The Ransom Notes: An Analysis of Their Content & "Signature"

One of the most fascinating areas of study in the Lindbergh Kidnapping Case is the Ransom Notes. While much has been discussed regarding the handwriting and possible meaning and design of the symbol or signature (“singnature”), I find the content of the notes to be most interesting. It is well known that Dr. Dudley Shoenfeld had done a psychological analysis of the contents in the 1930s, but the content can also provide a glimpse not only into the mind of the author(s) but also into their situation. The purpose of this paper is not to answer any questions, but to raise new questions the discussion of which will hopefully shed some light behind the scenes of the ransom note writer’s desk.

The first ransom note – what we call the Nursery Note – contains a surprisingly generic message. That in itself is interesting and will be discussed later. Another interesting aspect of the note regards the holes in the symbol used as the signature. The holes punched in this note are unique in that they do not match the shape of the holes in any of the other notes. They do however, match perfectly with regards to spacing – as do all of the holes in all of the signed notes.

The handwriting in the Nursery Note is obviously heavily disguised – so much so that it is difficult to match it to the handwriting of the other notes. This has led to some speculation that this note was from the actual kidnapper(s) and that all of the others were from a separate group of extortionists, especially since Mickey Rosner was provided with a tracing of the Nursery Note handwriting (not the symbol) that he in turn gave to his underworld associates. Two points beyond the handwriting that link this note with the others could negate this theory. First, the aforementioned holes link this note with all of the other signed notes. In addition, and strangely reminiscent of S226 and Rail 16, the Nursery Note and the second ransom note (3/4/32) were once the same piece of paper. Looking under a microscope, it is easy to see where the torn edge of the Nursery Note and the torn edge of Note #2 match perfectly.

As stated before, one of the odd aspects of the Nursery Note that makes it unique is its lack of uniqueness. It is a very generic message that is not in any way specific to the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. Even the envelope in which it was left behind is not addressed to anyone and the salutation of the letter begins with a businesslike “Dear Sir!” Assuming the letter writer was also the kidnapper, did he know whose child he was going to kidnap when he prepared the note? How far in advance was the note written? Or did he employ someone else to write the note for him and did not want to let on at this point that this was for the kidnapping of the most famous baby in the world?

The language of the message, while generic, is also very clearly expressed. Of all the notes, it is the easiest to convert into proper English.

Dear Sir!
Have 50.000 $ redy 25 000 $ in
20 $ bills 1.5000 $ in 10 $ bills and
10000 $ in 5 $ bills. After 2-4 days
we will inform you where to deliver
the money.
We warn you for making
anyding public or for notify the Police
the child is in gute care.
Indication for all letters are
singnature
and 3 holhs.


Dear Sir,
Have $50,000 ready. $25,000 in
$20 bills, $1,500 in $10 bills and
$10,000 in $5 bills. After 2 – 4 days
we will inform you where to deliver
the money.
We warn you against making
anything public or notifying the police.
The child is in good care.
Indication for all letters are
Signature and three holes.

As you can see, there is very little difference between the two notes. As the negotiations continue and the texts get longer, the language and writing style become more difficult to read.

An additional point of trivia: the Nursery Note is the only note with German punctuation in the salutation – the exclamation mark after Dear Sir! All of the other notes use what appears to be a colon with Note 6 using a comma and Note 7 using a period.

It is interesting to note that the Nursery Note and Note 2, as stated before, were punched independently of each other and independently of each other and independently of all of the other notes. Yet, the writer makes specific mention of the signature and three holes as being the “indication for all letters.” If so, why only prepare one? Unless, of course, the author was playing it safe and wanted to see how things played out after the crime was discovered.

When he wrote the second note (3/4/32) he also drew attention to the signature by writing “singature on all letters” next to the symbol. The fourth note (3/7/32) is the last note to draw attention to the symbol until the sleeping suite note was sent on March 16th.

Note 4 simply writes “singature” next to the symbol and the reference in the sleeping suite note (Note 9) is part of the writer’s attempt to remind Condon that he is indeed communicating with the actual kidnapper(s). “Well you have ouer singnature. it is always specially them 3 hohls.”

Dr. Dudley Shoenfeld points out in his November 1, 1932 report that there is a “striking absence of a threat. There is no intimidation.” He goes on to say that there is no attempt to “use some compulsion which will make the parents of the child hasten the payment of ransom.” If anything, the notes are full of delays:

“We will holt the baby until everyding is quiet.”
“We can note make any appointment just now.”
“We will arrangh this [a go-between] latter”
“We will inform you latter how to deliver the mony, but
not before the Police is out and the Papers are quiet.”

Ransom Note #2, sent on March 4th, made no mention of how the Lindberghs should get in touch with the kidnappers. It simply admonished Lindbergh for involving the police and press and increased the ransom to $70,000. Unlike the short, generic Nursery Note, the scolding of Lindbergh in Note #2 was rather lengthy. The first five sentences were enough to get that point across:

We have warned you note to make anyding
Public also notify the Police. Now you have to
Take the consequences. This means we will holt the
Baby until everyding is quiet. We can note make any
Appointment just now.

But the note continues on for another several sentences of admonition and frustration:

[translated]
Is it really necessary to make a world affair out of this?
Or is it necessary to get your baby back as soon as possible?
To settle this affair in a quick way will be better for both sides...
...We will inform you later where to deliver the money. But we will
not do so until the police are out of the case and the papers are quiet.

It was two days later, on Sunday March 6, 1932 that Colonel Henry Breckinridge, Lindbergh’s attorney and close friend, attended the [in]famous Birritella Séance. After discovering a mysterious telegram from the Rev. John Birritella and Mary Ciritto – psychics who ran a spiritualist church in the Bronx – it was arranged for them to come down to Princeton where they met with him and Colonel Breckinridge and held a séance. Asked by the psychics if he has heard from the kidnappers, Breckinridge lied and told them “no”. He also tells them that there can be no delay in contact from the kidnappers as the situation was literally killing Mrs. Lindbergh.

The next ransom note, Note #3, was sent on March 7th, the day after the séance, and it was mailed not to the Lindberghs in Hopewell but rather to Colonel Breckinridge at his office. The note was a simple message asking that the enclosed envelope be delivered to Colonel Lindbergh. The note to Breckinridge was on plain paper and had no signature.

The note to Lindbergh, however, was signed and it referred back to information possibly gleaned at the séance. First, it could have been through the Birritellas that the note writer learned of Henry Breckinridge’s name and his association with the Lindberghs and therefore believed it would be better to send the missive to him rather than to Hopewell because “we know Police interfere with your privatmail.” The writer obviously believed that Lindbergh had not received the March 4th note, probably based upon Breckinridge’s “lie” to the Birritellas.

When the kidnapper(s) sent the second ransom note, it appears that they had planned to hold off on future communications for a while: “We can note make any appointment just now...We will inform you latter where to deliver the money. But we will note to so until the Police is out...” Also, if the Birritellas were indeed sent by the kidnapper(s), they re-enforce the delay in communication by telling Breckinridge that he would receive his next communication from them “within two weeks.” It was then that Breckinridge informs them that that would be too long because Mrs. Lindbergh would not survive. In fact, the séance ended “with emphatic requests from [Breckinridge] to both of them for quick action.” And it was indeed quick action as Ransom Notes 3 and 4 were sent the very next day.

What is interesting about the content of Note #4 (the note addressed to Lindbergh that accompanied the unsigned note to Breckinridge) is that it is an almost exact duplicate of Note #2, including the scolding:

Returning to the holes in the signature symbol, again we now know that Note #1 (3/1/32) and Note #2 (3/4/32) were punched independently of each other and of all the other notes. The next set of notes with holes is Note #4 (3/7/32), Note #6 (3/9/32) and Note #7 (3/12/32). These three notes were all punched together. Note #5 (3/9/32), oddly enough, is not signed and therefore there are no holes. So far, chronologically, only the instructional notes -- Note #3 to Breckinridge and Note #8 (3/12/32) left under the stone at the frankfurter stand – were unsigned. Note #5, however, appears not to be an instructional or directional note but rather a regular communiqué from the kidnapper(s).

The unsigned Note #5 was sent on March 9th to Doctor John F. Condon. It was an important letter in that it tells Condon that he may act as the go-between. One would think that a message from the kidnapper(s) as important as this would require the signature for verification. Included with this note, in its own sealed envelope addressed to Colonel Lindbergh, was Note #6. This letter was signed with the symbol and holes and it tells Lindbergh that Condon may act as the go-between. It goes on to give other instructions regarding the ransom money, the dimensions of the “packet” in which it was to be delivered and it further warns him not to involve the police.
Interestingly, the note goes on to tell Colonel Lindbergh that after the money is exchanged “we will tell you where to find your boy” and that he “may have an airplane ready” as the location is about 150 miles away. But before telling him the “address”, there would be a delay of eight hours.

