The Lindbergh Kidnapping

Initial Events

The Lindbergh kidnapping began on March 1, 1932, when Charles Lindbergh and his wife discovered their 20-month-old son missing from his crib. The child's nurse, Betty Gow, alerted the family after noticing the empty crib and a ransom note demanding $50,000. Charles, armed with a gun, searched the property with the butler, finding a broken ladder and a baby blanket outside the window. The local and state police were quickly involved, but evidence was scarce, with the ransom note being the primary clue.

The letter read, "Dear sir, have 50,000 ready, 25,000 in $20 bills, 15,000 in ten dollar bills and 10,000 in five dollar bills. After two to four days, we will inform you were to deliver the mani."

--- Gary Arndt

The story rapidly gained global attention, marking the beginning of an intense investigation 1.

   

Evidence Collection

The investigation into the Lindbergh kidnapping involved extensive evidence collection, despite the limitations of forensic science at the time. A handwriting analyst suggested the ransom note was written by a German new to the U.S., and the only fingerprints found belonged to the baby. The handmade ladder and two sets of footprints were crucial pieces of evidence, although much was destroyed by onlookers.

"A handwriting analyst who was brought in determined that the letter was probably written by someone German who was new to the United States."

--- Gary Arndt

The case drew significant attention, with offers of help from figures like J. Edgar Hoover and Al Capone, and a substantial reward was offered for information 2.

   

Discovery of Body

The tragic discovery of Charles Lindbergh Jr.'s body on May 12, 1932, shifted the investigation's focus to finding the perpetrator. The toddler's body was found near the Lindbergh home, indicating he had died from a blow to the head shortly after the kidnapping. The investigation intensified, with a focus on tracking the ransom money, leading to a breakthrough in September 1934.

"The big break in the case came on September 18, 1934. When a bank teller at the Corn Exchange bank and Trust Company noticed that a gold certificate had been cashed in Manhattan with one of the suspect's serial numbers."

--- Gary Arndt

This led to the arrest of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, a German immigrant, who was found with $14,000 of the ransom money and other incriminating evidence 3.