In 1927, Americans were in desperate need of a hero. Our nation was suffering through the moral and political corruption brought about by prohibition and the exploits of organized crime. Charles A. Lindbergh never planned to be a hero when he decided to accept the challenge of a French businessman named Raymond Orteig. On May 20, 1927, Lindbergh flew "The Spirit of St. Louis" alone, non-stop, across the Atlantic Ocean for 33 1/2 hours landing at Le Bourget Field in Paris.  

Following his famous flight, Lindbergh made many "good-will" flights to set new records and advance the cause of aviation. While in Mexico on one such tour, he met Anne Morrow, daughter of the United States Ambassador to Mexico, Dwight Morrow. Charles and Anne were married on May 27, 1929. Their first child, a son, was born on Anne's 24th birthday, June 22, 1930. They named him Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr.

 
  In the winter of 1932, the young family had not quite settled in their newly built home near Hopewell, New Jersey when their lives would change forever. On the evening of March 1, 1932, Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr. was kidnapped as he slept in his nursery crib. Several clues were left behind including a ransom note, a home-made three-section ladder and a chisel. That night the New Jersey State Police began their investigation into the crime that shocked and outraged America and the world.
Left: One of the kidnapper's 15 ransom letters. Click it to view a larger image ina separate window.

An intermediary, John F. Condon, entered the case after offering his assistance through a newspaper ad and met with the kidnapper on two occasions. In all, 15 ransom notes were received during the course of the negotiations. Lindbergh insisted on paying the $50,000 ransom demanded in the original ransom note, believing this was the only way to get his son back. Following the instructions of the kidnapper, the ransom was handed over by Condon on April 2, 1932, in a Bronx cemetery. The serial numbers of these bills, some of which were gold certificates, were carefully listed, although this fact was not made public. The baby's body, however, was discovered on May 12, 1932 several miles from his Hopewell home.

 
Investigators from the New Jersey State Police, United States Department of Justice (now, the FBI) and the United States Treasury Department were busy pursuing every possible lead.  

Right: The $10 gold certificate used to buy gasoline.
               

In September 1934, at a New York service station, a man paid for his gasoline with a $10.00 gold certificate. Because the US had officially gone off the gold standard in 1933, the station attendant wrote the purchaser's license number on the $10.00 bill. This lead broke the case when an alert bank teller notified the authorities of the gold certificate. The serial number matched with one that appeared on the list of Lindbergh ransom money serial numbers. The license number was traced to Bruno Richard Hauptmann who was arrested on September 19, 1934 at which time another ransom bill was found in his wallet. The following day $13,760 of the ransom money was found in Hauptmann's garage. A floorboard in Hauptmann's attic was found to match the wood used for one of the rails in the kidnap ladder. Handwriting samples were taken from Hauptmann and found by experts to match the writing of the ransom notes. He was extradited from New York to New Jersey to be tried in the state and county in which the crime occurred.

 
  Hauptmann's trial began January 2, 1935 in Flemington, New Jersey. Physical evidence, as well as expert and eyewitness testimony directly connected him to the ladder, the handwriting in the ransom notes, and possession of the ransom money. The evidence and testimony presented at the six-week trial led to Hauptmann's conviction of murder during the commission of a felony. The sentence was death by electrocution.

Following unsuccessful appeals and controversial intervention by the Governor, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was executed in Trenton, New Jersey on April 3, 1936.
Left: The electric chair used to execute Bruno Richard Hauptmann
 

Items shown here, along with many more, can be viewed at the New Jersey State Police Museum and Learning Center.

Why not plan a visit today!