STATE OF NEW JERSEY
vs.
BRUNO RICHARD HAUPTMANN
Flemington, N. J.,
January 7, 1935
Present: Hon. Thomas W.
Trenchard.
Appearances: Mr. Wilentz, Mr.
Lanigan, Mr. Hauck, Mr. Peacock, Mr. Large, for the State.
Mr. Reilly, Mr. Fisher, Mr.
Pope, Mr. Rosecrans, For the Defendant.
The Court: Mr. Crier, you may
open the Oyer and Terminer Court.
(The Crier opens the Oyer and
Terminer Court.)
The Court: The Clerk will poll
the officers.
Court Clerk Fell: The officers
are all here.
The Court: You may now
proceed, counsel.
Mr. Wilentz: Miss Betty Gow.
The Court: The Clerk may poll
the jury.
[254] (The jury was polled and
all jurors answered present.)
The Court: One moment. Judge
Robbins has requested me to announce that he will hold an Orphans’ Court this
morning in the Surrogate’s Office, and counsel or parties desiring to address
the Orphans’ Court will retire and go to the Surrogate’s Office.
BESSIE
MOWAT GOW, called as a witness in behalf of the State, being first
duly sworn, testified as follows:
Direct Examination by Mr.
Wilentz: Q. I think you just stated, Madam, that your name was Bessie—is it
Mowat, M-o-w-a-t? A. Yes.
Q. Now residing in Scotland,
are you not? A. I am now residing in Englewood, New Jersey.
Q. Well, you are visiting
Englewood? A. Yes.
Q. You are living in Scotland?
A. Yes.
Q. On March 1, 1932, you were
in the employ of whom? A. Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh.
Q. And you had been in the
Colonel’s employ how long? A. Since February 25, 1931.
Q. Now prior to February,
1931, where had you been employed? A. Prior to that I was employed with
Mrs. Sullivan, of Glenwood Road, Englewood.
Q. How long had you worked for
Mrs. Sullivan in Englewood? A. Six months.
Q. Now prior to that, where
were you employed, Miss Gow? A. Prior to that I was in Detroit, Michigan.
Q. And where were you employed
there? A. In several places, latterly in the Whittier Hotel.
Q. In what capacity were you
employed by the Lindbergh family? A. As nurse maid.
[255] Q. And as I understand
it that was in 1931? A. Yes.
Q. What month? A. February.
Q. Had Charles A. Lindbergh,
Junior, been born then? A. Oh, yes.
Q. How old was he when you
came to work there? A. Eight months, I believe.
Q. What were your duties
specifically in the Lindbergh household? A. Taking care of the child and
taking care of the nursery and my own room.
Q. As I understand it the Lindberghs
would on weekends go to their home in the Sourland Mountains and on those
weekends did you accompany them? A. No, I didn’t.
Q. It was not the practice to
go to the Hopewell home? A. Mrs. Lindbergh took that opportunity of
looking after the baby herself.
Q. That is to say that when
she did go to the home in Hopewell during the weekends she would sort of be the
nurse maid herself, is that it? A. With the help.
Q. And you would remain where,
in Englewood? A. In Englewood.
Q. Now, on March 1st, 1932—that
was a Tuesday if you remember? A. It was.
Q. The family had been down at
Hopewell during that weekend; isn’t that so? A. Yes.
Q. Do you recall when they
left Englewood? A. I believe it was Saturday.
Q. Well, be that as it may,
you did not accompany them? A. I did not.
Q. And Sunday you still
remained at Englewood? A. Yes.
Q. And Monday, too? A. Yes.
Q. And you were in Englewood
on Tuesday? A. Yes.
Q. You finally did go to
Hopewell, did you not? A. I did.
[256] Q. And that was as the
result of a telephone call you received? A. Yes.
Q. From the Lindbergh home at
Hopewell? A. Yes.
Q. About what time of the day
was it that you were notified to go down to Hopewell? A. As I recall,
about 11:30.
Q. Now, until 11 o’clock on the morning of March
1st, 1932, you had no expectation of going to Hopewell at all that day? A. Not
that day, no.
Q. And finally when the call
did come you arranged and did depart for Hopewell? A. I did.
Q. What time did you arrive at
Hopewell? A. About 1:20.
Q. And when you got there had
you already had your lunch? A. No.
Q. Did you then have your
lunch? A. I did.
Q. About what time did you finish with your lunch,
Miss Gow? A. Well, I should say about two o’clock.
Q. And after that will you
please recount for us just those things that you recollect as having heard so
far as you know, for the rest of the day until we get to about ten o’clock? A. About
2:30 I went upstairs to the baby’s nursery, Mrs. Lindbergh accompanied me. The
baby had awakened. We took him up from his nap and into the bathroom. I started
to dress him. His cold seemed to be much better. Mrs. Lindbergh left me
dressing him and we played upstairs in his nursery for quite a time.
Q. When you say “we played
upstairs in the nursery,” you mean you and the baby? A. The baby and I,
yes. Mrs. Whateley joined us in the nursery after a while, and while we were
there my attention was drawn to Mrs. Lindbergh out of doors. She was throwing
pebbles up to the window, and as I recall—
[257] Mr. Wilentz: Just a
minute, Miss Gow. If your Honor please, do you suppose we would be imposing
very much if we attempted to get a little less noise outside? I don’t know as
the jurisdiction extends to the sidewalk, but we—
The Court: Well, we will try,
we will certainly try, Mr. Attorney General.
Mr. Wilentz: It certainly
interferes.
The Court: We will try, Mr.
Attorney General. I wish the Sheriff would designate some officer to go out
there and explain to these people that they are shouting, that we are trying to
hold court in here and that they are interfering very much with us, and we
would very much appreciate that they would keep quiet. The Sheriff will
undertake to do that. Is the Sheriff here?
Mr. Fisher: There is an
officer on the way out, your Honor.
The Court: All right.
Court Crier Hann: The officer
will relay your message.
Mr. Wilentz: May we have the
last question and answer repeated?
(The reporter repeated the
last question and answer.)
Q. Now in the meantime, Miss
Gow, you will do us the kindness, please, to raise your voice as best you can.
[258] Mr. Wilentz: Will you
please read the last question and answer?
(Question and answer read by
the reporter as follows: “When you say ‘We played upstairs in the nursery’ you
mean you and the baby? Answer: The baby and I, yes.”)
Q. Now that was until about
what time that Mrs. Whateley came up? A. I imagine about four o’clock
Q. Yes ma’am. Now, at four o’clock,
from that time on, will you please recount the events? A. Yes. Mrs.
Lindbergh came indoors after her walk, came up to the nursery and said she was
going to have tea downstairs; would I bring the baby down. I said, yes, of
course, and took the baby downstairs, I imagine about five o’clock, to where
she was sitting in the sitting room, and left the baby with her, and joined
Mrs. Whateley in our sitting room for our tea. About—
Q. That is, you left the baby
with Mrs. Lindbergh and you and Mrs. Whateley went to have your tea? A. Yes.
Q. While Mrs. Lindbergh had
tea and had the baby with her? A. Yes.
Q. Yes, ma’am. A. About
quarter of six, I should say, the baby came running into the kitchen, ran
around the table several times and spoke to Elsie. I took his hand then, took
him upstairs for supper. I left him in his room for, oh, one minute, not as
long as it took me to get his cereal from the kitchen. Came upstairs again;
gave him his supper. He hadn’t quite finished his supper when Mrs. Lindbergh
came into the nursery and she stayed with me then while we got the baby ready
for bed. We undressed him and just as he was about ready for bed I decided to
[259] give him some physic. In taking this he spilt some over his nightclothes.
Q. He didn’t like the physic? A. No.
I undressed him again and decided that I would have time to make him a proper
little flannel shirt to put on next his skin. I didn’t have sewing materials there,
so I asked Mrs. Lindbergh while I went out of the room to get material from
Mrs. Whateley, whom I thought would have some. Went down to the kitchen where
she gave me scissors, and said she would look for thread and bring it to me. I
went back up to the nursery. Mrs. Lindbergh played with the baby while I cut
this little shirt out. Mrs. Whateley came into the room with the thread and I stitched
it up very hurriedly and put it on the baby after having rubbed him with Vicks.
Q. Now, Miss Gow, right there,
you say you got some material from Mrs. Whateley? A. Not material, the
thread.
