Post by Michael on Jun 13, 2012 15:43:57 GMT -5
Placed in our Archives by Admin For Joe
Within the first ransom note delivered, the relatively brief nursery note, I’ve put together some personal observations and musings, which I first posted in Dec. 2008 and have since updated. I realize that many of these may possibly be attributed, in part to what we actually know now about Bruno Richard Hauptmann, whom I believe to be the author, however many of them may serve only to reinforce these traits. With the recent discussion on the nursery note, I thought I would again throw these thoughts onto the table.
Handwriting
- attempt to disguise normal handwriting style
- written with wrong hand and/or pen held in awkward (higher up on barrel of pen) fashion to exaggerate or camouflage stroke characteristics
- first four lines in second note also penned in some form of intentional subterfuge but then abandoned
- arrogance, high level of self-confidence or possibly lack of awareness in police detection methods, through decision to employ personal handwriting and not pasted newspaper letters or typewriter
“Dear Sir” Salutation
– formal, overly embellished, indicates personal sense of superiority
- conscious effort to establish an immediate foothold and present himself on an equal level with Lindbergh, whom the writer sub-consciously nevertheless, perceives to be of a higher caste
The Symbol
- punched hole locations to confirm same person identity in subsequent notes
- overly elaborate and seemingly-extraneous artwork denotes level of thought given to the general plan and somewhat narcissistic tendencies of the writer
- blue rings represent Hauptmann and Lindbergh side by side and equal in stature
- both individuals now share the child (red sphere - blood) in the middle
– distance between templated holes from left to right is approximately 27 mm and 23 mm, the years both Lindbergh and Hauptmann crossed the Atlantic (1927 and 1923 respectively)
– wavy lines between holes represent the ocean crossed to get from one hole (location) to another
Slurred Ink
- whether intentional or not, denotes writer's desire to communicate first and foremost above and beyond a more professional presentation
- same tendency illustrated in less than careful construction of ladder
- someone with an Achilles Heel that he himself may have difficulty recognizing
Focus on Ransom Amount
- the first thing mentioned and establishes the writer's level of greed and desire for money
- detail and analysis in the breakdown of the specific denominations presented indicates traits of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Brief Instructional Content
- says what he has to say for the time being until he is certain that Lindbergh complies with demand to deal in discretion and not call in police
- also a subconscious indication this brevity was meant to portend a quick snatch and return of the child (dead or alive) for ransom payment
- not originally intended to go beyond the 2 to 4 days stated which reinforces kidnapper’s belief Lindbergh would deal with him in private
- a subconscious belief on the part of the writer that the impact of the discovery would require little more said to spur the Lindberghs' actions to recovering their child in the way the kidnapper demanded
- despite his general level of self confidence, an uneasiness on the part of the writer, due to his relative position in life, about directly addressing Lindbergh in this opening note
Unaddressed Envelope
- fatal error to the writer's plans in that he gave no outward sign that Lindbergh must deal with him in private
- indication of the writer's sense of superiority in assuming Lindbergh would open the envelope without first seeking help