The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-04
BRUNO'S DEATH.
REVIEWS BITTER
POLITICAL WAR
Innocent His Final Protest
as Condemned Slayer
Walks to Chair.
NO HINT OF CONFESSION
Hoffman, WiIentz Are Fac
ing Test on Public Reaction
in May Primary.
Copyright, 1886. by United Press)

Richard Hauptmann's last cry of
innocent" before he walked to the
electric chair recorded the Lind
bergh case today as the most con-
troversial mystery of the century.
Hauptmann died calmly, almost
indifferently, with his thin lips
sealed against the slightest hint of
confession.
And with the deadly surge of elec-
tricity through his body, there died,
too, perhaps the only chance that
the world ever will know the factual
story of the abduction and murder
of the infant son of Col. and Mrs
Charles A. Lindbergh in the Sour
land Mountains four years ago.
Around the world went the flash
that the state of New Jersey had
closed its books on the multimil-
lion-dollar Lindbergh case at 7:471a
indianapolis time) last night in
the electrocution chamber of the
gloomy old state prison. But just
as surely there were millions who
knew that Hauptmann had died and
who still were convinced that he
did not commit the crime alone.
Every Legal Fight Fails.
Hauptmann died on a stage set
for a fantasy and in a fitting climax
on crime that piled sensation on
sensation with such terrific mo-
mentum that even half an hour be-
fore the execution it appeared like
ly that the eternal something"
would yet save Hauptmann's life
for at least another day.
But at last the legend of the
Lindbergh case had run it's course.
Every legal battle for life had
failed him. At the last minute Gov.
Harold G.. Hoffman had announced
reluctantly that he did not have the
power to grant another reprieve.
If ever there was a time when a
man would speak from his heart
that time for Hauptmann was at
$3.50 p. N. last night.
He released the hands of two
Lutheran ministers who stood be-
side him in the death cell.
Nov just let me have a minute
to myself" he said softly in Ger
man.
Hauptmann Prays Alone
Silently, he knelt on the cement
floor beside cot stripped even of
its bedding. His head, clipped to
receive the electrode of death, glist-
ened in the light of an overhead
bulb. Hauptmann prayed.
For almost 10 minutes the man
who knew he was without hope said
his last prayer silently.
Then he lifted his face toward
the light. The shadows of the cell
bars fell sharply across his face.
III the death house corridor stood
two guards.
Now I'm ready" Hauptmann
said.
He got to his feet, the right leg
OF his brown trousers tapped. 1t was
slit for the electrode.
Investigation to Continue
A few minutes later Bruno Rich
ard Hauptmann was dead, but not
the legend of the Lindbergh case.
Gov. Hoffman's investigation of
the mystery will go on, he has IN
nounced.
Gov. Hoffman, who was deter
mined to solve the mystery before
permitting the convicted man to die,
sat in his office refusing to comment
on the execution. But political foes
of the Republican Governor already
were demanding a thorough invest
cation of the handling of the case
and opposition newspapers shouted
impeachment at the man who
tried to save Hauptmann.
G. Lloyd Fisher, Hauptmann's
chief counsel, will claim his body at
the State Prison morgue today and
arrange for its cremation, probably
tomorrow, in New York City.
Wendell Still in Jail
But while Mr.. Fisher and Mrs.
Anna Hauptmann, seeking refuge
from the madness of the last few
days in New York, arranged for a
private funeral, the political tangle
grew more battling.
Paul Wendell, former Trenton at
torney, still was in Mercer County
jail, held without bail, charged with
perpetrating the murder for which
Hauptmann was executed. He was
charged in Hunterdon County with
kidnapping the baby.
AT the same time Prosecutor.
William F. x. Geoghan of Kings
County (Brooklyn), intimated that
he is preparing kidnapping charges
against several unnamed men
who, Wendell said, seized and tor
tured him in New York to obtain his
confession.
MIR. Tisher, always convinced that
Hauptmann was innocent, an
nounced that Hauptmann's death
didn't close the Lindbergh case "by
a damn sight"
Early Test at Polls
Gov. Hoffman will have to test
public reaction to his attitude at
the polls in May primary in which
he is a candidate for election as
delegate to the Republican national
convention. Six months ago he
was mentioned as vice presidential
- even a presidential - candidate.
Now his friends are worried by fear
that he may not be elected to a
convention seat.
Atty. Gen. David T. Wilentz will
meet the same test as a candidate
for election as delegate to the Dem
ocratic convention.
Col. H. Norman Schwarzkorf,
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