Q. Where did you get the
material? A. In the baby’s room.
Q. And you then sewed a sort
of improvised night shirt? A. Yes.
Q. And that was the part of
the clothing that you put next to his skin? A. Next to his skin.
Q. And can you tell from this
piece of clothing which I give you whether or not any of this was the garment
that you used by looking at it? A. Yes, this is the exact garment that I
used.
Mr. Wilentz: I ask that it be
marked for identification for the moment.
(Piece of cloth marked S‑29
for identification.)
Q. When you say S‑29 is the
exact garment that [260] you used, do you mean that that is a part of the cloth
that you used? A. Yes.
Q. The rest of it you used for
the baby’s shirt? A. Yes.
Q. And this remained S‑29? A. Yes.
Q. Now I show you Exhibit S‑13
and ask you whether or not you have seen this since the finding of the child’s
body? A. I have.
Q. And what is S‑13? A. This
is the exact little shirt I made for the baby that night.
Q. The exact little shirt that
you made for the baby. And is that the shirt that you placed on the baby as a
part of its night clothing? A. Yes.
Q. And was that shirt worn by
that child that night when it was taken out of that house? A. It was.
Mr. Wilentz: I want to offer
the piece of cloth at this time that heretofore has been marked for
identification.
The Court: I suppose there is
no objection to that.
Mr. Reilly: No objection.
(The piece of cloth is marked S‑29.)
Q. Miss Gow, I show you
another piece of cloth and ask you whether or not this piece of cloth has any
relationship at all to S‑13 , which is the baby’s shirt that you just referred
to. A. Yes, it has.
Q. It has? A. Yes.
Mr. Wilentz: I will offer it
and explain it in a minute.
[161] (Piece of cloth referred
to received in evidence and marked State Exhibit S‑30.)
[261] Q. Now, what
relationship is there between S‑30, which is the piece of cloth I just exhibited
to you, and the baby’s shirt, which is Exhibit S‑13? A. It has a seam
scalloped edging; it fits exactly there, as I cut it out.
Q. It fits exactly in the
shirt and that is where you cut it out? A. Exactly.
Q. And it was a part of that
cloth? A. Yes.
Q. Would you mind, please,
Miss Gow, showing just where that does fit?
Q. (Continuing.) Take your
time, please, and will you take this piece of cloth and exhibit to the jury
just where it fits. May I help you?
(Witness holds a new piece of
cloth alongside the worn garment of the Lindbergh baby under the armpit.)
Q. Now, will you just indicate
it to the Court? A. (Witness does the same before the Court.)
Q. You were talking about the
thread that Mrs. Whateley had given you that day. I show you Exhibit S‑28, a
blue Silco thread and ask you whether or not that is not the type of thread
that was given to you by Mrs. Whateley that day and which you used; isn’t it
the thread that you used in making and sewing the baby’s shirt? A. That is
the thread.
Q. And is that from the same
spool, the same type of thread as is in this baby’s shirt, S‑13? A. It is.
Q. The same blue? A. Yes.
Q. Now, in addition to that
shirt, what else did the baby have that night as you dressed it for bed? Did it
wear any overshirt over that, the one you [262] have just described, S‑13? A. Yes,
he wore a little woolen shirt over that.
Q. And was that a regular
woolen shirt that it had? A. Yes.
Q. I show you Exhibit S‑14 and
ask you whether that is the woolen shirt. A. That is the shirt.
Q. So that first it had S‑13
on, the shirt that you hastily improvised, and then you had S‑14, the other
shirt? A. Yes.
Q. Did it have over that a
sleeping garment or sleeping suit? A. In addition to that he wore diapers,
a rubber covering on top of that, then a sleeping suit. And on the sleeping
suit a thumb guard in each hand.
Q. Now, did you affix the
thumb guard? A. I did.
Q. Will you tell us how you
affixed it? A. The metal part over his thumb, the tapes around the wrist
of his sleeping suit twice, tied in a knot.
Q. In other words, I suppose
that the purpose of tying it around twice and in a knot was to see to it that
it was securely fastened? A. Yes.
Q. I show you Exhibit S‑16 and
ask you whether or not that is one of the thumb guards, the metal thumb guard
which you affixed to one of the thumbs of this child on the night of March 1st,
1932? A. It is.
Q. It is. And I notice that it is knotted. Is
that the knot in which it was tied that night? A. That is the identical
knot.
Q. The identical knot? A. Yes.
Q. It hasn’t been untied or
unloosened? A. No.
Q. So far as you know? A. So
far as I know.
Q. Now when you would affix
this metal thumb guard and you would tie it, I take it you would tie it around
the sleeping garment? A. Yes.
Q. Quite securely? A. Quite
securely.
Q. And was that a process that you followed
and [263] a procedure that you followed every night when you put the child to
bed? A. Yes.
Q. I suppose that is for the
purpose of preventing the child from sucking its thumb, is that it? A. Yes.
Q. Well, finally the child was
ready for bed, I take it, and you left the room? A. Yes, the child was ready
for bed, I put him in his bed, Mrs. Lindbergh and I went around the windows,
closed the shutters, we closed all the shutters tight except the one at the
window, the southeast window; this one we couldn’t quite close, it had
evidently warped, so we closed it as best we could and left it that way.
Q. When you say you closed it
as best you could, I take it that you mean you closed it but it didn’t complete?
A. No.
Q. So that you could not lock
it? A. Couldn’t lock it.
Q. But it was drawn against
the window? A. Yes.
Q. So that to all intents and
purposes as you looked at it, it appeared closed? A. Yes.
Q. And it was actually closed
but not securely, is that what you mean? A. Yes.
Q. Now, what about that
southeast window? Was that closed? A. Yes.
Q. How about the shutters, on
the other window, the French window, is it? A. Yes.
Q. Were they closed? A. Surely.
Q. You mean by that, I
suppose, that the lock attached? A. Yes.
Q. So that they were not only
closed but locked? A. Yes.
Q. So that you distinguished
between the shutters on the French windows and the one at the southeast in that
one was locked and fastened and the other was closed and not fastened. Is that
it? A. Yes.
Q. Now, with reference to the
windows, how [264] about the French window, was that open? A. Not until I
had left the room for the last time.
Q. I see. But at that time,
the first time you left it was closed? A. Yes.
Q. And the south east window,
was that closed? A. Yes.
Q. Now, that was about what
time, then, that you left? A. This was about half past seven.
Q. The southeast window was a
sliding window, I take it, like the windows in this courtroom? A. Yes.
Q. Slide up and down? A. Yes.
Q. And Exhibit S‑12 is the
picture of the—or indicates it and shows it, isn’t that so? A. Yes.
Q. And the other window that
you talk about was French window that opened out away from you; is that it? A. Opened
into the room.
Q. Opened in toward you? You say you left there
then about half past seven? A. Yes.
Q. Was the baby in its crib? A. Yes.
Q. Had you placed the crib
clothing over the child? A. Yes.
Q. I suppose amongst other
things it consisted of a blanket? A. Yes.
Q. What did you do with that
blanket with reference to securing it to the mattress? A. Well, I secured
it firmly to the mattress.
Q. How? A. With large safety pins.
Q. About how large would you
say? A. About two and a quarter to two and a half.
Q. Two and a quarter to two
and a half inches? A. Yes.
Q. In length? A. Yes, in
length.
Q. And I suppose you pinned
the blanket and the upper bedclothes to the mattress? A. To the mattress.
Q. Now then, it was about what
time that you left the room? A. I left the baby’s room for the [265] last
time at about eight o’clock; I remember distinctly looking at my watch.
Q. What made you look at the
watch? A. Just to see the time.
The Court: And what time was
it?
The Witness: Eight o’clock.
Q. Now, Miss Gow, there are
only two rooms; there were only two windows in that room, isn’t that so? A. Three
windows.
Q. About three? Now, will you
tell us about the third? We haven’t discussed that at all. A. It was also
on the east side of the house.
Q. I see.
Mr. Wilentz: May I have the
pointer?
Q. If you don’t mind, Miss
Gow, will you just turn a little bit around. The window I am pointing at, I
take it, is the window you referred to before as the southeast window? A. Yes.
Q. And then around the other
side is the French window? A. Yes.