It almost seems as if Notes 4, 6, 7 were to be the last letters of official communication, with unsigned Note #8 left as a directional note at the frankfurter stand. Note #7, which was signed, was delivered to Dr. Condon on march 12th by taxi driver Joseph Perrone and it gave him instructions to drive to the frankfurter stand on Jerome Avenue where he would find Note #8.
It appears that the kidnapper(s) expected the ransom exchange to take place at this time and that the notepaper with the holes is now used up. Some theories regarding the meeting that followed in Van Cortlandt Park see it not as the expected ransom exchange but rather a meeting between fellow gang members – Condon and “Cemetery John” – when Condon is informed that the baby had died. The content of the notes does not seem to support this; at least from the perspective of Cemetery John and whatever other gang members there may or may not have been. It could, however, have been Condon’s intent to delay the payment at this time for whatever reason, as he did not take the ransom money with him to the cemetery. This speculation needs to be left for another discussion as it is out of the scope of this paper.

What is interesting about Note #5, which is in the middle (so to speak) of the three signed notes is that it is not itself signed. Notes 4, 6 and 7 were punched at the same time, but delivered on three different days: Note 4 on March 7th, Note 6 on march 9th and Note 7 on march 12th. Since Note 5 and Note 6 were delivered together, why was the symbol not used on Note 5?
Could it be that the source of the symbol was not readily available? They had three papers punched available (they were punched at the same time, remember). Did they come up short because of having to re-write Ransom Note #2? This note, Note #4, was an unexpected replacement for the note that Breckinridge told the Birritellas Lindbergh never received. What was going on in the kidnappers’ camp?

Imagine if you will, the kidnapper and/or his gang have a template that is not easy to access. They punch the paper for the Nursery Note, and then put the device away because they want to wait and see what the reaction is to that first note. They take the device and punch the paper for the second note and put it away again. Later, they take the device and punch three papers with the intent of writing Notes 5, 6 and 7. The Birritellas are dispatched to make contact. They report back with the news that Note 2 was never received. Now they need to contact Lindbergh again, this time through Breckinridge. They realize they will need to authenticate their note, so they grab the paper that was intended for Note 5 and use it to write Note 4. Note 3 would need no authentication, it’s just instructional and it would be a waste of punched paper.

Assume, too, that the kidnapper(s) knew ahead of time that they would use Doctor Condon as the go-between. How this came about does not matter here. But it does make sense that the kidnapper(s), who had said more than once that the kidnapping was planned in advance, would have figured out who they would use before reading his letter in the newspaper. Assuming that they knew they would use him, it would make sense for the plan to have been to send Note 5 to him written on punched paper. But they are short one. They know that Note 6, which went to Lindbergh, needed to be signed and that Note 7, telling Condon where he needed to drive to, needed to be signed (else how would he know it was the actual kidnapper(s) telling him what to do? Again, it matters not if he was “in on it”. If he was, they needed to do this “for show”).

So, they have three punched pages, one is used to replace the note that the kidnapper(s) thought never arrived leaving them a page short. Rather than sending an un-punched page, why did they not simply punch three holes? What prevented them from gaining access to the template? Could a similar problem have occurred again? After the March 12th meeting with Condon in the cemetery, the kidnapper(s) said they would send him the child’s sleeping suit. One was sent along with a signed note, but it was mailed after a four-day delay. And, it was most likely mailed from Connecticut. The delay has often been blamed on the kidnapper(s) having the sleeping suit laundered. After all, when Breckinridge looked at it, he asked, “why did they launder it?” That probably never happened as both Lindbergh and the police agreed that it was “similar” to the child’s sleeping suit but they did not believe it was the one he was actually wearing on March 1st. If it was indeed a store bought sleeping suit (or one taken from the nursery by Condon the night he slept in the room) the kidnapper(s) would need to authenticate the package by sending a signed letter. Could the four-day delay have been caused by the need to gain access to the template again? After all, the kidnapper(s) would not have expected to use the template ever again once the ransom was paid on March 12th. When that failed to happen, they needed to scramble to prepare the next note.

Ransom Note 9 does arrive with the sleeping suit on March 16th and it has indeed been punched and the holes line up with all of the previous signed notes. This time, two notes have been punched at once. The shapes of the holes in Note 9 are unique from the previous notes, however they do match the holes on Note 10, which was sent on March 19th.

Now there is a big gap in communications. The next note does not arrive until ten days later! Note 11 arrived on March 29th. It, and Note 12 (April 1st) were also punched at the same time. Why the delay? Was it to throw the police off the trail? Was it to gain access to the template again? Both? Easter fell on March 27th that year; could this somehow have made it difficult to gain access to the template?

Continuing this new tradition of punching pages in pairs – which seems to have been adopted so that there would be enough punched paper to communicate but not too much to have laying around – Note 13 and Note 14 have matching holes.

Note 13 was the note mysteriously delivered to Doctor Condon by the “invisible taxi driver” on April 2nd. However, it is Note 14 that draws attention to itself in that it was another simple instructional or directional note left under a rock at the Bergen Flower Shop. It was the one that directed Condon to “cross the street and walk to the next corner”. There was no need to authenticate this note with the signature as a signed note (Note 13) had directed Condon to it. Also, and even more interesting, the envelope was addressed to Condon with both his name and street address, but with no stamp. Why? Why did the kidnapper(s) feel the need to write out Condon’s full address if the envelope was being left under a rock? The envelope for Note 8 – the one left under a rock at the frankfurter stand – was also addressed in this way. Why? After all, the notes that had led him these hidden notes told him that he would find them there.

Was it addressed so that if someone found it before Condon arrived they would simply have mailed or delivered it to Condon without opening it first? And could this be why the note was signed? So that if it were mailed to him, he would know that it was a legitimate note from the kidnapper(s)? Granted, it would be too late to meet with them that Saturday night, but at least he would realize that he was not double-crossed.

The last note, Note 15 is known as the Boad Nelly Note. This is the note that was given to Doctor Condon after the exchange of the ransom money was made. It is not signed which leads credibility to Condon’s claim that he insisted that he be given a “receipt” for the money. Some speculate that Cemetery John had the note with him all along; however, why would the kidnapper(s) furnish such an important piece of information on an unsigned paper? Why not, when punching the holes for Notes 13 and 14 punch one last page for the final note? Were they going to wait to see if they actually got the ransom money and then use the 8 hours they claimed Lindbergh would have to wait to punch one last paper? Or were they not even planning on providing the location of the baby to him, especially since the baby was lying in a shallow grave in Mercer County?

It is possible that the note was hastily written to fulfill Condon’s request in the cemetery as he claimed. But would a kidnapper or ransom negotiator have taken a fountain pen to a cemetery meeting? A pencil maybe, but an ink pen? And if Cemetery John did happen to have a scrap piece of paper in his pocket, why was he carrying an envelope, too? The note was handed to Condon in a sealed envelope. It should also be pointed out that the Boad Nelly Note is the most neatly and evenly written of all the ransom notes, which should not be possible if written last minute given the stress of the evening as well as the lack of a smooth writing surface not to mention the poor lighting conditions. But, as stated above, if it was prepared ahead of time, why was it not authenticated with the signature?

A study of the ransom note contents raises many more questions than it answers, but they are important questions that force us to try to shed a little more light on the hidden actions of the kidnapper(s). While it is not possible to know for certain what was going on behind the scenes, these questions and theoretical answers may help us to understand not only the world of the kidnapper(s) but also of Condon and others whose actions were in their own ways influencing the content of the ransom notes.

APPENDIX

The Ransom Note “Signatures”

The Greatest Thing Since Otto Rohwedder

This month’s blog article is not the greatest thing since sliced bread. Rather, it is about sliced bread itself and the man who “invented” it.

Just think about how convenient pre-sliced bread actually is. To make a sandwich for lunch or toast for breakfast – or even grilled cheese for a quick, light dinner – all you need to do is open a bag and remove two pre-cut slices. There’s no need to remove the whole loaf and saw into it, resulting in slices of uneven thickness and a squished loaf.

Imagine if the United States Government banned sliced bread. That’s just what happened on January 18, 1943. Food Administrator Claude R. Wickard banned sliced bread as a wartime conservation measure because “‘…the ready-sliced loaf must have a heavier wrapping than an un-sliced one if it is not to dry out.’” A letter of protest appeared in the January 26, 1943 issue of the New York Times from a “distraught housewife”:

"I should like to let you know how important sliced bread is to the morale and saneness of a household. My husband and four children are all in a rush during and after breakfast. Without ready-sliced bread I must do the slicing for toast – two pieces for each one – that’s ten. For their lunches I must cut by hand at least twenty slices, for two sandwiches apiece. Afterwards I make my own toast. Twenty-two slices of bread to be cut in a hurry!”

