The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-31

lllOoL Wlucly puDllClLeQ DdUy I,
Charles Augustus Lindbergh
Jr., spent the day like any
other normal infant at the
age Of II months.
In fact this secluded spot had
been selected by the child's famous
parents for the precise purpose Of
giving him a normal life by shield
ing him from the maudlin public
that insisted on interrupting the
private lives of the Lindberghs.
Present in the house as dreary
dusk drew near were the child, its
mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh,
AMI the regular household staff.
Three Household Workers
The staff was composed of an
English butler, Oliver Whatley; his
wife, Elsie, who was the cook. and
Betty Cow, attractive brunette
nursemaid.
Earlier in the day Miss Cow had
been at the Englewood home of the
chilG's grandmother, Mrs. Dwight
Morrow, and it had been planned TO
take young Charles there, too.
But the baby was suffering from
a slight cold; plans we're changed
and Miss Cow was called to the
Lindbergh residence near Hopewell
At p. nj. Mrs. Lindbergh and
Miss Cow took the youngster to The
nursery and saw that he was bun
died warmly into his bed.
Lindbergh Returns Home
Miss Cow made the rounds of the
windows, closing shutters. There
that could not be locked She strug-
gled with it unsuccessfully, then
turned out the lights and went out
of the room
At 8:15 Col Lindbergh arrived
unexpectedly from New York. He
was scheduled to have made an adj
dress at New York University. but
he had become engrossed in BUSH
ness problems and had forgotten
the engagement
AT $3.50 Whatley announced din
ner and the colonel and his wife
sat down to eat.
The meal finished, Mrs. Lind
bergh went upstairs to prepare to
retire. The colonel went to his
study to work over some papers.
Study Under Nursery
The stage now was set for the
first move in crime that was to
shake the world and to cause more
universal public interest than any
other of modern days.
AT approximately $50 Col. Lind
bergh heard what he described as
rather sharp crack" He didn't
pay any attention to it for the
whistling wind was breaking
branches from trees outside.
AT 10, nursemaid Cow, ready to
go to bed, took one last look into
the nursery.
The baby wasn't in it's bed. The
nursemaid hurried to Mrs. Lind
berghS quarters, found that he
wasn't there either and asked if it
might be that Col Lindbergh had
taken him downstairs.
Family's Fears Confirmed
you had better ask Col. Lind
bergh," said Mrs. Lindbergh.
At the nursemaid's question,
Lindbergh threw his papers aside
and dashed upstairs, his long legs
taking two steps a time
A haSty search revealed what
the Lindberghs and Betty Cow
feared. The baby was not to be
found.
While Col Lindbergh was the
nations No. hero and the baby
the nations No. child, they had
been out of the news for some time.
Headlines of the day were con-
cerned with Sanguinary battles
between the Japanese and Chinese,
President Hoover's special mes
sage to Congress and the investiga-
ton of the city government of
Mayor James ]. (Jimmy) Walker.
Colonel Searches Estate
Theq were destined for the hell
box the second Col. Lindbergh
called Whatley and told him to in
form police the child was missing.
A few hours later the whole
world knew that the Lindbergh
baby was kidnapped.
The Hopewell police already hav-
ing been informed, Col. Lindbergh
telephoned state police. Lindbergh
now grasped a rifle and rushed out
in the darkness in a futile trip over
his estate.
The police arrived and went to
the nursery. On the sill of the win
dow whose shutter would not lock
they found a footprint and note.
Ransom Note Found
The note said:
Dear Sir! Have so COOS redy
% COOS in 20$ bills Is 600 in los
bills and 10 900 in SIS bills. After
"a days we will inform you were to
deliver the mony.
We warn you for making any,
thing public or for notify the DO
lice.
the child is in CUTE care.
Identification for our letters are
signature"
The symbolic signature was COM
posed of circles of red and blue
with holes punched at certain
points.
This note was the first clew in
what was TO become the greatest
manhunt the United States ever
has known.
Ladder so Feet Away
Below the nursery window were
imprints of a ladder and several
blurred footprints. Investigators
found chisel and then, so feet
from the house, they found the
ladder. It was constructed in three
sections and it was broken at a
Joint where two sections Joined