Q. Where I am pointing.
(Referring to Exhibit S‑2.) What would that be, the south window? A. Yes.
Q. And that you call the
southeast? A. Yes.
Q. Then there was another
window which was, say, the northeast? A. Yes.
Q. Now what about that window?
Was that locked? A. Also closed.
Q. And were the shutters
folded and closed? A. Shutters—yes.
Q. Yes, ma’am. You may return
to the stand, if you don’t mind. All right, now eight o’clock and you are
coming downstairs. Was that the first time [266] or the second? A. I hadn’t
left the upper floor before that time.
Q. All right, and you had come
downstairs? A. Yes.
Q. What happened downstairs
while you were down? A. On my way to the kitchen I passed through the
living room
The Court: Mr. Attorney
General, are you having any difficulty hearing the witness?
Mr. Wilentz: Well I really am
not having so much difficulty with the witness, except that the noise is
leaving me in an absolute fog, if your Honor please. I am just bewildered with
it.
The Court: I think these noises, the shouting that
is going on under these open windows is very detrimental to the conduct of this
trial. There ought to be some way for the local authorities here to control
this situation.
Mr. Wilentz: May I suggest, if
your Honor has no objection and the defense has no objection, that we ask Colonel
Schwarzkopf to have some of his men help us?
The Court: I think that ought
to be done. We will wait here and see if conditions can’t be improved.
Mr. Wilentz: Now, your Honor,
may we proceed?
The Court: Yes, you may
proceed.
Q. Now, Miss Gow, I think we said eight o’clock
[267] was about the time that you left the upper floor? A. Yes.
Q. I suppose you put the light
out in the baby’s room? A. I did.
Q. And then where did you go,
Miss Gow? A. On my way to the kitchen I passed through the living room,
spoke to Mrs. Lindbergh, told her that I had left the baby sleeping peacefully
and breathing very easily and that I felt quite content that he was comfortably
settled for the night. I went on to the kitchen and to our sitting room, where
supper was waiting for me.
Q. When you say “our sitting
room” you mean the sitting room of the household attendants? A. Yes.
Q. And by the way, Miss Gow,
that was the household attendants’ kitchen? A. Yes.
Q. That is on the extreme
opposite side of the nursery, is it not, on the first floor? A. That is on
the west wing, yes.
Q. West wing? A. Yes.
Q. Yes, ma’am. All right. Did
you and Mrs. Whateley have supper together? A. We had supper together. We—
Q. Where was Mr. Whateley at
the time? A. Mr. Whateley was in the pantry, I believe.
Q. Immediately adjoining the
kitchen and the living room? A. Yes.
Q. Did you see him from time
to time? A. As I recall, I did.
Q. And did he serve you or did
you folks serve yourselves? A. Oh, we served ourselves.
Q. I see. And that was about
until what time? A. That would be about half past eight. We heard Colonel
Lindbergh’s car coming in; he passed through the kitchen and spoke to me in
passing. I told the condition of the baby; and then Mrs. Whateley joined me
again, I believe. At that time [268] I received a telephone call from a friend
of mine.
Q. What was the name of the
friend that called you, Miss Gow? A. Mr. Henry Johnson.
Q. And then what? A. On
completing that I came back to our living room.
Q. Did you finish your dining?
A. I finished. Then I put the radio on and looked at a magazine.
Q. And how long did you remain in the dining room?
A. I imagine about twenty minutes to half an hour.
Q. Now, during that time was
Mrs. Whateley within your sight? A. She was.
Q. And from time to time how
about Mr. Whateley? A. I saw him also.
Q. Coming in and out of the
room? A. Yes, in the kitchen; yes.
Q. And what time did you
finally leave the down stairs quarters, the kitchen and the living room? A. I
believe about nine o’clock.
Q. Where did you go? A. Upstairs
to Mrs. Whateley’s room.
Q. By the way, before we get
upstairs, when you were downstairs, did you see the dog? A. I did.
Q. Where was it? A. He
was with me, in our sitting room.
Q. And was he there when you
left? A. Yes, as I recall he was.
Q. So that he was there during the entire
period that you were there that hour or so? A. Yes.
Q. And your best recollection
is that he was still there when you went upstairs? A. Yes.
Q. Now, will you tell us,
please, before you get upstairs, about the physical situation downstairs with reference
to the doors leading out into the hallway; do you remember whether or not those
doors were open? A. As I recall, the double doors to the hall from the
sitting room were open.
Q. When you talk about the sitting room I take
[268] it you are referring to the dining room or the living room used by
Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh and the family? A. Yes.
Q. And that is as
distinguished from the living room that you and Mrs. Whateley would sit in and did
sit in that night; is that so? A. Yes.
Q. And that living room, there
are French doors opening right into this main hall, isn’t that so? A. Yes.
Q. And directly opposite the
living room is the front entrance? A. Not directly opposite the front entrance.
Q. At an angle? A. Yes.
Q. Your recollection is then
that the French doors of that living room were open? A. Yes.
Q. Now then, you got upstairs
as I take it. You went up to Mrs. Whateley’s room, isn’t that the fact? A. Yes.
Q. And Mrs. Whateley and you
went there for what purpose? A. To look at a dress Mrs. Whateley had
bought.
Q. To look at a dress Mrs. Whateley
had bought? A. Yes.
Q. Did you and Mrs. Whateley
look at it? A. Yes.
Q. Did you spend some time up
their gossiping? A. Yes.
Q. How long did you remain up
there? A. Until a few minutes before ten o’clock.
Q. And then what happened? A. I
looked at my watch and saw that it was almost ten o’clock. I said, “I must go
to the baby,” to Mrs. Lindbergh—to Mrs. Whateley. I immediately got up and
walked along the upper hall passage to the baby’s bathroom.
Q. Now, will you please
indicate the course which it was necessary for you to pursue and which you did pursue
in going from the room in which you were to the—will you just step around here,
if you will, [270] please?—Will you take this pointer, please?—have you seen
this drawing at all, Miss Gow? A. No. (Referring to Exhibit S‑4.)
Q. You have not? May I explain
it to you, then? This is the second floor, and this indicates the nursery. A. Yes.
Q. And the east wing? A. Yes.
Q. And I take it, then, on the west wing, the
most extreme, or the extreme room, the bedroom was on the west wing? Back here.
That was Mrs. Whateley’s, was it? A. Yes.
Q. Now, will you just follow
with your pointer the course in which you walked from that room into the baby’s
nursery? A. Yes.
Q. Indicating from the bedroom
there? A. Yes.
Q. Mrs. Whateley’s bedroom? A. Yes.
Q. Down the hallway— A. Yes.
Q. –straight down. A. Yes.
Q. Then, I take it, you turned
to the left? A. Right down here (indicating.)
Q. Then to the left. Then
where did you go? (Witness indicates with pointer.)
Q. Proceeded along the
hallway? A. To the steps.
Q. To some steps? A. Yes.
Q. Then down the steps? A. No,
up the steps.
Q. About how many steps? A. Two.
Q. Two steps. Along another
passageway and then to your right, I take it, and along another passageway or
hallway and the entrance to the bathroom, is it? A. Yes.
Q. And that is the bathroom
that adjoins and did adjoin Mrs. Lindbergh’s bedroom and the child’s nursery? A. No.
Q. Did not? A. No.
Q. What bathroom is that? A. It
is a bathroom between the two rooms in the east wing.
[271] Q. Between Mrs.
Lindbergh’s room— A. No.
Q. Between whose room? A. Between
another bedroom and the baby’s—
Q. I see. A. (continuing)—room.
Q. Well, you went into that bathroom
and from there into the child’s nursery? A. Yes.
Q. I see. In proceeding along
that course, Miss Gow, did you meet anyone? A. No.
Q. So that you finally got
into the bedroom? A. Into the bathroom.
Q. Into the bathroom and then
the bedroom? A. Yes.
Q. The nursery. When you got
in there, what did you find? A. I found things exactly—I didn’t put any
light up, but let the door of the room open so that the light from the hall
would come in.
Q. Why didn’t you put the
light on? A. It wasn’t my habit to.
Q. I suppose you— A. I
didn’t want to startle the baby.
Q. (continuing)—you didn’t
want to disturb the child if it was there? A. Yes.
Q. Go ahead. A. I crossed
to the window and closed it.
