Evening star., 1934-12-30
STATE SAYS SBRUNO|
VISITED IN JERSEY
Surprise Witness Will Tes-
tify Carpenter Was
Out of City.
BY the Associated Press.

PENNINGTON, N. j., December 20.
The State of New Jersey has a
surprise witness who, an authoritative
source revealed today, will testify he
was told on the day Of the L1ndpHrgh
kidnapping that Bruno Richard Haupt-
mann had gone to New Jersey and
would not be back until late In the
night.
The witness, the source said, Is a
resident of the Bronx and Spanish
American War veteran. He IS asserted
to have told prosecution officials he
went to Hauptmann's home to get the
German carpenter to do some work
for him. At the door. he said, he
mann was not in.
Further inquiry, the witness has
told the State, brought the statement
from the stranger that Hauptnlann
had gone to New Jersey. The source
declined to disclose the name of the
witness, or anything pertaining to
him.
Denies Being in New Jersey.
Hauptmann, since his arrest three
months ago, has steadfastly main
tanned he was not in New Jersey on
the day or night of the kidnapping.
Lloyd Fischer, associate counsel for
Hauptmann, said today the offer of
John Hughes Curtis, Norfolk, Va,
shipbuilder, to testify Hauptmann was
one of the kidnapers of the Lind
bergh infant, puts the prosecution in
q dilemma.
THE State can't very well ignore
Curtis in developing its case. because
it convicted Curtis Of knowing the
kidnapers," Fisher said.
Attorney General David T. Wilentz,
chief of the prosecution staff, has in
dicated he will reject Curtis offer,
but the official word is that the offer
is still under advisement."
IF the State of New Jersey believes,
as many of their witnesses successful
II succeeded in proving to a jury in
the trial of Curtis, namely that Curtis
was in touch with the actual kidnap-
ers," said Fisher, -and I refer again
to list of witnesses who will also be
witnesses against Hauptmann-Frank
Wilson (Federal AGENT, Schwarzkopf
(head of the State police, William
Horn (State police heutenant) and
others-and John Hughes Curtis now
says that Hauptmann is one Of the
parties he contacted, don't see how
the State Of New Jersey could posi-
bly, attempt to prevent that testimony
from being given during the trial Of
the indictment against Hauptmann. !"
Repudiated Confession.
Curtis was convicted here in July,
1892, of obstructing justice by ham
pering the pursuers of the kidnapers.
A short time after the finding of the
babys body he signed written con-
fession at the Lindbergh home at
Hopewell in which he said his entire
story of having reached the kidnapers
was a hoax. Later prior to his trial.
he recanted the confession and main
tanned he, had actually reached the
kidnapers.
The State, in its case against him,
eletced to prove he knew the real
Ednapers and was obstructing justice
by not revealing their identities and
whereabouts. On cross-examinatton
however, the principal State witnesses,
including Col Charles A. Lindbergh,
declared they were convinced Curtis
had never been N touch with the
abductors of the child.
Judge Adam o. Robbins, who pre-
sided at the trial and who will be
associated with the Supreme Court
Justice Thomas w. Trenchard at
Hauptmann's trial. charged the Jury
that it must acquit Curtis unless the
State had proved beyond a reasonable
doubt that he had actually been m
contact with the hdnapers. The jury
convicted him after celebrating less
than three hours.