In the same issue of the Times, New York Area Supervisor of the Food Distribution Administration John F. Conaboy announced that the sliced bread ban would continue. It was not until March 8, 1943 that the ban was finally lifted. The headline “Sliced Bread Put Back on Sale; Housewives’ Thumbs Safe Again; Wickard Rescinds Ban of Jan. 18…” appeared in the New York Times the following day.

How did this reliance on bakery sliced bread come about? The age-old expression that something is the “greatest thing since sliced bread” needs a reference point in time. How long ago did sliced bread come about? One might guess with the invention of the knife but one would be wrong. Unlike the invention of the wheel we not only know when sliced bread was invented but by whom.

Bakery sliced bread came about on July 7, 1928 thanks to Otto Frederick Rohwedder of Davenport, Iowa. According to Modern Mechanics and Inventions, “one of the newest conveniences for the housewife and dining place operators, and one of the most far reaching, is the…automatic bread slicer invented by O.F. Rohwedder…”

Otto Rohwedder knew the problems faced by housewives when they tried to slice bakery bread with a thick crust and soft interior crumb. In a word, it smushed. Not to mention many thumbs were cut, as alluded to in the aforementioned New York Times article. As early as 1912 he began to develop an automated bread slicer. His research included interviewing over 30,000 housewives “for the purpose of determining a thickness of slice which would be most nearly universal in acceptance”.

Bakeries, however, were not too keen on the idea initially, claiming that the sliced bread would go stale too quickly. By 1928, however, he had developed a machine that would not only slice the bread but wrap it as well.

The wrapping of the loaf took care of the staleness issue. But there was still the problem of a smushed loaf. The Modern Mechanics article stated that, “it was impossible to satisfactorily slice bread, a slice at a time…Simultaneously cutting all the slices of a loaf in a single operation” was the answer. It went on to describe Rohwedder’s machine:

“Two banks of thin sharp steel blades are utilized…The cutting edges are all I nthe same plane and alternated so that while one blade moves upward its immediate neighbor moves downward…As the blades pass through the soft bread, the loaf closes immediately behind the blades and keeps the air out. These perfect surfaces fit snugly against each other and adhere surprisingly, thus retaining the freshness of the loaf.”

The bakers who initially scoffed at Rohwedder’s idea were now hailing it as “the greatest single advance in baker procedure in almost a quarter of a century.”

Rohwedder’s invention impacted more than just the loaf itself. Think about the way you store and open a loaf of bread you buy in the grocery store today. This was not done before July 7, 1928! Thanks to Rohwedder, “instead of removing the entire wrapper at the time of serving the bread, the wrapper is opened at one end and folded back. This discloses a shallow paper carton in which the loaf rests in a succession of closely adjacent slices. These slices are neat and exact. Only by mechanical means could this precision be obtained.”

The first bakery to use Rohwedder’s bread slicer was the M.F. Bench’s Chillicothe Baking Company on July 7, 1928, Rohwedder’s 48th birthday. Located at 100 Elm Street in Chillicothe, Missouri, the bakery sold “Kleen Maid Sliced Bread”.

According to his biography on http://www.findagrave.com/, Rohwedder sold his invention to the Micro-Westco Co. of Bettendorf, Iowa, and he became vice-president and sales manager of the Rohwedder Bakery Machine Division of Micro-Westco.

Otto Rohwedder retired to Albion, Michigan in 1951. He died on November 8, 1960 at the age of 80.

____________________________
References

100 Hour Board. Brigham Young University. http://theboard.byu.edu/index.php?area=viewall&id=22757, as of July 7, 2008

Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8085036, as of July 7, 2008.

Modern Mechanics and Inventions. November 1929. Pages 100-101.

New York Times. March 9, 1943. “Sliced Bread Put Back on Sale…” http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA061FFF3C59147B93CBA91788D85F478485F9&scp=1&sq=sliced+bread&st=p, as of July 7, 2008.

Wikipedia. Sliced Bread. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliced_bread, as of July 7, 2008.

Trooper Doughboy

“Doughboy” was more than just a mascot; he was an honorary Trooper and considered as much a member of the New Jersey State Police as any member of the K9 Unit is today. He was the “fifth member of the State Police force” at the Columbus Station. “When Sergeant Haussling left here on calls the dog always went with him. When a prisoner got rough, Doughboy also would get in the melee.”

Like many of the early New Jersey State Troopers, Doughboy was an immigrant from Germany. He was born during the First World War and was originally owned by a German officer. One night he wandered over “No Man’s Land” to the American trenches. There, Captain Robert G. Hamilton of the American Expeditionary Force adopted him, eventually bringing him home to New Jersey.

In 1921 Robert Hamilton and Doughboy took rôles in the silent film Ten Nights In The Bar Room. Released in December 1921, the film was directed by Oscar Apfel. Based on Timothy Shay Arthur’s novel of the same name, the movie was a propaganda film supporting the Temperance Movement. In it, a mill owner loses his mortgage, and the life of his daughter, because of his drinking problem. Hamilton had a bit part as the “foreman of the mill”, and Doughboy role was to “howl when the drunkard’s daughter died. To get Doughboy to howl, they played a mouth organ just out of range of the camera.”

Doughboy joined the State Police when Hamilton enlisted in 1922 as a member of the 2nd Class. Interestingly, Hamilton enlisted with the rank of Captain. He brought Doughboy with him to Wilburtha (West Trenton). It was while he was stationed at Wilburtha in 1925 that Doughboy learned to ride a motorcycle. Later, he and Hamilton were transferred to the barracks in Columbus, New Jersey. When Captain Hamilton retired in 1927, he left Doughboy in the care of the Troopers stationed there.

Doughboy never learned to like the “mouth organ” as can be evidenced by the now famous photograph of him “singing” as Trooper William O. Sawyer plays his harmonica. While Sawyer insisted Doughboy was trying to sing along, his fellow Troopers asserted that he was “trying to ‘howl down’ the Trooper in order that the ‘shame’ of his playing ability may not be broadcast over the countryside.’”

On September 4, 1932(?), Doughboy became ill. His fellow Troopers tried to nurse him back to health and even administered medicine to him, but on the morning of September 6th they awoke and found he had died during the night.

Doughboy was granted a full State Police funeral. He was transported to Wilburtha Barracks, present day Division Headquarters, where he was buried with military honors, “wearing a blanket bearing the initials of the New Jersey state police – ‘N. J. S. P.’”

Doughboy served the New Jersey State Police for twelve years and was about 14 years old when he died.
______________
Sources:
“Trooper Doughboy” Dotes on Army Sort of Uniform.” Unidentified newspaper.
“Dog of War and Actor Dies; Pet of Columbus Troopers.” Unidentified newspaper.
“Ten Nights in a Barroom (1913).” Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0003438
“Ten Nights in a Bar Room (1921).” Internet Movie Database. http://www.indb.com/title/tt0013660

The First NJSP Civilian Killed "In the Line of Duty"

On December 19, 1924, the headlines of a local New Jersey newspaper read: "TROOPER SLAIN BY CAPTIVE; ONE DEATH IN HUNT: One Man Believed To Be Balked Bandit Kills Officer Near Mansville."



Those headlines were in regards to the murder of Trooper Robert Coyle #64, the first New Jersey State Trooper murdered in the line of duty. The story of Trooper Coyle's death is well documented in State Police history. However, there was an additional sub-headline that is not remembered: "Mechanic Is Killed and Another Hurt in Accident While Seeking Slayer: Cycle Hits Truck In Search." That mechanic was State Police civilian employee William Morton.



On the afternoon of December 18, 1924 Troopers John Gregovesir and Robert Coyle foiled an attempt to steal the $6,400 payroll of the Bound Brook Stone Company at Chimney Rock in Martinsville, New Jersey. The Troopers were escorting the suspect to the Plukemin Sub-Station for questioning.



"The two Troopers sat in the front seat leaving the suspect unattended in the back seat. While driving along the highway near Chimney Rock...the suspect suddenly shouted 'Hands up!' Trooper Coyle, who was riding in the passenger seat, turned and the man fired a blank directly into Coyle's face. The man then wrested Coyle's revolver from him and fired two shots into Trooper Coyle's back. He died immediately."



The payroll suspect turned murderer fled the scene and a manhunt ensued. At 2:30 in morning the following day, State Police civilian mechanic William Morton was riding in the sidecar of Trooper Harry Lindermann's motorcycle. They were searching for Coyle's murderer, but it is not known why a civilian mechanic was riding with the Trooper.



As they travelled between New Brunswick and Metuchen, they didn't realize that two trucks had pulled into the Lincoln Garage for gasoline. The trucks projected out into the street, their rear lights obstructed by tail boards. Linderman was able to avoid the first truck but he wasn't so lucky with the second one. He collided into a truck owned by the Phillips Company of Philadelphia.