Q. Which window is that, the
French? A. Facing the door, yes, the French window.
Q. The French window you speak
of? A. Yes, closed that window, plugged in the electric heater and stood
for about one minute waiting for the room to lose its chill. I then crossed to
the cot and bent over with my hands on the rail and discovered I couldn’t hear
the baby breathe. I bent down, felt all over for him and discovered he wasn’t
there. I thought that Mrs. Lindbergh may have him. I went out of the baby’s
room into the hallway and into Mrs. Lindbergh’s room. I met her or saw her
coming out of the bathroom and asked her if she had the baby. She looked
surprised and said, [272] no, she didn’t. I said, “Well, where is the Colonel,
he may have him.” I said, “Where is he?” She said, “Downstairs in the library.”
I turned quickly and ran downstairs to the library where I saw the Colonel sitting
at his desk reading. I said, “Colonel, do you have the baby?” He said, “No. Isn’t
he in his crib?” I said, “No.” He ran past me upstairs and into the baby’s
room. I followed him and from there entered Mrs. Lindbergh’s room. He didn’t say
anything. He ran into his closet, came out again with a rifle and all three of
us went into the baby’s room. He said, “Anne, they have stolen our baby.”
Q. Who said that? A. The
Colonel did.
Q. The Colonel said, “Anne, they
have stolen our baby.” And you were then in the baby’s room? A. Yes.
Mr. Wilentz: Would you like to have a glass of
water, Miss Gow?
Q. Now, Miss Gow, after that
what did the Colonel do or anybody in the room? A. I called the Colonel to
the top of the stair. He stood undecided just what to do and then he said—
Mr. Reilly: Now, I object to
what he said.
Q. Well, at any rate as the result of what he
said, Miss Gow, did Mr. Whateley go to the telephone? A. Oh, he sent me
downstairs to get Whateley, Mr. Whateley. I ran down to the kitchen and told
him what happened.
Mr. Reilly: I object to what
she told him.
Q. Told him what had happened
and then what? A. Told him what had happened and he ran upstairs to the
Colonel.
[273] Q. Mr. Whateley did? A. Yes.
Mrs. Whateley and I followed him, and then we started to search the house for
the baby.
Q. When you say “we started to
search the house,” who do you mean by “we”? A. Well, the Colonel and Mr. Whateley
went downstairs, Mr. Whateley and Elsie—Mrs. Whateley and Mrs. Lindbergh were
together, and I went around the rooms upstairs, looked in closets, opened
doors, looked everywhere I thought we might find him.
Q. Did Mr. Whateley, as the
result of something said to him, go to the telephone? A. He did.
Q. And where did the Colonel
finally go? A. I don’t remember the Colonel’s movements after that.
Q. Did you see him with the
rifle? A. I did.
Q. As he was leaving the
house? A. Yes.
Q. And as the result of the
telephone call, or for whatever reason it was, after Mr. Whateley’s telephone
call, were you at home when the officers arrived, Officers Wolfe and Williamson
of the Hopewell police? A. Yes.
Q. Now, I am a little bit
confused about the French window and the southeast window. I understood you to
say that when you came upstairs the second time, or whatever time it was, that
you closed the French window and put the electric heater plug in to get the
chill out of the room. Did you mean, then, that when you left that room
originally, the window had been opened? A. Yes, the window.
Q. The south window? A. Yes.
Q. I see. But, the shutter was
closed? A. Yes.
Q. Locked? A. Yes.
Q. All right. Now, Madam, then
Officers Wolf and Williamson came in and what did you and the other, the ladies
of the household do, while the officers were there? A. We sat in the
sitting room downstairs.
[274] Q. Who sat in the
sitting room? A. Mrs. Lindbergh, Mrs. Whateley and myself.
Q. Doing what? A. Well, I
guess we were all praying for the safe return of the baby.
Q. Well, was there anything
said, or— A. We didn’t speak.
Q. Sat there in silence? A. Yes.
Q. And for how long a period
did that continue? A. Until the arrival of Mrs. Lindbergh’s friends.
Q. When you say that you were
seated there praying for the safe return of the baby, that is your opinion of
what was happening, without anything being said, you said? A. Yes.
Q. Until the arrival of whom? A. I
believe Mrs. Breckinridge.
Q. Mrs. Breckinridge? A. And
some friends of Mrs. Lindbergh.
Q. I suppose that took at least an hour or so?
A. Yes, until they came from New York.
Q. And during all that time
you mean that you ladies sat there in that room in silence? A. Certainly. I
can’t remember exactly.
Q. Of course when the police
came you finally returned to the room, didn’t you? A. When the police came.
Q. When did you return to the
room after it was ascertained that the baby had gone? A. When I was called
upstairs by Colonel Lindbergh to secure a knife, I believe it was.
Q. To procure what? A. A
knife.
Q. And when you got up to that
room who was there? A. I can only recall seeing Colonel Lindbergh that I
knew of and several other police.
Q. Men whom you didn’t know? A. No.
Q. Did you get the knife? A. As
I remember I did.
Q. What did you see in the
room that you hadn’t seen when you had left the first time? A. I saw [275]
an envelope on the sill of the southeast window.
Q. An envelope? A. Yes.
Q. Did it look like Exhibit S‑17,
an envelope of that size? A. It looked like that.
Q. Yes. Were you there when
the envelope was opened? A. No, I wasn’t.
Q. Where did you say you saw
that envelope? A. On the sill of the southeast window.
Q. The window sill of the
southeast window? A. (Nodding affirmatively.)
Q. And what else did you
observe about the room that was different from the time when you had left it
when the child had been in the room? A. The only thing I plainly recall
seeing was a dirty smudge on the bed clothes, the sheet of the baby’s crib.
Q. When you say a dirty smudge
on the sheet, that is, that sheet was clean when you placed the baby in the
crib, you mean? A. Yes.
Q. And when you saw it at that
time it had a dirty smudge on it? A. Yes.
Q. Was the impression or the
smudge of such a nature as it indicate what it was? A. A brownish muddy
color.
Q. A brownish muddy color. But
the impression wasn’t any definite impression, was it? A. No.
Q. I mean so that you could
tell what it was? A. No.
Q. Except that it was dirt? A. Yes.
Q. Of some kind. Now, did you
see what use was made of the knife that you were asked to get, or don’t you
recall that? A. No, I don’t recall.
Q. Well, at any rate, I
suppose during the evening everybody in the house was questioned by the police?
A. As I recall it, yes.
Q. And from that time on there
were a great number of police officers and newspapermen and photographers and
others in and about the premises; isn’t that so? A. Yes.
[276] Q. That was during the
period while the search for the child was on? A. Yes.
Q. And during one of those
days, Miss Gow, did you find Exhibit S‑16 (showing to the witness)? A. I
did.
Q. The thumb guard. With whom
were you when you found the thumb guard, S‑16? A. With Mrs. Whateley.
Q. Will you please tell us the
circumstances of that discovery.
The Court: Will the witness
give us the date?
Mr. Wilentz: Yes.
Q. Tell us the circumstances and the date? A. I
believe it was May the 12th—Oh, no, it was not—about one month after the baby
had been stolen.
Q. That would be somewhere in
the neighborhood of April the 1st? A. Yes, it would be.
Q. And tell us about it,
please, how you happened to find it? A. It would be in the afternoon after
lunch, Mrs. Whateley and I were in the habit of taking walks down the driveway.
Q. On the premises? A. On
the premises. We walked down to the gate where the police were stationed, talked
to them for a little while and on the way back I should say about one hundred
yards from the gate we both noticed this object on the road. I recognized it
immediately and picked it up.
Q. Who picked it up? A. I
did; went right up to the house, found Colonel Lindbergh, and gave it to him,
told him how I had found it.
Q. Was it then in the same
condition as it is today in this courtroom? A. Exactly that condition.
Q. Still knotted? A. Still knotted.
[277] Q. About what time of
the day was it? A. Between three and four, I should say.
Q. In the afternoon? A. In
the afternoon.
Q. Now from March the 1st, the
date of this crime, until April the 1st, the date that you found this, I take
it, it was your custom to take an afternoon walk? A. Yes, it was.***
Q. Did you at any time during
that month leave the Lindbergh estate at all? A. Never.
Q. Never went off the estate? A. No.
Q. Then the extent of your
walks was upon the estate property, isn’t that so? A. Yes.
