Talk:Bruno Hauptmann
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[edit] Guilt questioned
While some may question his guilt and he may have protested his innocence until death (what would he have gained by confessing?) there was much evidence to convict:
- Seven handwriting experts said he wrote the ransom notes.
- The ransom money was found in his garage.
- The ransom was paid 2 April 1932. Early that month Hauptmann told his wife he had a fool-proof scheme to win on the stock market. From then on he always had a lot of money, though he was unemployed. The family wealth at 2 April 1932 was $4,941.40 (mostly in his mortgage). From then until his arrest (19 September, 1934) his expenditure was $15,530.63. Total wealth on arrest was $56,059.65, which after income is a net increase of $49,950.44 over the family wealth before the $50,000 ransom was paid. Over this time he had a net loss on the stock market.
- In the eight years before the kidnapping he deposited $1.47 in silver coins in the bank. In the two and one half years after he deposited $453.25 in coins in the bank. (Was this change from passing the ransom notes?)
- Hauptmann admitted to spending the ransom money, for about one month before being caught. He matched the description of the man who passed the bills one year before.
- Dr. Condon identified him as "John".
- Lindbergh recognized his voice as that of "John".
- Boards for the ladder were cut from his attic. His planer was used.
- A 3/4" chisel was left at the scene, used to make the ladder. A 3/4" chisel was missing from his tool-set and the one left at the scene matched the make/model of his chisels.
- A green sedan with a ladder was seen at intersection of the highway and the lane to Lindbergh's house on the day of the kidnapping. Hauptmann owned such a car, he was identified as the driver. In the year after the kidnapping he changed the colour of the car.
- His alibi for the days of the kidnapping and ransom payment was that he was working at the Majestic Apartment House as a carpenter. Records show he started after the kidnapping and was absent on the Saturday the ransom was paid. He worked on the Monday after, then quit without reason.
- A witness (Hildegarde Alexander) saw him observing Dr. Condon (Lindbergh's negotiator) at a railway station during the negotiation period.
- On two occassions, a couple of weeks before the kidnapping a stranger was seen 1 and 1.5 miles from house. Hauptmann was identified by two people as this man. Avalon
When I read this article, I got the distinct impression that modern scholars tended to think he was not guilty of the crime. As such, if we are going to include a list of the 'problem testimony' and bad evidence, then I think we should include the stuff listed above as well. I came in here to see what people were saying, and surprisingly found the talk page more informative and interesting than the article. Joey 18:32, 8 April 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Crime of the Century Neoconservative propaganda?
In 2002 sleazy New Hampshire cop Stephen Monier was appointed a U.S. Marshall by none other than George W. Bush[1]. Now, allow me to me use the same speculation and guilt-by-association methods he and Gregory Ahlgren (a lawyer, by the way) use against Lindbergh in their ridiculous book. During the year (1993) the book came out, the so-called "neoconservative" imperialistic wing of the Republican Party was locked in a power struggle with the "America First" or paleoconservative wing which the latter eventually lost. Wouldn't the neocon wing (which has more money than God) have a vested interest in spreading lies about the most famous and controversial leader the latter ever had? What is Monier's connection to them, and how did it help his career? Do the ACLU types and other leftists who endorse this book know who they are really supporting? I'm not jumping to any conclusions here, but doesn't this raise a lot of questions about Monier and Ahlgren's neutrality and their intentions?Shield2 02:29, 9 October 2006 (UTC)