The motorcycle continued another fifty feet before it overturned. Trooper Lindermann suffered a broken wrist and lacerations. Morton was thrown from the sidecar into a field, fracturing his skull as he landed on the ground. He died shortly thereafter.



Fred Davis, the County Detective investigating the case, declared the tragedy an accident. However, Lindermann was "held on a technical charge of manslaughter." Morton was taken to Gowan's morgue in New Brunswick and his funeral was held a few days later. He was survived by his wife and daughter.

Mystery Man

The photograph attached to this article is one of the most popular from the Hauptmann Trial. It shows New Jersey State Trooper Hugo Stockburger leading Bruno Richard Hauptmann into the courtroom in Flemington, followed by his attorney Edward J. Reilly. Behind him is Deputy Sheriff Hovey Lowe.

Take a close look at the photo. Until recently the only bit of trivia attached to this photograph was the fact that Stockburger is leading Hauptmann by the wrist – without using handcuffs. When asked about this, Stockburger explained that this was because of Walter Winchell.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Winchell was a very influential and powerful journalist. He had a syndicated newspaper article as well as a radio program. He was a close friend with both Owney Madden – New York’s top mafia boss – as well as J. Edgar Hoover. A mention in his column or radio show could make or break someone.

According to Stockburger, Hauptmann was led into the courtroom on the first day of the trial in handcuffs. Winchell saw this and was outraged. “This is America! Here we are innocent until proven guilty. Take those handcuffs off!”

And so they did. From that point on until his conviction, Hauptmann was led from his jail cell to the door of the courtroom in handcuffs. They were then removed and he was taken by the wrist and led into the courtroom. “It was ridiculous,” said Stockburger. “All he had to do was snap his arm down and he could break free, not that he could go anywhere.”

Until recently this was all we knew about the photograph. But there is another story to be told. Take another look at the photo. Notice that everyone is all looking in the same direction, towards the camera. That is, all except for one. The guy standing in the back with the glasses wearing a suit jacket and vest is not looking at the camera; rather he is looking at Hauptmann. Why? Old timers from Flemington already know the answer to this, or at least they should.

This gentleman is Benjamin “Ben” Karrow. He had the tailor shop on Main Street in Flemington and owned the only steam press in Hunterdon County at that time. According to his granddaughter, New Jersey State Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow, every night Ben would go to the Flemington jail and pick up Hauptmann’s suit to take to his store to press it. He would then return it the next morning and dress Hauptmann. He would be in the halls as Hauptmann was taken into court, so he ended up in almost every photograph with him. In this photo he can be seen checking out his work!

As the trial dragged on, reporters such as Winchell needed more clothes. They asked Karrow if he could help them out. He sent his son, Solomon “Sol” Karrow to Manhattan to buy suites for the reporters and this is how the new family business, “Karrow Menswear” got started.
Born on August 8, 1894 Ben Karrow was known around town as a very generous philanthropist and during the Great Depression he let families buy clothes on credit. He helped out the families in rural Hunterdon County as much as possible and was greatly admired by just about everyone in the county.

An Orthodox Jew, he sold the first Israel Bonds in the 1940s and was one of the first Americans invited to the newly created state of Israel in 1948, flying there with James Grover McDonald, the first American Ambassador to Israel.When Ben died in May 1982 he was buried with a Torah, one of the greatest honors for an Orthodox Jew and an honor well deserved by this generous and much loved man.

Timeline of Events: March 1, 1932

In 2004, I compiled a timeline of events for March 1, 1932. Based upon the actual statements and testimony of the people living at the Lindbergh Estate in Hopewell and Mrs. Lindbergh's mother's estate in Englewood, the timeline is an attempt to show not only where everyone was and what they were doing at a specific time, but also to show the contradictions in their sworn statements and testimony. What the contradictions mean, I do not know; that is up for researchers to decide.

The descriptions given below are in the words of those who witnessed the events first hand. Major Lanphier is the only exception. His statement is based upon comments made to him by Colonel Lindbergh and is considered by most historians to be Lindbergh's unofficial account of the events.

It is hoped that this timeline will be of assistance to researchers, "Lindbergh kidnapping buffs" and potential authors as they try to figure out "who was where when". As you can see by the contradictory nature of the statements and testimony, that is not easy to figure out.

The limitations of this website made the layout difficult. A PDF version in a slightly different layout may be obtained free of charge my e-mailing me at mwfalzini[at]yahoo.com (replace the [at] with @). Please note that while the copyright for both the PDF version and this blog version is held by me students, authors and researchers are free to quote from this provided proper credit is given.

In addition to Charles and Anne Lindbergh, the following individuals are quoted throughout the time line:

Septimus S. Banks – butler at the Morrow estate
Henry Ellerson – chauffeur for the Morrow family
Betty Gow – the Lindbergh baby’s Scottish nanny
Henry “Red” Johnson – Betty Gow’s Norwegian boyfriend
Johannes Junge – husband of Marguerite Junge
Marguerite Junge – seamstress at the Morrow estate and the wife of Johannes Junge
John Kristofek – a neighbor of Lindbergh’s
Joseph Kuchta – a neighbor of Lindbergh’s
Major Lanphier – Lindbergh’s closest personal friend
Sebastian Benjamin Lupica – a teenage neighbor of Lindbergh’s
Elizabeth McDonald – Mrs. Morrow’s personal maid
Elizabeth Morrow – mother of Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Violet Sharp – waitress and maid at the Morrow estate who later committed suicide
Arthur Springer – head of household staff at the Morrow estate
Elsie Whateley – the Lindberghs’ English cook and wife of Olly Whateley
Olly Whateley – the Lindbergh’s English butler and husband of Elsie Whateley
Charles Williamson – Deputy Police Chief in Hopewell
Harry Wolfe – Police Chief in Hopewell

6:00 AM
Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
Elsie gets up and feeds the baby orange juice and rubs his chest with VICS

6:30 AM
Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Elsie gets up and feeds the baby orange juice, a bit of toast, rubbed his chest and tucked him in bed.

9:00 AM
Anne Morrow Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne eats breakfast.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Anne eats breakfast

Arthur Springer (Statement 4/12/32)
Arrives at his office at Next Day Hill

9:30 AM[1]
Elsie Whateley(Statement 3/10/32)
Upstairs arranging beds.

Unknown Time in Morning
Elizabeth Morrow (Statement 3/16/32)
Receives phone message from Anne saying “…she would be glad to have Betty come down and help her with the care of the baby. She had been making inquiries about the train to Princeton, but I told her that Henry Ellerson…was free and there was no reasons why he could not bring Betty down.”

10:00 AM
Joseph Kuchta (Statement 3/2/32)
Sees a large, dark blue touring car with curtains drawn coming down the road very slowly towards Lindbergh’s driveway. The driver had a stout face and the passenger a long slim face.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Comes downstairs and Olly tells her that Mrs. Lindbergh asked him to find out the train schedule for Betty Gow.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Septimus Banks tells Betty “…he didn’t think it was necessary…to take the train, as one of [the] cars could be used.” Calls Henry Johnson; leaves message for him to call her at Next Day Hill.

Septimus Banks (Statement 4/15/32)
Arranges for Betty to be driven to Hopewell after she calls him in the pantry asking him to look up a train that would connect with Englewood Station and Jersey City with a 2:40 train leaving from Jersey City to Hopewell. “On consideration I thought perhaps there might be some missing of trains, I arranged for Henry Ellerson to take her in the car…”[2]

Anne Morrow Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne is very tired; decides to have Betty Gow come down to Highfields. Anne asks Olly to phone the train station for train times. Whateley calls Englewood and calls Betty Gow to the phone. She and Anne speak and Anne tells her to come down to Highfields. Betty Gow calls back and tells Anne that Henry was not busy and asks if it would be all right to come down with him in the automobile.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne asks Olly to phone the train station for train times. Whateley calls Englewood and calls Betty Gow to the phone. She and Anne speak and Anne tells her to come down to Highfields.
Whateley tells Betty the train schedule. Betty Gow calls back and tells Anne that Henry was not busy and asks if it would be all right to come down with him in the automobile.

10:30 AM
Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Anne Lindbergh tells Whateley to look up train times from Englewood to Hopewell. Olly calls Betty Gow and tells her to take a train that would bring her into Hopewell about 3:30 PM. Betty calls back and tells Olly that due to the delay in waiting for the train she had obtained permission from Mrs. Morrow to have one of the Morrow chauffeurs drive her down. Olly gives this information to Anne who approves it.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty Gow receives telephone message from Anne to go to Hopewell by train. Betty Gow gets in touch with Mrs. Morrow who suggests going to Hopewell by car. Betty leaves for Hopewell with Henry Ellerson “…at exactly 10:30.” “We didn’t make any stops, went straight here and arrived here at 2:00.” Betty and Henry Ellerson stop at a drug store after leaving Englewood. “I bought something for the baby’s cold that Mrs. Lindbergh told me to get.”[3]

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty Gow receives telephone message from Anne to go to Hopewell by train. Betty calls Anne and tells her of what Mrs. Morrow said and Anne approves. Betty calls Henry Johnson and leaves a message for him to call her at Next Day Hill.