Q. And when you say that—how
many hours did you stay away from the gate house on the estate before you found
this thumb guard? A. I should say about a hundred yards.
Q. And when you say a hundred
yards, you mean towards the homestead towards the building from the gate. A. A
hundred yards from the gate.
Q. From the gate in the
direction towards the homestead? A. In the direction of the homestead.
Q. Now, let’s see if we can
find on one of these maps this gate house we are talking about.
Mr. Large: The upper one on
the right.
Mr. Wilentz: Referring to
Exhibit S‑30
Mr. Hauck: S‑1.
Mr. Wilentz: S‑1.
Q. I think this is intended to
indicate to the Lindbergh homestead. Now, what direction—When you talk about
the gate house, was that up along the public highway? A. Yes.
Q. Near the public highway, so
I take it, that is that little step up here, somewhere? A. Yes.
[278] Q. Is that so? A. Yes.
Q. Will you then point out in
what direction from that gate house it was that you found this thumb guard?
(Witness points it out.)
Q. Now, will you please take
this pencil and mark an “X” at the point at which you think it was in that roadway
where you found this thumb guard? You will have to step up.
(Witness steps on chair and marks
Exhibit S‑1 with an “X” as indicated.)
Q. Now, X, as you have
indicated it on that map, indicates the point which you believe to be a hundred
yards this side of the gate house on the Lindbergh estate and the point at
which you found in the road the thumb guard which is marked in evidence as
Exhibit S‑16, is that it? A. Yes.
Q. And that is your idea,
incidentally, of a hundred yards; is that it? A. Yes.
Q. Well, finally, after April 1st we get to
May, and on the 12th day of May, 1932, Miss Gow, I take it, you were still in
the employ of Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh and a member of the household? A. Yes.
Q. And while there, as the
result of information given to you, did you go to some place to see the child? A. Yes.
Q. Where did you go and with
whom? A. I went to Trenton, I believe with, as I recall it, Detectives
Coar and Leon.
Q. Detective Coar of the
Jersey City Police? A. I believe so.
Q. And Mr. Leon is connected
with the State Police? A. I believe so.
Q. And when you got to Trenton
did you go to the morgue? A. I did.
Q. Who was there that you knew
besides these officers? A. No one else I knew.
Q. Did you see a body there? A. I
did.
[279] Q. Whose body was it? A. Charles
Lindbergh, Jr.’s.
Mr. Wilentz: As I understand
it, Friday, I think it was, counsel stated he would make no point of the child;
I don’t want to go into the child’s playfulness and all that sort of thing if
it is admitted that the child was normal and healthy and a playful child.
Mr. Reilly: That is correct.
Mr. Wilentz: No question about
that at all.
Mr. Reilly: That is correct.
Q. Now just for a moment, to
see if I have omitted something, Miss Gow, please, from the Court. Except for
this, Miss Gow: About how much did the baby weigh, if you will remember, about
that time? A. As I recall, about twenty-six and a half pounds.
Q. Twenty-six and a half
pounds? A. I believe so, yes.
Q. And about how tall, the
length of the child? A. I should say about thirty-three inches.
Q. That is as to his weight
and size about the1st day of March, 1932? A. Yes.
Q. Thank you, Miss Gow, and
that is all, except for the question that you came here from Scotland to
testify, did you not? A. I did.
Mr. Wilentz: Take the witness.
Cross-Examination
by Mr. Reilly:
Mr. Reilly: Miss Gow, do you
prefer to rest a minute?
[280] The Witness: No, I am
all right.
Q. May I inquire how old you
are? A. I am thirty years old.
Q. When did you first enter
employment of any kind? A. At the age of fourteen.
Q. Where? A. With the
firm—it was a cooperative society in Glasgow.
Q. Did you ever work in
London? A. No.
Q. When did you first come to
this country? A. On May 4th, 1929.
Q. On a quota? A. Yes.
Q. Under what name did you
enter? A. Bessie Mowat Goway.
Q. On what steamer did you
come over? A. On the Cameronia.
Q. Landing in the Port of New
York? A. Yes.
Q. Now, you say that you worked in Detroit; is
that correct? A. I did.
Q. Where? A. In several
places.
Q. Just tell me the places,
please. A. As I recall the first position I had was with a Mrs. Ross of
the Parkstone Apartment.
Q. About how long did you live
in Detroit? A. Six months.
Q. You were single at that
time? A. I was.
Q. And you are single now? A. Yes.
Q. Did you associate with any young men in
Detroit? A. I did.
Q. Can you give me some of the
names?
Mr. Wilentz: Oh, I object to
that, if your Honor, please.
Mr. Reilly: Cross-examination.
Mr. Wilentz: It is not
cross-examination to find out whom a person associated with all [281] his life
unless there is some definite knowledge in the questioner’s mind as to a
particular individual for the purpose of this case. In which case, I take it,
he points out the person. Now, I don’t believe, if your Honor, please, that an ordinary
fishing expedition into the life of a witness, just because the lady is a
witness, is material, and because it is not material, I object to it.
The Court: It seems rather
remote and immaterial from what I know of the case at this time. It may develop
later that you may delve into these matters, but for the moment I think I will
overrule the question.
Mr. Reilly: May I have an
exception?
The Court: You may take your
exception.
(Exception allowed, and the
same is signed and sealed accordingly.)
(s. s.) THOMAS W. TRENCHARD, Judge.
Q. Did you keep up any
acquaintanceship after you left Detroit with any of the young men, without
giving their names at this time, that you knew in Detroit? A. I did not.
Q. Have you ever communicated
with anybody in Detroit since you left?
Mr. Wilentz: Just a minute.
The Witness: I have.
Mr. Wilentz: All right.
[282] Q. Did you communicate
with young men? A. No, I didn’t.
Q. After leaving Detroit,
where did you work? A. I worked with Mrs. Sullivan of Glenwood Road, Englewood.
Q. At the time you secured
employment at the home of the Morrows, was it first, or the Lindberghs? A. With
the Lindberghs.
Q. Did you secure that
position through an agency? A. No.
Q. Did you ever apply for
positions through the agency of a Miss Alaire? A. No.
Q. Did you in 1929, or 1930,
go to the office of Miss Alaire in Hackensack, New Jersey, and make an
application for a position? A. I did make an application in Hackensack,
New Jersey, but I don’t recall the name of the person.
Q. You did what? A. I don’t recall the
name of the agency.
Q. At that time you were in no
position, or you were unable, to supply any references to anybody in this
country?
Mr. Wilentz: Just a minute. I
object to the question, if your Honor, please, as not being at all material
whether at that time she was able to supply one or a thousand references.
Mr. Reilly: I think we have a
perfect right—
Mr. Wilentz: Whether or not
she did supply references may be and may not be material, but certainly not
whether she was able to.
Mr. Reilly: I think we have a
right to go into the credibility of this witness. She said she was employed in
Detroit for six months and [283] she came to New York to secure a position. Now
I ask her the question whether or not, when she applied in a Hackensack, New
Jersey, agency, after working in Detroit, she was able to give a reference.
Mr. Wilentz: And I say, if
your Honor, please, that whether she was able or whether she was not is, in the
first place, a conclusion on her part and, in the second place, it is not at all
material to this case whether she was able to or not. This woman is not on
trial, not yet.
Mr. Reilly: No, but her
credibility is.
Mr. Wilentz: Let’s see.
The Court: I do not understand
the materiality of the question. If you wish to ask her whether or not she did,
as a matter of fact, give a reference, you may do that; but the present question,
I think, I will overrule.
Mr. Reilly: I ask for an
exception and I will follow your Honor’s suggestion.
(Exception allowed and signed
and sealed accordingly.)
(s. s.) THOMAS W. TRENCHARD, Judge.
Q. Did you give a reference to
Miss Alaire? A. In the first place, it was not after I had been in Detroit
I applied to that agency.
Q. You went there first, did
you? A. I did.
Q. Well, as a matter of fact,
despite the fact that—withdrawn. Did you give Miss Alaire any reference? A. I
don’t recall.
[284] Q. Well, then, did you,
immediately after registering with Miss Alaire, secure a position with a lady
named Mrs. Franzenfeld of Hackensack? A. No, I did not.
