney: Edward J. Reilly known as
the "Bull of Brooklyn“
Prosecution: David Wilentz, the Attorney
General of New Jersey
14. Witnesses
Prosecution
- Anne Lindbergh
- Col. Charles Lindbergh
- Betty Gow
- Corporal Joseph Wolf
- Lt. Lewis Bornmann
- Sgt. Frank Kelly
- Amandus Hocmuth
- Dr. John Condon
- Colonel Norman
Schwarzkopf
- Dr. Charles Mitchell
- Arthur Koehler
Defense
- Bruno Hauptmann
- Peter Sommer (paid to
testify)
15.
After 152 witnesses, the jury had to make their
decision. Was the evidence of the money and
phone number in his closet, the matching
wood, and the matching handwriting enough?
Or were the conspiracies and Hauptmann’s
denial going to win?
The Verdict was…..
16. GUILTY
Hauptmann was found guilty of first degree
murder. He was sentenced to death. He
appealed but was eventually executed on
April 3, 1936.
18. Theories about the Kidnapping
Cemetery John, the man who met with Dr. Condon to get
ransom money and give notes, was considered
Hauptmann when Dr. Condon identified him on the stand.
Previously though, in the line up he did not identify him.
Apparently “John” had bump on his thumb that Hauptmann
didn’t have. This led people to believe there was a second
man involved, John Knoll.
Some believed that Dr. Condon was the kidnapper and
answered his own newspaper adds to cover it up.
Some thought Violet Sharp was involved in an inside
job, especially since she committed suicide and was
rumored to be seen with a friend of Hauptmann.
Some even believed Lindbergh himself planned the
kidnapping to gain more fame and attention. They believed
20. My Opinion
I believe the right verdict was reached. It was
very difficult to reach it in this confusing case
filled with conspiracies. The conspiracy about
John Knoll seemed pretty convincing to me. In
the end, the evidence against Hauptmann was
too strong to denied. I believe that the right
man was punished.