11:00 AM
Major Lanphier (Statement 3/19/32)
Anne phones Englewood asking Betty to come to Hopewell.

11:30 AM
Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Olly tells Elsie that he had “just received a phone call from Betty saying that Mrs. Morrow decided to let her come down by auto so that she would save time.”

Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty Gow was notified to go to Hopewell.

Septimus Banks (Statement 4/15/32)
Betty Gow leaves for Hopewell with Henry Ellerson.

Violet Sharp (Statement 5/24/32)
Betty Gow leaves for Hopewell with Henry Ellerson.

11:45 AM
Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty leaves for Hopewell with Henry Ellerson. They stop at a drugstore “…to buy something…”

Henry Ellerson (Statement 3/11/32)
Betty leaves for Hopewell with Henry Ellerson “…stopping at a drugstore for candy.”

12:00 Noon
Elizabeth MacDonald (Statement 4/13/32)
Elizabeth MacDonald (Mrs. Morrow’s personal maid) learns that Betty Gow had already left for Hopewell.

Marguerite Junge (Statement 3/7/32)
Betty Gow runs into sewing room at Next Day Hill “all excited” and tells Marguerite she has to go to Hopewell because “the baby is sick.” She leaves a message with Marguerite to be passed along to Henry Johnson when he calls.

1:00 PM
Arthur Springer (Statement 4/12/32)
Arthur Springer leaves for lunch.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne puts the baby down for his nap. Betty and chauffeur arrive at Highfields.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne puts the baby down for his nap. Nursery shutters closed; French window is open. Betty and chauffeur arrive at Highfields.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/32)
Anne puts the baby down for his nap. Anne goes for a walk.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty and chauffeur arrive at Highfields.

1:20 PM
Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty and chauffeur arrive at Highfields.

1:30 PM
Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Betty and chauffeur arrive at Highfields.

Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Henry, the chauffeur, has lunch and then leaves.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty goes into nursery; she washed, bathed and fed the baby.

1:45 PM
Henry Ellerson (Statement 3/11/32)
Betty and chauffeur arrive at Highfields.

2:00 PM
Arthur Springer (Statement 4/12/32)
Arthur Springer returns from lunch.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty and chauffeur arrive at Highfields. Betty sees Mrs. Lindbergh before having lunch. Betty and chauffeur eat lunch.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty and Chauffeur arrive at Highfields. Betty and chauffeur eat lunch.

2:30 PM
Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty goes up to nursery, picks up baby and dresses him. Betty remains with baby until 5:00 PM. Anne comes from her room to join Betty in the nursery.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty goes up to nursery, picks up baby and dresses him. Betty remains with baby until 4:30 PM.

Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Anne and Betty go together to the nursery and Elsie eventually joins them. While Elsie is in the nursery, Anne is outside throwing pebbles up to the window.[4]

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Betty picks up baby; gives him prune juice and tends to him.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne and Betty go together into the nursery. Betty tends to the baby and dresses him.

2:45 PM
Henry Ellerson (Statement 3/11/32)
Henry Ellerson leaves Hopewell; notices at the end of Lindbergh’s driveway a green Ford coupe in the road facing in the direction of Hopewell. It had one person in it, but it did not move when he honked his horn.

3:00 PM
Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty is in the nursery.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Between 3:00 and 5:00 Anne goes for a walk down the driveway and back.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Between 3:00 and 5:00 Anne goes for a walk down the driveway and back.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/32)
Anne walks under the nursery window, leaving footprints and throws pebbles to get Betty’s attention.[5]

4:00 PM
Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty is in the nursery.

Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty is in the nursery. Elsie goes downstairs for tea, shortly after watching the baby. Anne returns to the nursery and asks Betty to bring the baby downstairs.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Elsie and Anne visit the baby in the nursery and all three watched him playing. Elsie goes downstairs for tea, shortly after watching the baby.

Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
Elsie and Anne visit the baby in the nursery and all three watched him playing.

4:30 PM
Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Elsie visits Betty in nursery and stays for a half hour.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Elsie and Anne enter the nursery. Anne and Elsie leave nursery. Betty follows shortly after with the baby.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty brings the baby downstairs into the living room where Anne was having tea. Betty, Elsie and Olly have tea in the servants’ sitting room.

Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
Elsie goes downstairs to make tea. Betty and Elsie have tea in the servants’ sitting room.

Unknown Time in the Afternoon
Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty asks Elsie for a white thread but is given a blue thread as Elsie had no white thread.

5:00 PM
Arthur Springer (Statement 4/12/32)
Arthur Springer returns home after work.

Henry Ellerson (Statement 3/11/32)
Henry Ellerson arrives back in Englewood.

Ben Lupica (Statement 3/2/32)
Ben Lupica leaves Princeton Prep School.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty Gow is in the nursery. Anne enters the nursery. The baby wants to go downstairs and Anne approves. Betty takes the baby downstairs to Mrs. Lindbergh in the sitting room and leaves him there with her and the baby has tea with Mrs. Lindbergh.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty and Elsie have tea in the servants’ sitting room. Anne suggests taking the baby downstairs. Betty takes the baby downstairs to Mrs. Lindbergh in the sitting room and leaves him there with her and the baby has tea with Mrs. Lindbergh.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne returns from her walk and goes up to the nursery. Anne suggests taking the baby downstairs.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne returns from her walk and goes up to the nursery where she finds Betty, Elsie and the baby. Anne takes the baby to the living room alone and lets him run around downstairs. Baby runs into kitchen.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/32)
Baby has tea with Mrs. Lindbergh[6]

5:30 PM
Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty brings the baby back upstairs to his room and sits with him until she washes him for supper.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Elsie and Betty are in the kitchen. The baby comes into the kitchen and speaks to Elsie. He then runs around the table once or twice. Betty takes him by the hand and takes him upstairs. Betty reads to the baby.

Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
The baby comes into the kitchen and speaks to Elsie. He then runs around the table once or twice. Betty takes him by the hand and takes him upstairs.

5:45 PM
Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Baby runs into kitchen, runs around the table a few times and speaks to Elsie. Betty then takes the baby to the nursery and leaves him alone for 1 minute while she gets his cereal.

6:00 PM
John Kristofek (Statement 3/2/32)
Lindbergh neighbor John Kristofek sees a large, dark colored touring car with curtains drawn going in the direction of Skillman.

Ben Lupica (Statement 3/2/32)
Ben Lupica sees a black Dodge sedan coming around the bend at Lindbergh’s driveway on Wertsville Road with ladders across the top of the seats.

Ben Lupica (Statement 4/4/32)
Ben Lupica sees a black Dodge sedan coming around the bend at Lindbergh’s driveway on Wertsville Road with ladders across the top of the seats.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty, Elsie and Olly in kitchen. Baby runs into kitchen and says “Hello, Elsie!” Betty chases him around the table and takes him upstairs followed by Anne.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Baby walks into kitchen.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Baby runs into kitchen. Baby eats supper with Betty and she prepares him for bed.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Baby eats supper with Betty and she prepares him for bed. Anne enters nursery just as bay was finished with his supper. She remains until approximately 7pm when Betty asks her to go downstairs for some thread and scissors so she can make a little flannel shirt for the baby.

Betty Gow (Statement (3/10/32)
Betty leaves the baby for 2 minutes while she gets his cereal from downstairs.

Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Baby eats supper with Betty and she prepares him for bed.

6:15 PM
Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne returns to nursery; baby almost finished eating.[7]

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Anne returns to nursery; baby almost finished eating.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Anne returns to nursery; baby almost finished eating.

Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty and Anne prepare baby for bed. Betty decides to give him a physic, which he spills on his nightclothes. She undresses him again and decides to make a “proper little flannel shirt to put on next to his skin.” Betty leaves nursery and asks Elsie for scissors and thread. Elsie gives her the scissors and brings the thread to her later.