Q. Did you secure a position
from Miss Gibbs through that agency? A. It was while working for Mrs.
Gibbs that I applied to that agency.
Q. You only worked for Mrs.
Gibbs about a month, is that correct? A. Oh, no, I worked for Mrs. Gibbs—I
was in the Gibbs family for one year.
Q. Did you ever work in the
Morrow home? A. No, I never have, with the Morrows.
Q. Did you secure a position
with Colonel Lindbergh through a Lindquist Agency? A. No, I did not.
Q. How did you secure the
position with Colonel Lindbergh’s family? A. Through the recommendation of
a lady’s maid in the employ of Mrs. Morrow.
Q. What was her name? A. Mary Beattie,
then.
Q. Did she have any other
name? A. She is now Mrs. Owen Grant.
Q. How many brothers have you,
Miss Gow? A. I have two brothers.
Q. What are their names? A. Alexander
and James.
Q. Where is Alexander now? A. In
Glasgow, Scotland.
Q. And James? A. In
Glasgow, Scotland.
Q. When did they return to Scotland? A. They
have never been out of Scotland.
Q. Never been in this country
at all? A. No.
Q. You say that you secured
this position in Colonel Lindbergh’s home when the child was about eight months
old? A. Yes.
Q. Had you been a baby’s nurse
before? A. I had not taken care of small children, that is, I had taken
care of a child two and a half years old.
Q. Where did you first meet
this Mr. Johnson? A. In Maine, North Haven.
[285] Q. North Haven? A. Yes.
Q. Was he known as “Red”
Johnson? A. His name was Henry Johnson. I believe his friends did call him
“Red” Johnson.
Q. Did you meet him at some
Morrow’s estates in Maine, was it? A. No, I met him at a dance in the
village. I was introduced to him by the Morrow chauffeur, Mr. Burke.
Q. Burke? A. Yes.
Q. Morrows also had a second
chauffeur, didn’t they, Ellison? A. Not at that time.
Q. Subsequently did they have
one? A. Yes.
Q. Then, you and this Mr.
Johnson started to go around quite a lot, didn’t you? A. Yes, we did.
Q. Now, in the course of your
evening’s entertainment, did you visit different places in and around Englewood?
A. Yes.
Q. Met many people? A. No,
very few people.
Q. Where would you go when you
would go out with Mr. Johnson? A. As I recall, to the movies.
Q. Did you ever go to a
roadhouse? A. No. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember. We would stop in
a little cafe for coffee. We went skating.
Q. Did you ever go to
Palisades Park with him? A. I believe once.
Q. Was there any difficulty
there that night? A. No. I don’t recall anything, no.
Q. Recall any conversation
with any police officer the night you were there in Palisades with Red Johnson?
A. At Palisades Amusement Park?
Q. Yes. A. No.
Q. Do you recall any roadhouse
you ever visited in and around Englewood with Red Johnson? A. With Mr.
Johnson, you mean?
Q. Yes. A. No, I don’t
recall.
Q. Is it possible that you
ever went to a roadhouse and that you have forgotten it? A. I did go to a
roadhouse on the New Year of 1932 with Mr. [286] Johnson; I do recall that.
Q. Meet many people? A. As
a matter of fact, we had other two in our party.
Q. Who were they? A. I
just don’t recall their names right now.
Q. Did they come from New
York? A. They both live in Alpine, New Jersey.
Q. And what makes you recall where they live? A. Because
we went home with them that night.
Q. See them again? A. I
haven’t seen them again.
Q. Have you heard from them? A. Yes,
I have.
Q. Did you ever go to
Hartford, Connecticut, with Red Johnson? A. Yes; I have been there with Mr.
Johnson.
Q. You visited his home there,
didn’t you? A. The home of his brother.
Q. How long did you stay? A. About
three hours.
Q. Did you ever know Johnson to have an
apartment in and around Englewood? A. Mr. Johnson boarded in Englewood.
Q. Did he ever have an
apartment anywhere else that you knew? A. Not that I knew of.
Q. Where did he board in
Englewood? A. I believe the name of the street is West Street, with Mrs.
Sherman, I recall.
Q. What was his business? A. He
was employed on the yacht of Mr. Thomas Lamont.
Q. He was a partner of Mr. Morrow’s? A. Yes.
Q. Do you know where Red
Johnson is now? A. Mr. Johnson is now in Norway.
Q. Have you communicated with
him? A. Not recently.
Q. How recently? A. About
six months ago.
Q. By the way, how did you
come back to this trial? Who paid your expenses? A. I came back here to
aid justice.
Mr. Reilly: I move to strike
that out as not responsive.
[287] Mr. Wilentz: If your
Honor please, I think it is a partial answer.
Mr. Reilly: It is a voluntary
explanation on the part of this witness.
The Court: Just read it to me,
please.
(Last question and answer read
by reporter.)
The Court: Well, you see, it
is a matter that is volunteered and not responsive to counsel’s question, and I
suppose that technically he has a right to have it stricken out, and that will
be the order.
Mr. Wilentz: I consent.
Mr. Wilentz: All right, if
your Honor please.
Q. Now, Miss Gow, you have
gone over this—
Mr. Wilentz: No. Please answer
the question first, if you don’t mind, Mr. Reilly?
Q. Who paid your expenses? A. The
State of New Jersey paid my expenses.
Q. Amounting to how much? A. Altogether
$650.
Q. Are they paying your
expenses now, while you are here? A. I received that sum before I left.
Q. You expect them to pay your
expenses back? A. It has been paid back.
Q. How much have you been paid
a week here while you remain here? A. I am not being paid by the week.
Q. How much are you being paid
a day? A. I [288] received a sum of $650 including my fare, return ticket
to Scotland.
Q. When did you determine that
your visit to this country and your return and your services here would be
worth $650? A. I had always intended to come back here.
Q. When did you determine the
amount of your passage here and back and your visit here and your services here
were worth $650?
Mr. Wilentz: I move the
services be stricken out, because the lady is not being paid for any services.
Mr. Reilly: Now, she is
testifying, Mr. Attorney General and not you.
Mr. Wilentz: I know, but I am
objecting because the word “services” is included, because I happen to be the
party—
Mr. Reilly: Now, I object to
this argument, he is not testifying.
Mr. Wilentz: I know what I am
paying for.
Mr. Reilly: We will determine what you are paying
for.
The Court: Just read the
question.
(Reporter reads last question:
“When did you determine the amount of your passage here and back and your visit
here and your services here were worth $650?”)
The Court: Well I think she
can answer [289] that question. You may answer that, if you can, Madam.
The Witness: If I can.
A. I decided that when it
was decided that I would get that amount—that that amount—
Q. Who decided it? A. I did.
Q. When? A. Before I left
Scotland.
Q. Where—in Scotland you
decided this? A. In Scotland, yes.
Q. After corresponding with
the Attorney General’s office? A. After corresponding with Colonel Schwarzkopf.
Q. After corresponding with Colonel
Schwarzkopf the head of the State Police? A. Yes.
Q. Had he written to you and
asked you what your price would be to come to this country and testify and go
home. A. He did not.
Q. Well how did you and the
Colonel arrive at the sum of $650? A. Because I cabled the Colonel I could
not stand the expense on my own, that I was losing employment on the other side
through this; that I couldn’t see my way to come unless my expenses were made
good.
Q. What employment were you
engaged in on the other side when you received the letter from Colonel Schwarzkopf?
A. I was not engaged, I had been offered an engagement.
Q. Isn’t it a fact that you
haven’t worked one day since you went back to Scotland? A. That is a fact.
Q. Yes. And isn’t it a fact
that you have no intention of working again? A. Oh, yes, I have.
Q. Who paid your expenses back
to Scotland? A. You mean the first time?
Q. The last time you went
home. A. I did.
Q. When was that? A. I
left this country on August 29th, I believe, or August 28th, I am not quite
sure.
[290] Mr. Wilentz: What year?
The Witness: Of this year.
Q. This year. And since August
of this year down to date you haven’t worked a day, have you? A. I have
not.
Q. How have you supported
yourself? A. I have supported myself.
Q. How? A. With my
savings.
Q. What savings? A. The
savings I earned in this country.
Q. How much did you take back
to Scotland?
A. I took about—my entire
capital including my fare was about $800.
