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The Lindbergh kidnapping

  • Period: to

    Where did it start?

    The date of the Lindbergh kidnap took place on March 1st, 1932. The baby was taken from the nursery in New Jersey.
  • Who done it?

    On March 2, 1932, after a conference with the attorney general, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover has contacted the headquarters of the New Jersey state police at Trenton New Jersey, informing the department that they could call upon the bureau for any facilities or resources which later might be capable of extending.
  • Ransom note found

    Ransom note found
    A second ransom note was received by Colonel Lindbergh which requested a pay of $70,000.
  • Advertising

    Advertising
    Dr. John F. Condon published an offer to act as go- between and to pay an additional $1000 ransom. About March 10th, Dr. Condon received $70,000 in cash as ransom.
  • A clue

    A baby’s sleeping suit, as a token of identity, and a seventh ransom note were received by Dr. Condon on March 16th.
  • More evidence

    On March 29th, Betty Gow, the Lindbergh nurse, found the infants thumb guard, worn at the time of the kid napping, near the entrance to the estate.
  • Baby found!

    Baby found!
    On May 12, 1932, the body of the baby was found accidentally partly buried, and badly decomposed, about four and a half miles southeast of the Lindbergh home.
  • Hauptmanns trace

    A $10 gold certificate traced back to a man named Bruno Richard Hauptmann. The house was closely surveilled by federal and local authorities throughout the night. At 9 a.m. he left his house and entered his car. He was promptly taken into custody by representatives of the three interested agencies.
  • Jail time

    Jail time
    Hauptmann was indicated in the Supreme Court, Bronx county, New York, on charges of extortion on September 26, 1934, and on October 8, 1934, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, he was indicated for murder. On October 19, 1934, he was removed from the jail to await trial.
  • The end

    Tool marks on the ladder matched tools owned by Hauptmann. Wood in the ladder was found to match wood used as flooring in his attic. Dr. Condons telephone number and address were found scrawled on a door frame inside a closet. Handwriting on the ransom notes matched samples of Hauptmanns handwriting.