6:15 – 7:20 PM
(times not specific in statements)
Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
After supper but before tending to the baby, both Anne and Betty fasten shutters in the nursery.
Anne is in the nursery and gives the baby medicine and nose drops. She leaves the nursery at one point to get a needle and thread and flannel so Betty can sew a shirt for him.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne and Betty are with the baby in the nursery, straightening the room, closing the shutters and attending to him. Anne goes out of the room once to speak to Colonel Lindbergh on the telephone. He tells her he will be late coming home. Anne then goes to get needle and thread for Betty.[8]

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Anne and Betty are with the baby in the nursery, straightening the room, closing the shutters and attending to him. Betty and Anne both take care of the baby. They put drops in his nose, rub his chest and give him a physic and then change his nightdress. Betty and Anne both decide a shirt should be made for the baby to replace the flannel bandage already on him.[9] Anne leaves the room to get scissors and thread. Anne plays with the baby while Betty cuts and stitches the flannel shirt.

7:00 PM
Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty asks Anne to go downstairs for some thread and scissors so she can make a little flannel shirt for the baby. Betty makes the flannel shirt for the baby.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Colonel Lindbergh calls and tells Anne that he will be a little late getting home.

7:30 PM
Ernie Miller (Statement 6/11/32)
Ernie Miller picks up Elmer Johnson and then Katherine Minners.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Baby put to bed. Betty and Anne close and lock shutters except for the warped shutter. Both Betty and Anne leave the nursery and the baby was lying in bed and Betty closes the door. Betty washes-up in the bathroom.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty puts homemade t-shirt on baby and puts him to bed and then Anne and Betty both go around to the windows, shutting the shutters. Betty opens one window in the rear of the room. “This window opens inward. I opened the window half-way.”[10] Anne leaves nursery before Betty. Betty puts light out and closes the door tight. Both doors to nursery are closed. Betty goes into the baby’s bathroom and washes some of the baby’s clothes. She remains in there until 8:00 PM.

Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty opens the French window. Betty and Anne close and lock shutters except for the warped shutter.

Anne Lindbergh (3/11/32)
Baby put to bed. Anne leaves the nursery before Betty and goes to her desk in the living room. She does not see which window Betty opens. Library lights are off. Connecting door between living room and library is closed.

Anne Lindbergh (3/13/32)
Baby put to bed. Anne leaves nursery and goes immediately to the living room and sits at her desk to await Colonel Lindbergh’s arrival. Connecting door between living room and library is closed. Library lights are off.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Baby put to bed. Anne leaves nursery at sits at her desk in the living room for an hour.

Major Lanphier (Statement 3/19/32)
Baby is put to bed. Anne leaves nursery and sits at desk in living room for an hour.

7:30 – 8:25 PM
(times not specific in statements)
Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne stays at her desk “listening for Colonel Lindbergh…looking at my watch all the time, waiting for him.”

Major Lanphier (Statement 3/19/32)
Anne waits in library for Colonel Lindbergh to arrive. Anne hears sound of car on gravel.

7:45 PM
Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Olly has supper. Elsie prepares the family’s supper.

Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty comes down to the kitchen and Olly suggests that she and Elsie eat dinner.

7:50 PM
Violet Sharp (Statement 4/13/32)
Violet receives phone call from a man [Ernie] asking her to meet him.

Marguerite Junge (Statement 3/7/32)
Marguerite Junge goes to her husband’s room at 96 Engle Street and finds Red Johnson there.

Johannes Junge (Statement 4/14/32)
Marguerite Junge goes to her husband’s room at 96 Engle Street and finds Red Johnson there.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty re-enters nursery. She pins the covers to the mattress, puts out the bathroom light and her bedroom light and goes downstairs to the cellar to hang up some of the clothes she had washed in the bathroom sink. Betty returns to the servants’ sitting room and eats supper with Elsie.

8:00 PM
Johannes Junge (Statement 3/9/32)
Henry Johnson arrives at Johannes Junge’s room at 96 Engle Street, Englewood, NJ.

Johannes Junge (Statement 4/14/32)
Henry Johnson arrives at Johannes Junge’s room at 96 Engle Street, Englewood, NJ.

Ernie Miller (Statement 6/11/32)
Ernie Miller arrives at the gate to Next Day Hill and waits for Violet Sharp.

Violet Sharp (Statement 3/10/32)
Violet Sharp receives phone call from a man [Ernie] asking her to meet him.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty finishes washing up in the bathroom and re-enters the nursery, finding the baby asleep.
Betty leaves the nursery and tells Mrs. Lindbergh that the baby is fast asleep. She then goes to eat supper with the cook, Elsie Whateley, in the kitchen. Elsie leaves Betty alone while she eats. Betty turns on the radio after supper and sits alone, reading a book for 5 minutes. The butler, Olly Whateley, calls Betty to the phone. Betty returns to the sitting room where she sat alone for 10 minutes before being joined by Elsie. Elsie suggests that Betty go upstairs with her to look at new clothes.

Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty comes downstairs and tells Anne that she looked in on the baby, pinned him into the bed and that he had gone to sleep immediately and was breathing easily. Betty eats dinner with Elsie while Olly is in the pantry.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Betty comes downstairs and tells Anne that she looked in on the baby, pinned him into the bed and that he had gone to sleep immediately and was breathing easily.

Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty comes down from the nursery into the sitting room and eats dinner with Olly and Elsie.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Olly and Elsie prepare dinner for the Lindberghs in the kitchen. Betty goes into the sitting room and reads and puts on the radio. Wahgoosh is in the sitting room in his basket..

8:05 – 8:10 PM
Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne thinks she hears the sound of car wheels on gravel.

8:15 PM
Ernie Miller (Statement 6/11/32)
Tired of waiting for Violet Sharp, Ernie Miller drives his car up to the Morrow house and stops by the pantry entrance.[11]

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Olly suggests that Betty and Elsie eat their dinner.

Major Lanphier (Statement 3/19/32)
Colonel Lindbergh arrives home and blows his horn.

8:20 PM
Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Olly, Elsie and Betty sit around until Colonel Lindbergh arrives. Olly and Elsie prepare and serve dinner for the Lindberghs.

Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
Colonel Lindbergh arrives.

8:25 PM
Charles Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Colonel Lindbergh arrives home.

Charles Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/32)
Colonel Lindbergh arrives home.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne hears Colonel Lindbergh’s car and horn.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne hears Colonel Lindbergh’s car and horn “at least fifteen minutes” after hearing the sound of car wheels on gravel.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Anne hears Colonel Lindbergh’s car and horn.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Elsie gets up to attend to Colonel Lindbergh’s supper. Betty finishes eating alone.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Elsie hears Colonel Lindbergh’s horn. She returns to the kitchen to hurry-up the dinner and Whateley assisted her.

8:30 PM
Violet Sharp (Statement 3/10/32)
Violet notices a man [Ernie] outside the pantry door.

Violet Sharp (Statement 5/24/32)
Violet notices a man [Ernie] outside the pantry door.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty hears Colonel Lindbergh blow his horn.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh go upstairs to their bathroom for 5 minutes where he washes his hands.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh go upstairs to their bathroom for 5 minutes where he washes his hands.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh go upstairs to their bathroom for 5 minutes where he washes his hands.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty remains in the sitting room listening to the radio.

Johannes Junge (Statement 3/9/32)
Henry Johnson leaves Johannes Junge’s room to call Betty Gow.

Johannes Junge (Statement 4/14/32)
Henry Johnson leaves Johannes Junge’s room to call Betty Gow.

8:35 PM
Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh eat supper. After supper, Anne and Colonel Lindbergh enter living room. Anne sits on sofa “for a very short time [not] more than a minute or two.” Colonel Lindbergh takes a bath.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh eat supper. After supper, Anne and Colonel Lindbergh enter living room and sit by the fire for not more than 5 minutes. Anne and Colonel Lindbergh go upstairs into their bedroom for 10 – 15 minutes, talking. Colonel Lindbergh takes a bath.

8:40 PM
Marguerite Junge (Statement 3/7/32)
Henry Johnson leaves Johannes Junge’s apartment to call Betty Gow.

8:45 PM
Henry Johnson (Statement 3/8/32)
Henry Johnson calls Betty Gow in Hopewell.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Olly calls Betty to the phone. Betty returns to the servants’ sitting room telling Elsie who was on the phone and then turns on the radio.[12] Elsie and Olly join Betty in the sitting room. Elsie asks Betty to join her upstairs to look at dresses.

9:00 PM
Joseph Kuchta (Statement 3/2/32)
Lindbergh neighbor Joseph Kuchta hears his dog barking. “I followed the sound of his bark and he seemed to be running toward the Lindbergh estate near the chicken coops. He barked for about 4 or 5 minutes and there were sharp yelps as though he was chasing somebody.”

Joseph Kristofek (Statement 3/2/32)
Lindbergh neighbor Joseph Kristofek hears his dog barking down towards the Lindbergh estate for 5 – 10 minutes.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
The telephone rings and Whateley answers and calls Betty to the phone. Betty tells Henry Johnson was on the phone and why he called. Anne and Colonel Lindbergh finish their dinner a little after 9:00. Elsie and Olly clear the table, wash and dry the dishes. Olly and Elsie finish washing dishes and join Betty in the sitting room and sat talking until 9:15. Betty remains in the sitting room.

Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty is in the servants’ sitting room. Elsie and Olly clear the dinner table, wash and dry the dishes.

Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Olly and Elsie finish washing the dishes and join Betty in the sitting room and sat talking until 9:15.

Charles Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh finish dinner and enter living room. Colonel Lindbergh hears a noise.

Charles Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh finish dinner and enter living room. Colonel Lindbergh ears a noise.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh finish their dinner a little after 9:00

9:10 PM
Marguerite Junge (Statement 3/7/32)
Henry Johnson returns to 96 Engle Street after talking with Betty Gow on the telephone.

Johannes Junge (Statement 3/9/32)
Henry Johnson returns to 96 Engle Street after talking with Betty Gow on the telephone.

9:15 PM
Charles Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh go upstairs to their bedroom.

Charles Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh go upstairs to their bedroom.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/32)
Anne and Colonel Lindbergh go upstairs to their bedroom.

Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Elsie and Betty go upstairs to Elsie’s room to try on dresses. Olly remains in living room reading a newspaper. Elsie and Betty go upstairs to Elsie’s room to try on dresses.

9:20 – 9:40 PM
Marguerite Junge (Statement 3/7/32)
Henry Johnson, Marguerite and Johannes Junge go to a coffee house.

Johannes Junge (Statement 3/9/32)
Henry Johnson, Marguerite and Johannes Junge go to a coffee house.

Johannes Junge (Statement 4/14/32)
Henry Johnson, Marguerite and Johannes Junge go to a coffee house.

9:30 PM
Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Colonel Lindbergh enters the library. Anne remains upstairs and draws a bath.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)[13]
Colonel Lindbergh enters the library. Anne remains upstairs and draws a bath.

9:45 PM
Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne walks down hall to get toothpaste from baby’s room. She does not turn on the lights and she returns immediately to her bedroom.

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne walks down hall to get toothpaste from baby’s room. She does not turn on the lights and she returns immediately to her bedroom.

10:00 PM
Ernie Miller (Statement 6/11/32)
Violet Sharp and her friends leave the Peanut Grill.

Marguerite Junge (Statement 3/7/32)
Henry Johnson, Marguerite and Johannes Junge go for a car ride around Hudson Drive.[14]

Johannes Junge (Statement 3/9/32)
Henry Johnson, Marguerite and Johannes Junge go for a car ride around Hudson Drive.

Johannes Junge (Statement 4/14/32)
Henry Johnson, Marguerite and Johannes Junge go for a car ride around Hudson Drive.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/3/32)
Elsie and Olly are in the kitchen. Betty checks on the baby at approximately 9:57 PM. She enters the bathroom and puts on the heater. She then opens the door to the nursery and walks over to the window and closes it. She turns on the heater in the nursery and walks over to the crib, discovering that the baby is missing. Betty walks into Anne’s room through the bathroom door and asks if she has picked up the baby. Betty runs downstairs to Colonel Lindbergh and asks “…if he knew where the baby was.”

After Colonel Lindbergh is alerted, Anne enters the nursery. Meanwhile, Colonel Lindbergh runs past Betty, upstairs and into the nursery. He felt all over the crib, looked around the room and then entered his bedroom.

Betty Gow (Statement 3/10/32)
Colonel Lindbergh is sitting at his desk. Betty looks at her watch and exclaims: “It is nearly 10 o’clock, I have got to go to the baby!” She enters the bathroom and lights the light and puts the heater on. She does not enter the nursery yet. First, she goes to find Anne to ask if she would like to see the baby. Elsie meets her in the hallway and tells her that Anne is preparing for a bath. Betty says, “All right, I won’t disturb her. If she wants to see the baby she can go through the connecting door.”

Betty returns to the nursery, opens the door, crosses the room and closes the French window. She plugs in the electric heater and crosses back to the crib. She feels all over the crib for the baby. [Finding the baby not there], Betty walks into Anne’s room through the bathroom door and asks if she has picked up the baby. She then asks Anne if she knows where Colonel Lindbergh is, but she gets no answer – only a ‘bewildered look.’ Betty then runs to find Colonel Lindbergh. Betty says to Colonel Lindbergh, “Colonel Lindbergh, have you got the baby? Please don’t fool me!” Colonel Lindbergh runs past Betty and goes into the nursery and then into the bedroom and gets his rifle. He re-enters the nursery with Betty where he finds Anne and says, “Anne, they have stolen our baby.”

Lindbergh tells Betty to get Olly. Colonel Lindbergh, Anne, Betty, Elsie and Olly search the house for the baby. When he is not found, Lindbergh then tells Olly to call the police.

Betty Gow (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty looks at her watch and says: “I must go to the baby.” Betty enters the nursery, opens the door, crosses the room and closes the French window. She plugs in the electric heater and crosses back to the crib. She feels all over the crib for the baby. Betty goes into the hallway and sees Anne there. She asks if she has the baby. When told no, Betty says, “Maybe Colonel Lindbergh has him” and asks Anne where the Colonel is. Anne replies, “Downstairs in the library.” Betty runs downstairs to Colonel Lindbergh and asks “…if he knew where the baby was.”

Colonel Lindbergh runs past Betty and goes into the nursery and then into the bedroom and gets his rifle. He re-enters the nursery where he finds Anne and says, “Anne, they have stolen our baby.” Lindbergh then tells Betty to get Olly.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Betty looked at her watch and said: “Oh, it’s 10 o’clock, I have got to go to the baby.”

Anne rings for Elsie who goes to Anne’s bedroom and is asked to go get a ‘hot lemon’. Anne also informs her that she intends to take a bath. Elsie sees Betty as Elsie comes out of Anne’s bedroom and is asked, “Is Mrs. Lindbergh there?” Elsie tells her no, that she is taking a bath. Betty says, “I wonder if she wants to see the baby?” Elsie replies, “I guess if she does she will go through the connecting door.” Betty then returned to the nursery and Elsie went down to the kitchen.

Betty comes downstairs into the kitchen very excited and deathly pale. She grabbed Olly by the shoulder and said, “Whateley, quick, go to Colonel Lindbergh. The baby is gone!” He ran upstairs and Elsie says to Betty, “What is the matter, pull yourself together.” Elsie then runs upstairs leaving Betty in the kitchen.[15]

Colonel Lindbergh, Anne, Betty, Elsie and Olly search the house for the baby. When he is not found, Lindbergh then tells Olly to call the police.[16]

Elsie Whateley (Testimony 1/4/35)
Betty looked at her watch and said, “It’s 10 o’clock, I must go to the baby”

Elsie goes to Mrs. Lindbergh. As she comes out of Anne’s room, she sees Betty who says, “I wonder if she wants to see the baby?” to which Elsie replies, “Well, if she wants to, she is going through the other way, because she had gone through that door.”

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Anne rings for Elsie who goes to Anne’s bedroom and is asked to go get a ‘hot lemon’. Anne also informs her that she intends to take a bath.

Betty comes into Anne’s room asking if Colonel Lindbergh has the baby. Anne tells Betty that she does not know where Colonel Lindbergh is.

Anne runs into the nursery and finds the French window closed, the heater turned on and the lights turned on. She then runs back into the hall to find Colonel Lindbergh.

Anne returned to her bedroom to dress, followed by Elsie. She threw open a window “…and looked out wildly; I thought I heard a cry, but it was very windy.”

Anne Lindbergh (Statement 3/13/32)
Anne rings for Elsie who goes to Anne’s bedroom and is asked to go get a ‘hot lemon’. Anne also informs her that she intends to take a bath. Betty comes into Anne’s room asking if Colonel Lindbergh has the baby. Anne tells Betty that she does not know where Colonel Lindbergh is but that it is quite likely [that he has the baby]. Betty then runs to find Colonel Lindbergh.

Anne runs into the nursery and finds the French window closed, the heater turned on and the lights turned on. She returns to her bedroom where she meets Colonel Lindbergh.

Anne returned to the nursery again, looking through the bedclothes and closets. She then rushed back to her bedroom, followed by Elsie. Anne throws open a window and leans far out. “I heard what sounded like a cry over to the right and in front of me in the general direction of the woodpile. Before I could speak to Elsie she said quickly, ‘That was a cat, Mrs. Lindbergh.”[17] Anne then dressed and began searching the house with the others.

Anne Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Anne rings for Elsie who goes to Anne’s bedroom and is asked to go get a ‘hot lemon’. Anne also informs her that she intends to take a bath.

Betty comes in to Anne’s bedroom, entering through the hall door and asks if Colonel Lindbergh has the baby. Anne sends her downstairs while Anne goes into the nursery and looks hastily at the bed. She then re-enters her bedroom where she met Colonel Lindbergh and Betty Gow.

