What Happened On March 1st?

The evening of March 1st, 1932, began like any other in the quiet New Jersey home of Charles Lindbergh, the celebrated American aviator. However, it would soon turn into a day etched in history as the day his son, Charles Jr., just 20 months old, was kidnapped from his nursery.

Five years prior in 1927, Charles Lindbergh meticulously planned and prepared his monoplane, the “Spirit of St. Louis.” He attempted the daring solo transatlantic flight, a feat never attempted before, inspiring solo explorers such as Ellen MacArthur. After 33 hours, he finally touched down at Le Bourget Field in Paris. His successful solo flight across the Atlantic, a distance of over 3,600 miles, earned him instant international fame, which drew attention to the family name…

Then, Charles Sr. found the crib empty with a ransom note in it, and I couldn’t even imagine that initial panic and confusion that he felt.

A massive investigation was launched, involving local police, state troopers, and even federal agents. The ransom note, demanding $50,000, became the focal point of the investigation. John Condon, a retired schoolteacher, emerged as a possible intermediary between the kidnapper and the family. Throughout the following weeks, confusing drama added up, involving false leads, ransom negotiations, and growing public anxiety.

12 days later, a truck driver made a horrifying discovery. The skeletal remains of a young child were found in a shallow grave just a few miles from the Lindberghs’ home. Forensic examination confirmed it was Charles Jr., bringing an end to the search, completely horrifying America.

Without the ability of DNA fingerprinting, tracking down the culprit took 2 years. Finally in September 1934, a German immigrant named Bruno Hauptmann was arrested. A series of circumstantial evidence, including the identification of the ransom money in his possession, eventually led to his conviction. He was found guilty and sentenced to death, which was carried out by electric chair in 1936.

The Lindbergh kidnapping remains to be one of the most infamous crimes in American history. It cast a shadow over the Lindbergh family, with Charles Jr.’s mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, writing extensively about the trauma in her later years.