dave
Detective
Posts: 130
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Post by dave on Jun 25, 2013 21:46:23 GMT -5
Hey!
Do yourself a really big favor. Read what Mike Badin has to say about the autopsy. There was something that Dr. Mitchell didn't check. Maybe Michael has a copy of Badin's report and could post it. I could tell you but hey the funs finding the facts for yourself right?
Keep up the good work! Dave
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dave
Detective
Posts: 130
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Post by dave on Jun 25, 2013 20:33:14 GMT -5
Do you guys really believe that the baby was shot? Your just kidding right? In 1983 I had a chance to talk to Hugo Stockburger and with the gun in hand he explained why the Lilliput was so popular with the German soldier of WW1. Short story. The gun fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. When a German gave up it was hands behind the head. The gun fit perfectly and out of site. The Yank or Brit never saw it coming. Right between the eyes. Get the idea? When I inspected Hauptmann's gun it was still loaded. It never shows in the pictures but part of the handle on the left side is missing, otherwise the gun is in mint condition. I have wanted to buy one for years but have never been able to buy one. I would suggest that you find a copy of a talk given in 1983 by Dr. Mike Badin. "Lindbergh Kidnapping: Review of the Autopsy Evidence." The baby wasn't shot. It was dead before it ever left its crib.
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dave
Detective
Posts: 130
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Post by dave on Jun 25, 2013 16:56:21 GMT -5
Hey Amy,
Sorry so long on getting back to you. Lot going on right now. For the last two years (Really) I have had a statement, like a bad song rolling around in my head. Maybe someone can help. I need to get to my files but right now I don't have the time. Here it is: (Little fragmented!) "When he told me what he had done.......from that time on I shunned his (Hauptmann) friendship!" It was Mueller or Karl H.. One of the two. Was it about Karl's wife or the kidnapping? Book or police report? Let me know if you find anything.
Food for thought. Do you think for a person to kill a child he would have had to kill before? I don't mean in the military! Get the drift of the question? A lot went on in "The Fatherland" before the trip to America.
Take care, Dave
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dave
Detective
Posts: 130
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2013 20:20:22 GMT -5
Michael,
I think they ( Some of the Family) think it is true. Condon haters will eat it up. Personally I don't buy it. I think over the years Condon or some of the family may have acquired some of the bills. I was offered one in the 80's, but before I could move on it it was gone. The Condon family have always made me wonder why they sold the note from the Lindbergh's authorizing the Doctor to act as their representative. Do you remember when that came up for sale? Did Hacker have some of the bills? I would say there is a chance. Was it as a result of being directly involved with ransom no!
As I think about now I think the whole thing of Hacker spending ransom money came from Harold .
One other thought about Hacker, he may have sold the notes or just plain spent them as the times got tougher. Gotta eat ya know?
I don't think too much time has to be spent on Ralph Hacker!
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dave
Detective
Posts: 130
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Post by dave on Jun 4, 2013 20:56:43 GMT -5
Hey Amy, Wayne's book is a challenge for sure! Good luck! Wayne was a good friend. It was through him that I was able to spend time with Anna Hauptmann. As far as his take on the case we ain't even close. When Wayne died his family gave me most of his files. I had a chance to really look at his findings. The thing I found the most interesting is the notebook by the guy who knew about the Lindbergh baby being taken to South America. I plan in the near future making that notebook available to any of the folks on the board who would like one. It's an interesting read. Wayne' s take was that Hauptmann was innocent, and he will explain that to you with over a thousand pages. Have fun!
As far as Hacker goes I can't pin it down where I first heard about him and the ransom money. The family member I talked to is sure. It will take more research. As I was thinking about it today Liberty Magizine kept coming to mind. All the Liberty material I have came from a guy named Harold Olson. I may have gotten the first story on Hacker from him. I'll have to do some digging. I have three file cabinets full of stuff in storage. I'll be getting it all out later this summer.
In 1979 I had talked to Tony Scaduto and we thought about doing a follow up to Scapegoat . I was convinced Hauptmann was innocent and everything I worked on then had that mind set. In May of 1983 I made a trip to New Jersey thinking I'd see everything for myself. I ended up staying the whole summer with many more trips after that. (Summer, Spring, Winter and Fall) Amy this Board is a great research tool. I wish I had it 30 years ago. Use it everyway you can.
I have always wished Richard wasn't involved . I feel that way even now. With all my research I feel I know him better than anyone alive today. But I have lived with the reality that he was the one who climbed that ladder and killed the Lindbergh baby as he slept. Believe me I would love to see something that would show he didn't do it, but I just don't see anything out there. And I'm really sorry.
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dave
Detective
Posts: 130
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Post by dave on Jun 3, 2013 23:02:18 GMT -5
The information on Hacker having some of the ransom bills is just information I have always known but where I first heard it I can't say or remember. About twenty years ago it was brought back to my attention by a distant Hacker family member. He was referred to me by my friend the late Wayne Jones just before he died. Hacker with ransom bills didn't fit with Wayne's story line I guess. The family member told me it was just common knowledge in the family. After the trial Ralph was spending the money. How much he didn't know. "No one was looking anymore so he started using the money."
These kind of stories will drive you nuts if you think about them for too long! But hey, that's what makes this such a great story to dig into wouldn't you agree.
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dave
Detective
Posts: 130
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Post by dave on Jun 3, 2013 22:14:12 GMT -5
I think I can bring some color that might be a little different from the usual. I'm looking forward to the book coming out in July, "The Sixth Rail." How about we set up a board (Maybe there already is one?) that deals just with Lew Bornmann and Arthur Koehler? Bornmann told me a lot of great stories about working with Koehler. I would like to see how the information from Bornmann stands against the new book. Could be fun!
Bornmann was a very kind person. Here's a little in site I got from him. One of the stories he loved to tell was what it was like being a trooper on motorcycle. "There's one way that never fails to prove if they worked on motorcycles in the early days. (I think he was badge #300) Look at their hands." Then he showed me his hands. "See all those small black spots in the heels (His words) of my hands. Ya know what that is? That is New Jersey rode. Gravel! That's the way you tell. No gravel, no motorcycle. I fell so many times. Lucky to be alive." I'll always remember looking at his hands and seeing what looked like pepper under the skin and thinking so many years ago.
Let me know what you think. Folks have asked about other people but I would really like to start with "Cap."
With regards to the "Death House Guard." I have heard several different stories about Richard looking up at ceiling vent or window. The guard told me that while they were walking the comment was about a star.
One time when I was at Bornmann's house he took me down in the basement. Over in one corner was a small desk. He want into the top drawer and took out a picture. He handed it to me and said - "Behold the man." It was the only picture I have ever seen of Hauptmann and Bornmann together. I've searched, but have never seen one like it again!
I look forward to offering some different stories that will give a new look to a great story!
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dave
Detective
Posts: 130
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Post by dave on Jun 3, 2013 19:20:58 GMT -5
In 1983 I asked David Wilentz what happened to the balance of the ransom that was recovered after Richard's arrest? He told me that the money was held by "The Deptartment of Treasury guys." After the trial it was deposited into Col. Lindbergh's personal account. He made a very strong point of adding that with Treasury holding the money no one could trade out bills for keep sakes. That being discussed with him close to 50 years after fact still made him very concered. I didn't know at the time I talked to Wilentz that Dr. Condon's son in law was reported to have had some of the ransom bills. Ralph Hacker having some of the bills I'm sure would have pushed the old man (Wilentz) right over the edge.
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