Charles Lindbergh Kidnapping Essay

The kidnapping of Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., the son of well-known aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was one of the most highly publicized crimes of the 20th century. It was devastating to the entire country, leaving many people afraid about whether or not their child would be stolen during the night. The 20-month-old toddler was abducted from his family home in East Amwell, New Jersey, on the evening of March 1, 1932. Over two months later, on May 12, 1932, his body was discovered a short distance from the Lindberghs' home in neighboring Hopewell Township. A medical examination determined that the cause of death was a massive skull fracture. The whole country was in awe to believe that somebody would actually

Most people were not satisfied with this considering that it was a group of kidnappers, not just one single man. They felt that justice wasn’t completely served for the brutal crime. In Hauptmann’s trial that was held from January 2 to February 13, 1935, he was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Subsequently, he was executed by electric chair at the New Jersey State Prison on April 3, 1936. Hauptmann proclaimed his innocence to the end. He never seemed to realize that somebody had to die for the murder of “Little Lindy,” and that somebody was

Condon received the fifth ransom note, delivered by Joseph Perrone, a taxicab driver, who received it from an unidentified stranger. The message stated that another note would be found beneath a stone at a vacant stand, 100 feet from an outlying subway station. This note, the sixth, was found by Condon, as indicated. Following instructions therein, the doctor met an unidentified man, who called himself “John,” at Woodlawn Cemetery, near 233rd Street and Jerome Avenue. 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.” He obviously didn’t want to tip off the kidnapper that there was anyone else there. During the next few days, Dr. Condon repeated his advertisements, urging further contact and stating his willingness to pay the ransom. A baby’s sleeping suit, as a token of identity, and a seventh ransom note were received by Dr. Condon on March 16. The suit was delivered to Colonel Lindbergh and later identified. Condon continued his advertisements. The eighth ransom note 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, found the infant’s thumb guard, worn at the time of the kidnapping, near the entrance to the estate. The following day, the ninth