The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-17
Doubts One Man Committed
Crime, Governor Says
in Statement.


today justifying his reprieve for
Bruno Richard Hauptmann and
saying he doubted the crime could
have been committed by any one
man.
In the face of much opposition in
New Jersey to his last-minute action
saving Hauptmann from execution
tonight, and demands from some
quarters for his impeachment, the
Governor strove to convince the
public of the wisdom of his action.
Earlier in the day he signed the
official reprieve papers-one copy for
Hauptmann and one for Col. Mark
Q. Kimberling, principal keeper of
the state prison.
Pledges Calm Consideration"
In explaining why he reprieved
Hauptmann the Governor said he
questioned the truthfulness and
mental competency of several chief
prosecution witnesses and promised
to bend every effort toward calmly
considering some of the battling
phases of the crime and the subse-
quent trial of Hauptmann.
A few minutes earlier, DR.. John
(Jafsie) Condor, one of the chief
witnesses for the state, who now is
in panama, had offered by wire to
return for questioning and had been
told by Atty. Gen. David T. Wilentz
that such action would not be nee
esSary because Wilentz was of the
opinion that there was no new evil
dence in the case.
Mrs. Anna Hauptmann saw her
husband again this morning and
came. from the prison death house
with smile on her face.
Richard feels much better today"
she said. "His heart told him that
there would be reprieve."
Doubts Bruno viii "Talk"
Despite reports that Hauptmann
wanted to talk to the Governor,
Kimberling expressed belief that the
convicted murderer of the Lind
bergh baby will stick to his story ito
the end" insisting he is innocent.
II am fairly well convinced that
he isn't going to change his mind, y
said Kimberling. who has had
Hauptmann under close observation
/ for months.
Hoffman's statement did not give
definite citation of new evil
dence as a cause for his action in
granting reprieye, but he rounded
up various phases>of the case which
caused him to intervene and which
finally led to the reprieve.
Hoffman Expected Attack
OF demands for his impeachment,
the Governor said:
II expected it. If impeachment
is the price that must be paid for
daring to follow the dictates of my
own conscience, am ready to pay
it. A good investigation of the
Llndbergh case might be a healthy
thing-if an investigation is started,
will not run away"
He summed the reasons for his
reprieve as follows:
|. Doubt that the crime could
have been committed by one man.
q Doubt as to the value of evil
dence that placed Hauptmann in
the nursery of the Lindbergh home
on the night of the kidnapping.
3, Uncertainty as to the part
passion and prejudice" played in
the trial because of wide publicity
given the case.
4. Question as to the truthfulness
and mental competency of some
chief state witnesses.
5. Concern over eagerness of "some
of our reinforcement agencies to
bring about the death of this one
man SO that the books may pe
Closed"
This eagerness is reflected" the
Governor added, lin the order given
banks to no longer bother about
looking for the balance Of the ran
som money when approximately
$4,000 was still in circulation"
The Governor said, II make no
apology intend to give the public,
in due course, my reasons for en-
tertaining the doubts that L have
expressed and I intend to direct the
state police to continue. their search
t. any other person or persons in
vo' I'd in the crime. Col. Lindbergh
Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf (head
o. the state police and many others
have repeatedly expressed the opin-
ION that the crime was perpetrated
by more thu. one person and there
is no Justification now for abandon
ing that belief.
Meantime, Hauptmann is not be-
ing turned loose. I may say that,
to the best of my knowledge, he
has made no confession and has
offered to make none. When he
was told that his only chance was
to go before the board of pa-dons
say I am guilty and throw him
seslf on the mercy of the court, ne
spurned this opportunity. 1 am in
terested in the preservation of that
thing we have rather proudly called
Jersey justice and I hope that real
and full justice will finally be done
IN this case"
The reprieve postponed Haupt-
MAINS execution by at least two
months, though there seemed little
doubt that eventually he would die
in the chair. Under New Jersey
law, he now must be resentenced
by Judge Thomas w. Trenchard
who presided at his Pennington
trial. Judge Trenchard must set a
new date of execution not less than
four weeks and not more than eight
weeks from the expiration date OF
the reprieve.
Impeachment Demanded
While grave doubts of Hoffman's
authority to issue the reprieve re-
manned. there will be no challenge
Atty. Gen. David T. wilentz. who
had given as an official opinion
i