James M. Fawcett Speaking Engagement on Long Island in 1940
Feb 5, 2022 14:40:23 GMT -5
Michael likes this
Post by Sue on Feb 5, 2022 14:40:23 GMT -5
This is an event that has obviously passed.
In 1940, Hauptmann's earlier lawyer, James M. Fawcett, spoke on Long Island in the town of Freeport.
The Nassau Daily Review Star advertised about the talk a day or two before it was given:
July 16, 1940
Page 3
"Fawcett to Speak"
"James F. Fawcett, Manhattan lawyer and brother of Supreme Court Justice Lewis L. Fawcett, will speak before the Freeport Exchange club on the topic
"Some Criminals I Have Known" at the luncheon meeting tomorrow at the East Point house. Mr. Fawcett was an associate counsel in the Hauptmann
case defense."
***********************************************************************************************************************
This was the article in The Nassau Daily Review Star on July 18, 1940, page 22:
"Says Hauptmann Guilt Unshaken"
"No New Evidence Since Conviction Has Aided Contrary View"
"Development since the execution of Bruno Hauptmann for the kidnaping and murder of the Lindbergh baby have produced nothing that would lessen
the overwhelming evidence of guilt, according to James M. Fawcett of Manhattan, attorney of record for the Hauptmann defense, who was a speaker
before the Freeport Exchange club yesterday.
Mr. Fawcett told the club Hauptmann never had a chance for an acquittal because of the character of the evidence against him. He said the handwriting
on the ransom notes and Hauptmann's personal writings and particularly the errors in spelling duplicated in both were the most important evidence
in the case. Two famous handwriting experts whom the defense sought to retain refused to enter the case after making a comparison of the
handwriting, he declared.
Mr. Fawcett said Hauptmann told him about the packages of ransom money hidden in the walls of the garage shortly after his arrest and before
the police had taken the garage apart and discovered it. He said he was about to inform the police of the information, at Hauptmann's
request, when they discovered it themselves.
Asked whether he now was of the opinion that Hauptmann was guilty, Mr. Fawcett said:
'I dislike to give an opinion on such a thing, but judging from the handwriting, mistakes of spelling and other circumstances, it seems quite likely
that they got the right defendant.'
He said he believed the crime was committed by Hauptmann alone or possibly with the assistance of one man, the friend who died in Germany
prior to the trial.
Photostatic copies of the ransom notes and other documents that were used as evidence in the trial were exhibited by Mr. Fawcett.
He said he received a $10,000 fee for the case and paid out $5,000 expenses. He said Hauptmann paid the fee himself from money which he
had previously invested in stocks and real estate.
Austin M. Place, club president, was chairman of the meeting at the East Point house, Freeport."
In 1940, Hauptmann's earlier lawyer, James M. Fawcett, spoke on Long Island in the town of Freeport.
The Nassau Daily Review Star advertised about the talk a day or two before it was given:
July 16, 1940
Page 3
"Fawcett to Speak"
"James F. Fawcett, Manhattan lawyer and brother of Supreme Court Justice Lewis L. Fawcett, will speak before the Freeport Exchange club on the topic
"Some Criminals I Have Known" at the luncheon meeting tomorrow at the East Point house. Mr. Fawcett was an associate counsel in the Hauptmann
case defense."
***********************************************************************************************************************
This was the article in The Nassau Daily Review Star on July 18, 1940, page 22:
"Says Hauptmann Guilt Unshaken"
"No New Evidence Since Conviction Has Aided Contrary View"
"Development since the execution of Bruno Hauptmann for the kidnaping and murder of the Lindbergh baby have produced nothing that would lessen
the overwhelming evidence of guilt, according to James M. Fawcett of Manhattan, attorney of record for the Hauptmann defense, who was a speaker
before the Freeport Exchange club yesterday.
Mr. Fawcett told the club Hauptmann never had a chance for an acquittal because of the character of the evidence against him. He said the handwriting
on the ransom notes and Hauptmann's personal writings and particularly the errors in spelling duplicated in both were the most important evidence
in the case. Two famous handwriting experts whom the defense sought to retain refused to enter the case after making a comparison of the
handwriting, he declared.
Mr. Fawcett said Hauptmann told him about the packages of ransom money hidden in the walls of the garage shortly after his arrest and before
the police had taken the garage apart and discovered it. He said he was about to inform the police of the information, at Hauptmann's
request, when they discovered it themselves.
Asked whether he now was of the opinion that Hauptmann was guilty, Mr. Fawcett said:
'I dislike to give an opinion on such a thing, but judging from the handwriting, mistakes of spelling and other circumstances, it seems quite likely
that they got the right defendant.'
He said he believed the crime was committed by Hauptmann alone or possibly with the assistance of one man, the friend who died in Germany
prior to the trial.
Photostatic copies of the ransom notes and other documents that were used as evidence in the trial were exhibited by Mr. Fawcett.
He said he received a $10,000 fee for the case and paid out $5,000 expenses. He said Hauptmann paid the fee himself from money which he
had previously invested in stocks and real estate.
Austin M. Place, club president, was chairman of the meeting at the East Point house, Freeport."