Q. Let me see if I have this
correct, Miss Gow. You came to this country what year? A. 1929.
Q. For the purpose of securing
employment in this country, correct? A. Yes.
Q. Did you take out first
citizenship papers? A. I did not.
Q. Did you ever have an
intention of becoming a citizen of the country where you were making your living?
Mr. Wilentz: I object to the
question, if your Honor please, as not being material.
The Court: Mr. Reilly, that
seems to be going a long way. I don’t see how it is material.
Mr. Reilly: I will try to
connect it. For the present I must bow and ask for an exception.
The Court: You may have an
exception.
[291] (Exception allowed, and
the same is signed and sealed accordingly.)
(s. s.) THOMAS W. TRENCHARD, Judge.
Q. Well then, the fact does
remain that you never applied for citizenship, is that correct? A. That is
correct.
Q. And you remained here from
1929 to 1934, August, is that correct? A. Yes, that is correct.
Q. When you returned to your
native country? A. That is correct.
Q. With the proceeds of the
money that you had saved from your employment in this country, is that correct?
A. That is right.
Q. About $800? A. Yes.
Q. And you haven’t worked a
day since? A. No.
Q. And then when Colonel
Schwarzkopf wrote to you, you said you would come back to this country and
testify if you received $650, is that correct? A. Enough money, yes, to
cover my expenses and what I had lost through loss of employment.
Q. Well, you had not lost
anything; you were not employed, were you? A. I was offered employment.
Q. When? A. At the
beginning of October.
Q. Beginning of October. By
whom? A. But on account of the publicity of this case the people could not
take me on.
Q. Well, there was nothing to
prevent your coming back to this country and getting a position, was there? A. No,
there was not; there never has been.
Q. What person offered you
employment in October? A. My previous employers.
Q. Who. A. In Glasgow, A. L.
Scott & Son.
0. What kind of employment? A. Shoe
store.
[292] Q. At how much a week? A. I
was offered a wage of about two pounds ten.
Q. What is that in American
money, $12 a week? A. I imagine at the exchange it is.
Q. Yes. And you were living
home with your folks, were you not? A. I was.
Q. How much was your fare to
this country this time? A. Altogether about $250.
Q. You came tourist, didn’t
you? A. I did.
Q. On a slow Cunard liner?
What did you come on? A. On the Acquitania.
Q. On the Acquitania. That is the fast one. Were you in the tourist’s class? A. I
was.
Q. Have you a return ticket? A. I
have.
Q. Yes; on the same line? A. Yes.
Q. Same ship? A. Yes.
Q. Now that is $250. How long
would it take you in Scotland at the rate of $12 a week to make the other $400?
Mr. Wilentz: If your Honor
please, I think that is a matter of calculation and therefore I don’t think we
need the services of the lady—that is not material.
Mr. Reilly: Question
withdrawn.
Q. Since this case adjourned last week-end,
who had you talked with concerning this case? A. Various friends, nothing
concerning the case.
Q. Have you been conference
with anybody since last adjournment Friday afternoon concerning your testimony
in this case-with anyone? A. No. I spoke a few words with the prosecutor
this morning.
Q. Well, let me see if I can
refresh your recollection. Didn’t you on Friday evening talk to some of the State
Police? A. No.
Q. Didn’t you talk to some of the State Police
as [293] you left this building here in one of these rooms before you went
home? A. I believe so, yes.
Q. And you sat in this
courtroom and you heard the Colonel testify? A. I did.
Q. And you heard Mrs.
Lindbergh testify? A. Yes.
Q. And you heard Mrs. Whateley
testify? A. I did.
Q. Now, how many times since
you came back to this country have you gone over your testimony that you were
to give in this trial? A. I haven’t gone over my complete testimony with
anyone except one night once with the State Police.
Q. Now, let me see if I am
correct in saying that the person that met you at the dock was Mrs. Whateley, is
that correct? A. That is correct, yes.
Q. And the person who saw you
off was Mrs. Whateley? A. Yes.
Q. Did she visit you when she
was in London. A. I was not in London when Mrs. Whateley was in London.
Q. Did she have any
conversation or correspondence with you? A. Yes, I believe I wrote her
once.
Q. When did she go back? A. She
left—I am not quite sure now—
Q. Before you? A. Mrs. Whateley
left here about March, I believe.
Q. 1933 or 1934? A. 1933.
Q. And remained until the end
of the Summer; is that correct, as far as you know? A. Until—I am not
quite sure now.
Q. After the death of her
husband? A. Yes, until after the death of her husband.
Q. She is not an American
citizen, is she? A. No.
Q. Neither was he? A. Pardon?
Q. Neither was he? A. Neither
was he, no.
[294] Q. Is that your
photograph, Miss Gow? A. That is.
Mr. Wilentz: Take a look at
it, please, Miss Gow.
The Witness: Yes, that is my
photograph.
Mr. Reilly: Offer it in
evidence.
Mr. Wilentz: May I see it,
please?
The Court: Offered in
evidence? What—
Mr. Reilly: Offer it for
identification.
The Court: Well, for
identification it may be marked for identification. Ordinarily it would have to
come in as part of your case, Mr. Reilly.
(Photograph referred to was
marked Defendant’s Exhibit D-1 for identification.)
Q. This, Miss Gow, is also
another copy of a picture of you? A. That is not my picture.
Q. It is not? A. No.
Mr. Reilly: May I have it
marked for identification?
(Photograph referred to was
marked Defendant’s Exhibit D-2 for identification.)
Q. Now, look at them, please,
and compare them. See if one isn’t a front view of you and one a side view of
you. A. That is not my picture.
[295] Mr. Wilentz: Referring
to D-2 for identification.
Q. The picture you have
identified as your picture has the same kind of a hat as the picture you say is
not yours? A. I don’t agree it is the same hat.
Q. You don’t agree that it is?
A. No.
Q. The girl has the same
smile, only a different pose, hasn’t she?
Mr. Wilentz: If your Honor
please, I didn’t want to object to this before, but it is not proper cross
examination anyway. They aren’t our pictures. We haven’t offered them. I don’t
see that he can ask on a new—
Mr. Reilly: You have offered
this young lady from Scotland for your—
Mr. Wilentz: I withdraw the
objection. Go ahead about the pose. I think she said it wasn’t the same pose.
By Mr. Reilly: Q. Hasn’t the
young lady in the picture you do not identify the same smile as the lady in the
picture you do identify? A. I can’t see that.
Q. You can’t see it at all?
Were you warned before you took the stand this morning that you should identify
one picture and not the other. A. I was not.
Q. Now, let me get again,
please, Miss Gow, the background of the Colonel’s home—if I may have one of
those pointers. When you went to work for the Colonel were they in residence at
Sourland Mountains? A. No.
[296] Q. Where were they in
residence? A. At Princeton, New Jersey.
Q. Was Whateley the butler
then? A. He was employed then.
Q. And Mrs. Whateley was? A. Yes.
Q. Cook and housekeeper? A. Yes.
Q. Then the entire household
moved over from Princeton to Sourland Mountains; is that correct. A. Yes.
Q. And about how long were you
occupying that is, when I say “you” I mean the entire group in the house—that
house at the time of the kidnapping? How long had they been in residence? A. They
had never been in residence. They had never been in residence at Hopewell.
Q. They had never been? A. No.
Q. But they visited Hopewell? A. Yes.
Q. Well, how long would you say the house was open?
A. I should say about five months.
Q. Well now, you say they
never were in residence. Where were they residing? A. With Mrs. Morrow in Englewood,
New Jersey.
Q. So that it was generally
known, was it, by Colonel Lindbergh’s friends that he lived with his family on
the Morrow estate? A. I believe so.
Q. Then these little jaunts to
Hopewell were only weekends, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. And that was generally known to his
friends. A. Yes, I believe so.
Q. That he occupied Hopewell
only on weekends. A. I believe so.
Q. And it was known to the
help in the house that the Colonel and his family would occupy for the present
at that time Hopewell on weekends. A. Yes.
Q. Is that correct? A. That
is correct.
Q. So that the actual living
of Colonel Lindbergh, his wife and his child from—what shall we [297] say—Sunday
evenings to the following Saturday morning would be on the Morrow estate. A. Yes.
Q. On the Morrow estate, Miss
Gow, where was the nursery? A. At that time on the third floor of the
house.