Charles Lindbergh (Statement 3/11/32)
Betty says to Colonel Lindbergh, “Colonel Lindbergh, have you got the baby? Please don’t fool me…you must have the baby, he is gone!”

Lindbergh tells Betty to get Olly. Olly is told by Lindbergh to call the sheriff immediately while Lindbergh waited upstairs. Colonel Lindbergh then called Colonel Breckenridge in New York and the State Police in Trenton. Lindbergh then issued orders not to enter the nursery nor to walk around outside until the police arrived.

Charles Lindbergh (Testimony 1/3/35)
Betty calls to Colonel Lindbergh in a rather excited voice asking if he had the baby. Lindbergh ran into the nursery and found the crib clothing still standing stiffly; the clothing had not collapsed and it was still attached by pins. He sees a note on the windowsill.[18]

Olly is told to call the sheriff immediately while Lindbergh waited upstairs. Colonel Lindbergh then called Colonel Breckenridge in New York and the State Police in Trenton.

Colonel Lindbergh goes outside after the police and Colonel Breckenridge are called and walks 100 yards down the driveway.

10:10 PM
Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Betty comes rushing into the room and tells Olly that Colonel Lindbergh wants him. Lindbergh tells Olly to hurry and call the police in Hopewell.

10:15 PM
Charles Williamson (Statement 3/9/32)
Olly calls Hopewell police deputy Charles Williamson.

Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Olly returns back upstairs after calling the police and Colonel Lindbergh tells him to search the house. He then joins the Colonel outside searching the grounds for 10 – 15 minutes.

Major Lanphier (Statement 3/19/32)
Anne prepares her bath. Betty tells her that she thinks Colonel Lindbergh has taken the baby and hidden him again. Anne is annoyed, goes to the top of the stairs and calls to Colonel Lindbergh, asking why he had taken the baby. Apparently not hearing her, Lindbergh comes out of the room where he was sitting and asks Anne what she had said. She repeats it and he then tells Anne not to move and he runs up to the nursery.

10:30 PM
Arthur Springer (Statement 4/12/32)
Arthur Springer is home and goes to bed.

Harry Wolfe (Statement 3/16/32)
Charles Williamson calls Harry Wolfe and tells him of the kidnapping. He rushes to the Lindbergh estate where he is met by Olly at the end of Lindbergh’s driveway.

Elsie Whateley (Statement 3/10/32)
Elsie finds Anne in the nursery and tells her to get dressed. “She seemed to be in a sort of daze. She said, ‘All right, get the clothes and I will dress in here.’ Then she said, ‘I will dress in my room, Elsie’ and she and I went through the bathroom and into her room where she got dressed.”[19]

While helping Anne dress, Anne says, “’I think I hear a noise’ and she opened her bedroom window wide and she said, ‘I guess it must have been a cat.’ We looked out and couldn’t see anything.”[20]

Charles Williamson Statement (3/9/32)
Hopewell Police (Charles Williamson and Chief Wolfe) arrive at Highfields. Lindbergh meets them at the front door accompanied by Mrs. Lindbergh. Lindbergh tells Williamson and Wolfe that he heard a noise but that it didn’t impress him due to the windy night. Lindbergh shows the nursery to Williamson and Wolfe. Williamson and Wolfe go back downstairs and out the front door into the yard. They examine the ground under the nursery window. They see holes allegedly left by the ladder and footprints. They see a 3-sectioned ladder about 75 feet away from the house. One section of the ladder appeared broken. One dowel was lying on the ground near one section of the ladder which was about 8 to 10 feet further away from the other two sections. Near the farthest ladder section and dowel was a wood chisel.

10:45 PM
Olly Whateley (Statement 3/3/32)
Hopewell police arrive at Highfields.

10:46 PM
Arthur Springer (Statement 4/12/32)
New Jersey State Police issue teletype alarm regarding the kidnapping.

N. J. State Police (Station Record 3/1/32)
New Jersey State Police issue teletype alarm regarding the kidnapping.

11:00 PM
N.J. State Police (Station Record 3/1/32)
First newspaper calls State Police headquarters concerning the kidnapping report.

Violet Sharp (Statement 3/10/32)
Violet Sharp returns to Next Day Hill and Ernie walks her from the car to the house.

Violet Sharp (Statement 5/24/32)
Violet Sharp returns to Next Day Hill and Ernie walks her from the car to the house.

Marguerite Junge (Statement 3/7/32)
Marguerite Junge returns to Next Day Hill.

Johannes Junge (Statement 3/9/32)
Marguerite Junge returns to Next Day Hill.

Johannes Junge (Statement 4/14/32)
Marguerite Junge returns to Next Day Hill. Marguerite and Johannes Junge and Red Johnson see “a small Ford car of an old type” parked between the house and the garage and a man and a woman walking to the house. The man returns to the car alone.[21]

11:15 PM
Violet Sharp (Statement 3/10/32)
Violet teases Marguerite about being out late.

Arthur Springer (Statement 4/12/32)
Standard News Bureau (NYC) calls Arthur Springer at home and wakes him up, and tells him about the kidnapping.

11:30 PM
Charles Williamson (Statement 3/9/32)
Trooper Wolf arrives at Highfields and questions the family.

11:45 PM
Charles Williamson (Statement 3/9/32)
Trooper Kane arrives and joins Trooper Wolf.

March 2, 1932

Midnight
Henry Ellerson (Statement 4/12/32)
Henry Ellerson calls Next Day Hill after hearing of the kidnapping on the radio.

3:00 AM
Harry Wolfe (Statement 3/16/32)
Chief Wolfe drives an unidentified State Trooper into Hopewell to meet with Mr. Hulfish, foreman of Matthews Construction Company that built Highfields.

4:00 AM
Charles Williamson (Statement 3/9/32)
Williamson and Wolfe leave Highfields.

Harry Wolfe (Statement 3/16/32)
Williamson and Wolfe leave Highfields.

NOTES
[1] Time is approximate. It is between 9:00 and 10:00 AM.
[2] Septimus banks received the phone call from Hopewell requesting Betty, however he does not state at what time this call came in.
[3] This obvious contradiction to the previous comment that no stops were made appears in the same March 3, 1932 statement by Betty Gow. The first statement about no stops is in her narrative and the statement about the drugstore appears during follow-up questioning.
[4] The exact timing of Anne throwing pebbles is not given in Betty’s testimony; however it is stated that it is while Elsie is in the nursery and also that Elise is still in the nursery when Anne returns at 4:00. It should be noted, too, that there is no mention of the pebble incident in any of the statements of Anne, Betty or Elsie taken in 1932. The story is not told until the trial in 1935.
[5] It is unclear at what time this occurred. In Anne’s testimony, it reads as if she went for the walk at 1:30. It should be noted, too, that there is no mention of the pebble incident in any of the statements of Anne, Betty or Elsie taken in 1932. The story is not told until the trial in 1935.
[6] The statement reads as if the baby was having tea. However, Betty Gow’s March 10th statement says that she took the baby down into the living room where Anne was having her tea. It would also make more sense if Anne and Elsie left the room much earlier than Betty and the baby, if she was already having her tea by the time Betty gets into the living room with the baby. [7] This is stated as “shortly after 6:00” in Betty Gow’s March 10th, 1932 statement.
[8] Based upon the time span covered in this statement and the statement of Elsie Whateley, the phone call probably came in right around 7:00 PM.
[9] It is interesting to note that in all accounts, the baby already had Vics rubbed on his chest and was completely dressed and ready for bed when it was then decided to stitch a flannel shirt to replace the flannel “bandage” that was already on him covering the Vics.
[10] This is the French window.
[11] The statement of Katherine Minners has these events happening at 7:45 PMand 7:50 PM.
[12] She later tells Elsie why Henry Johnson called, according to this statement. See Elsie Whateley’s statement of 3/10/32.
[13] The exact time is not specified in the March 13th statement.
[14] This may have been 15 minutes later, at 10:15 PM; it is unclear from the statements.
[15] The time that this occurred is not given in Elsie’s statement.
[16] Elsie thinks the timing of this search was around 10:30.
[17] cf. Elsie’s statement, 10:30 pm.
[18] Lindbergh states, “I am not at the moment certain whether I saw that note at [that] time or the next time I entered the room…but either the first or second time; I came back very shortly…not over 5 minutes.” (Charles Lindbergh, Testimony, January 3, 1932.)
[19] Elsie states that she is unsure of the time she helped Mrs. Lindbergh dress. “As far as I recall I think it was in the neighborhood of 10:30…”
[20] Note that here Elsie states it was Mrs. Lindbergh declaring the sound was a cat, yet in Mrs. Lindbergh’s statement she claims Elsie told her it was a cat.
[21] This is assumed to be Violet Sharp and Ernie Miller.