Research Paper On Charles Lindbergh Kidnapping

The Talk of the Century: Kidnapping of the Lindbergh Baby

Individuals call it the “Crime of the Century”, the kidnapping and murder of the 20 month old, Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr. The son of the American Aviator, Charles Lindbergh and American Writer, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Charles Jr. was kidnapped from his nursery on March 1, 1932. The nursery was located on the second floor of their estate in Hopewell, New Jersey (Klein). Charles Lindbergh is the most likely suspect to have helped in the kidnapping of his own son, Charles Lindbergh Jr., even though the blame was thrown on Bruno Hauptmann alone. The trial for the kidnapping against Bruno Hauptmann was held in the Courthouse in Hunterdon County, Flemington (Schlegel).

Charles Lindbergh

was laid to sleep in his nursery room, which was located on the second floor of the Lindbergh estate that was being altered at this time (3). The family only stayed at their house in Hopewell during the weekends, during the week they would stay with Anne’s parents in Englewood, New Jersey (3). The family had stayed on a Tuesday night at the estate because Charles Jr. was not feeling well to travel back to Englewood, so Anne decided it was best to stay at the house (3). Anne called for the baby’s nurse, Betty Gow to come up to Hopewell to take care of the baby that same night (Staff). No one knew that the Lindbergh family would be staying at the house or at least they thought so. Nurse, Betty Gow went to check on the baby at approximately ten at night and the baby was nowhere to be found, the absence of the baby was immediately reported to the parents (6). She had only found the window open with a memorandum inserted into the windowsill. According to the Staff of the FBI, the memorandum declared that they wanted fifty thousand dollars for the return of Charles Jr, but they did not want the police involved. Outside of the estate of the Lindbergh’s the ladder that was used for the kidnapping was left on the side of the road a few feet from the house (3). When the baby was laid to sleep that night the window of the nursery was not completely shut like it would be on other days, it was left partly open. No one was aware that the

Charles accepted the offer of a stranger that had actually been the person that assisted him and Hauptmann with the kidnapping of his Charle's son. Condon kept insisting for more contact with the kidnappers, to make a bigger commotion. Charles Lindbergh was already famous, but he wanted more fame so he decided the only way that could happen was by kidnapping his own son, but it ended up going to far. Charles Jr. was found dead a few feet away from the Lindbergh estate. It was stated that the baby was declared dead the same day he was kidnapped from his home. According to Edward Reilly he had argued at the that cross examination, so it was believed that Dr. John F. Condon had a major involvement in the kidnapping (Spirit of St. Louis 2