On this date in 1932, Charles Lindbergh Jr., the 20 month old son of the famous aviator, was kidnapped from the family’s home near Hopewell, NJ. After weeks of negotiations, a ransom was paid and instructions were given where to find the child. The instructions, which directed the family to a nonexistent boat in Martha’s Vineyard, MA, were bogus. The boy’s body was found on May 12th in the woods near the Lindbergh home.
The investigation went on for two and a half years. In September of 1934, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was arrested after passing some of the gold certificates from the ransom. A search of Hauptmann’s home yielded over $13,000 of the ransom money. Hauptmann maintained his innocence, but was convicted of murder. He was executed by electrocution on April 3, 1936.
As a result of the Lindbergh case, the federal Kidnapping Act, also known as the Lindbergh Law, was passed making kidnapping a federal offense, falling under the jurisdiction of the FBI.
Further reading:
FBI Famous Cases – The Lindbergh Kidnapping
Crime Museum – The Lindbergh Kidnapping
Wikipedia – Lindbergh kidnapping
Reblogged this on Brittius.
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Thanks.
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John D.:
This was always a fascinating story, and that’s aside from the “tumor mill”.
Excellent links, too.
Stay safe out there.
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This was always one of my favorite jail breaks.
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