Evening star., 1932-06-11
The Mystery May Be Solved.

Of fruitless investigation marked with
bitter disappointments, has come de-
velopment which promises the solution
of this mystery. A maid in the house
hold Of the Morrow family, familiar
with the premises from which the child
was stolen and with the plans and
movements of the family has taken
her life upon the eve of further ques-
tioning by the police regarding her own
activities. The circumstances point
plainly to her participation in the
crime. She had on the day of the kid
naping te!ephoned to a man with
whom later she went driving. After
repeated questioning previously she
had identified this man. He has been
arrested in another State, has waived
extradition and is now in New Jersey
in custody. He has prison record
Another man has been taken in De-
troit as possible participant in the
crime.
At the outset Of the case it was felt
by many that the stealing of the child
was what is known as an inside job
The kidnapers evidently knew the hour
at which the child was left alone in
his bed asleep, when the members OF
the family were in other parts of the
house. 1t was also plain that the loca-
ton Of this room was known to the
kionapers. These circumstances pointed
to some collusion on the part Of one
or more persons Of the household who
knew the family routine as we'll as the
plan of the dwelling. The child's
nurse was first suspected, but was ap-
parently cleared.
Suicide in such a situation is usually
regarded as confession. In this case
the maid who had been quizzed re-
peatedly had evidently prepared herself
with a deadly poison, itself a circum-
stance Of significance. She may have
been innocent of any connection with
the crime; may have found herself in
volved in suspicious due to ndiscre-
tionS that were not in any way con-
nected with the Lindbergh tragedy
But the entire sequence of the case
creates a logical presumption of knowl-
edge if not Of some degree of partner
ship in the kidnapping.
1t does not follow that this develop
ment will lead surely to the solution OF
the case. The men in custody may be
able to prove alibis for the night OF
the crime. Indeed, Brinkert and his
wife have already undertaken to ac-
count for their time or that occasion
but, according to late reports, these
accounts do not agree. No word has
come regarding the nature or degree
of the connection between the Detroit
suspect and Brinkert.
The fact that Condor, Col. Lind
bergh's emissary in the payment of
ransom. has failed to identity Brinkert
as the man to whom he delivered $50 ,OO(
does not affect the case particularly
inasmuch as the ransom money may
have been taken by one who had nc
connection whatever with the kidnap-
ing. That lamentable episode Is to be
considered as a secondary phase Of the
major crime 1t is of course. to be
hoped that this, too, will be explained in
time
There is one sad consolation in this
case, that the delay in solving the
crime-if indeed it has been solved
did not bear in any way upon
the killing Of the baby, who evidently
was slain very shortly, perhaps imme-
diately, after he was taken from his
bed. In just what circumstances the
child was killed remains to be disclosed
The assumption is that the murder was
committed by these who stole the baby
If so. capital punishment will be the
penalty meted out to those who may
be convicted of the kidnapping, even
though the law making the stealing oi
person in itself a capital offense in New
Jersey, passed since the act was COM
mitted, would not apply to this case q.
kidnapping only.