Evening star., 1935-01-02
The Trial at Pennington.

Decidedly the center of the atten-
ton Of the people of this country
today is Pennington. little county
seat in New Jersey, whose or
dinary population Of three thousand
has been swelled to nearly twice that
number by an extraordinary occasion.
That is the opening of the trial OF a
man charged with the murder Of an
infant. The crime was committed
nearly three years ago. 1t shocked
the Nation profoundly, for the victim
was the only child of one of the most
outstanding figures Of American life,
an aviator who had made history by
accomplishing for the first time a
flight by airplane across the Atlantic.
The circumstances of the case, Its
mystery, the prominence of the par
ents, the callous brutality of the kid
f1aping, all served to arouse the anger
of the people For many months pur-
suit of the kidnaper was futile. A ran
som was paid, without result. Then
the pitiful body of the victim was
found, in the woods not far from the
home. At last the chase closed in, a
man was taken with bills identified as
those that had been paid in ransom,
1F
found in his home, he was indicted
for extortion in one State and then
for murder in the State of the crime
Now he is to be tried for his life.
The crime of which Bruno Haupt-
mann is today on trial aroused the
country to a realization that the kid
naping of hostages for ransom had
become a menace of the gravest char
acter. Congress enacted a law which
extended the Federal jurisdiction to
permit pursuit by the agencies Of the
Government of the United States, and
in the exercise of that right attack
was launched upon the organized
bands Of kidnapers and other gang
sters that has led to the capture, the
killing and the imprisonment OF nu-
merous desperadoes who have for sew
eral years been engaged in murderous
enterprises. The kidnapping and muir
der of the Lindbergh child thus
brought about reform that has
greatly strengthened the law.
If Bruno Haupsnann IS convicted
at the trial which starts today not
only will a mystery have been DEF
initely solved but the process of law
enforcement in this country will have
been further strengthened. That he
is at least guilty of participating in
the extortion of ransom has been
proved by the finding at his home OF
q large part of the identical money
paid to him by Col. Lindbergh. In
New York he would undoubtedly have
been convicted on that charge, the
penalty for which is term OF i'm
prisonment for twenty years. If he
should escape the present accusation,
bv acquittal or mistrial, he may be
returned to New York to stand trial
for the lesser crime.
AS far as now known the case
against Hauptmann in New Jersey IS
based primarily upon the presumption
that the taker of the ransom money
was the stealer and killer of the child.
There is, however, certain circum-
stantial evidence to link him with the
kidnapping and murder. The State has
not disclosed its case in full. or even
in any large degree of detail. Hints
are given of direct testimony to come
to establish his presence near the
Lindbergh home just prior to the
crime. The defense counsel likewise
hints at attack upon the credibility
of those who may thus testify.
Upon the details of this trial the
country will hang with the keenest in
terest, for the case touches everybody
most intimately and acutely. A failure
of justice, assuming the guilt of the
accused, would be shocking blow to
the faith of the people in the process
OF law in America.