Evening star., 1936-01-16

TIOAA i A oo dSS'(
was looking into the story Of Chi
cago Bridewell prisoner that he had
been offered $4,000 worth Of the
Lindbergh ransom money at 40 cents
on the dollar and that he had taken
some and distributed it here and
there"
A conference was held this morning
| in the office of Attorney General David
T. Wilentz here. Present besides the
attorney general were Prosecutor
Anthony NJ Hauck. jr.. of Hunterdon
| County (of which Pennington is the
seat); Col. Schwarzkopf and Special
Attorney General Robert Peacock, who
assisted in the prosecution Of Haupt-
mann.
The attorney general said the
Hauptmann case was discussed, but
that the conference was not called
specifically to consider it.
Wilentz added that he had no
knowledge of any confession in the
case. He came to his ONCE today.
he explained, to be ready in the event
of a call from Washington regarding
Hauptmann proceedings.
Mrs. Anna Hauptmann went to the
prison in the morning to see her
husband. Prison officials said that
today would be her last chance to see
her husband before the execution.
Their small son, Mannfried, was
brought to Trenton from New York
during the night. but was not taken
to the prison.
Mysterious midnight conferences in
New York hotel, presumably con-
Quoted by the Governor. raised specu-
lation that he was conferring with
other officials on startling new evi-
dence.
Hoover Is Silent.
Hoover, chief of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, left the hotel early
today, but declined to say whether he
had talked with Hoffman.
It don't know anything about it,"
he said of the reported confession.
ANY statement will have to come
from the Governor"
Two hours earlier Edward j. Reilly,
who was Hauptmann's head counsel
during the trial at Pennington a year
ago, had entered the same hotel. Like
Hoover, he was silent as to the reason
for his visit.
THAT comedies with my theory that
no one man could kidnap the child, "
he said when informed Of the pur-
ported confession.
"It looks to me as If Hauptmann Is
going to get a reprieve. 1t may
possibly be that this alleged partici-
pant was one on the outside men in
the actual kidnapping"
Although the night conferences were
surrounded with secrecy, 1t was an
nounced that late yesterday afternoon
Hoover talked in New York with New
Jersey and New York officials.
Schwarzkopf, Mayor La Guardia OF
New York and Police Commissioner
Valentine attended the closed meet
ing.
ALI who could be reached declared
the meeting had no connection with
the Hauptmann case, but in some
quarters there were surmises that Gov.
Hoffman had made overtures to the
oficials to study the value Of the re.
ported confession.
Reprieve Expected.
Both attorney general and defense
sources have said they have reliable
information that reprieve for 80
days will be granted, but Hoffman
himself has refrained from saying so.
His latest statement. made yesterday
from his office, was:
II have made no decision"
Wilentz, who with other key figures
In the case was in New York last night
commented: =.
*You know what. I said to the
Appropriations Committee, I have
reliable Information that the Governor
would grant q reprleve.'
The. New Jersey law. empowers, the
Governor to issue reprieves totAline
9o-days, although there has been some
dispute over whether one can be grant.
ed 90 long after the original conviction
There have been II precedents, how.
ever, for Hoffman staying the execu-
ton at this time.
I; Some believed the Governor would
delay the selectrocutieu u order "a