Q. How many in help as you
recall it now did the Morrows have? A. Altogether I believe between nine
and ten.
Q. Mostly British? A. No,
there were a few British.
Q. Some Scandinavians? A. Finnish
people I believe.
Q. Ellison was a Dane or a
Finn? A. I couldn’t say.
Q. A Scandinavian? A. Of
that extraction, yes.
Q. Now, on the previous weekend
had the Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh spent the weekend at Hopewell? A. Previous
to what?
Q. Previous to the kidnapping?
A. Not that I recall.
Q. That would be the last, we
will say the last weekend of February? A. I do believe so.
Q. Where did they spend that weekend?
A. In the Morrow home, with the baby.
Q. Correct. A. Yes.
Q. Now, of course, it is a
fact, as Colonel Lindbergh testified to here last week, that very few people knew
very little about his movements, is that correct? A. I believe so.
Q. And there was no
advertising by you or by anybody that you might know of that you could tell us
of as to what the movements of the Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh would be, is that
correct? A. That is correct.
Q. Now, in the different
flights that the Colonel took with Mrs. Lindbergh, the baby remained home with
you, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. Not only at Hopewell, but,
I think, some- [298] wheres in Maine, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. When was it decided that—or
was it decided to your knowledge, that the Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh would
spend the weekend prior to March 1st in Hopewell? A. I suppose I would
know about Friday.
Q. Who gave you notice that the Colonel and Mrs.
Lindbergh were going to spend the weekend in Hopewell. A. Mrs. Lindbergh.
Q. And at that time you had
the baby on the Morrow estate, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. Then, when the Colonel and
Mrs. Lindbergh left for their weekend at Hopewell they didn’t take the baby, is
that correct? A. They did take the baby.
Q. They did take the baby? A. Yes.
Q. And Mrs. Whateley? A. No, Mrs. Whateley
was in Hopewell.
Q. She was in Hopewell? A. With
her husband.
Q. They were keeping the house
open the entire five months? A. Yes, they were.
Q. They did not go back to the
Morrow estate? A. No.
Q. There was another butler
there named Banks, am I correct? A. I believe so.
Q. Was there a member of the
Morrow establishment known as Violet Sharpe? A. There was.
Q. Did you know her? A. I
did.
Q. Very well? A. No, only
in the capacity of meeting her in the house.
Q. Was she a Britisher? A. Yes.
Q. Had you ever been out with
her? A. No.
Q. How old a girl was she? A. I
couldn’t say.
Q. Late twenties, early
thirties? A. Late twenties, I should say.
Q. What was she, a parlor
maid? A. I believe she was a waitress.
[299] Q. Now, then, we have it
established that on the last weekend of February, 1932, Colonel Lindbergh and
Mrs. Lindbergh and the child and the two Whateleys were in residence at
Hopewell and you were at Morrows. A. That is correct.
Q. Now, why did you stay at
Morrows, and why didn’t you come over and take care of the child? A. Because
it was Mrs. Lindbergh’s habit to take the child off on weekends herself.
Q. And not take you with her? A. And
not take me.
Q. Then you were not in the
habit of living in the Lindbergh home at Hopewell over weekends? A. No, I
was not.
Q. By the way, Miss Gow, did
you ever see a flashlight in and around Colonel Lindbergh’s home in Hopewell? A. I
can’t recall.
Q. Didn’t you have a pocket
flashlight that you used to go in and look at the baby at night? A. No, I
didn’t.
Q. You never owned a
flashlight? A. No.
Q. Did you ever see Whateley
have a flashlight? A. I can’t recall.
Q. Were you summoned to come
to Hopewell March 1st? A. Yes, by Mrs. Lindbergh.
Q. Did you expect Colonel
Lindbergh and Mrs. Lindbergh and the baby to come back Sunday night, February
28th? A. I didn’t expect—I can’t recall.
Q. Did you give any thought to
it at all? A. Yes, I expected them to be back Monday.
Q. Monday? A. Yes.
Q. What was their usual hour
of returning Monday morning? A. Mrs. Lindbergh and the baby would usually
arrive in time for the baby’s lunch.
Q. And how would they be
driven over, by one of the Morrow chauffeurs? A. Usually Mr. Whateley brought
them up from Hopewell.
Q. In whose car, the Colonel’s?
A. Yes, as I recall.
[300] Q. Did they have two
cars? A. Yes, at that time.
Q. One car the Colonel used in
his trips back and forth to New York, the other was a family car, is that it? A. Yes.
Q. Well now, when the baby did
not return Monday morning, February 29th, did you think that was unusual? A. I
had a call from Mrs. Lindbergh, she told me.
Q. Was there anyone in the
Morrow establishment that knew to your knowledge whether Mrs. Lindbergh and her
baby were not going to return to the Morrow estate Monday, February 29th? A. They
knew they would return—Mrs. Morrow.
Q. That knew they would not
return? A. Mrs. Morrow would.
Q. I am talking now about the
help. A. I don’t know about that.
Q. Is it correct, then, that
the first message to the Morrow estate from Mrs. Lindbergh to anybody was to
you that she would not return? A. As I know it, yes.
Q. Did you tell any of the
help she was not coming back? A. Probably I did.
Q. Now what members of the
establishment did you tell that Mrs. Lindbergh was not returning with her baby?
A. I cannot recall now.
Q. Did you tell Red Johnson? A. I believe
so.
Q. Why did you tell Red
Johnson, Mrs. Lindbergh and the baby were not returning? A. I cannot recall
exactly telling them, but I probably would in conversation.
Q. Well, he didn’t work on the
estate, did he? A. But I saw him that night, that evening.
Q. You saw him Monday evening?
A. Yes.
Q. Were you out with him
Monday evening? A. Yes.
Q. Where did you go with him? A. I just
don’t [301] recall; riding, I believe.
Q. When Mrs. Lindbergh called
you up did she ask you to come over Monday night or ask you to come over
Tuesday? A. Mrs. Lindbergh, you mean? Mrs. Lindbergh called me Monday and
said she thought they would stay down there.
Q. How long? A. All of
Monday, that the baby had a slight cold.
Q. Did she say that she would
like to have you come over Tuesday? A. Not at that time.
Q. Did she say when she was
coming home? A. I don’t remember.
Q. Then from the conversation
you had with her you gathered that she was going to stay some little time in
Hopewell, is that correct, because of the baby’s cold? A. For another day
at least.
Q. Did you volunteer to go
down and take care of the baby because it had a cold? A. No.
Q. Did the baby have a cold
when it left you at Englewood? A. No.
Q. Then the cold was acquired
during the week end, is that correct? A. Yes, yes.
Q. You were supposed to be
very fond of the baby, weren’t you? A. I was, very fond of the baby.
Q. Did you volunteer to go
down and take care of the baby on Monday? A. Mrs. Lindbergh—it was her habit
to take care of him and she didn’t ask me.
Q. And because she didn’t ask
you, you didn’t volunteer? A. No.
Q. But you went out Monday
night with Mr. Johnson? A. I did.
Q. And you told Mr. Johnson
that the Lindberghs were not coming back Monday night; is that correct? A. I
just don’t recall if I told Mr. Johnson that.
Q. Did you tell anybody else
that? A. I prob- [302] ably did.
Q. Why? A. For no reason.
In the house, I mean, I suppose it was a natural thing for anyone to ask me why
the baby wasn’t coming back and I would reply that he had a slight cold and
that Mrs. Lindbergh was bringing him back.
Q. But you told no
tradespeople, did you? A. No.
Q. And you told no outsiders? A. No.
Q. And you told no, strangers?
A. No.
Q. And you did not tell this
defendant, did you? A. I did not.
Q. No. Then there was no one
but you that knew Mrs. Lindbergh was going to stay except Mrs. Lindbergh and
the Colonel and the Whateleys—that Mrs. Lindbergh was going to stay over on
Monday night—was there? A. Oh, I can’t say that for sure. There are other ways of knowing.
Q. Other ways of knowing? A. Well,
the telephone comes in the house.
Q. You didn’t suspect the
telephone of being tapped, did you? A. Oh, no, of course not.
Q. There was no occasion for
it, was there? A. No.
Q. On Tuesday, March 1st, the
fateful day, you drove back to Hopewell and you were driven back by Red
Johnson, weren’t you? A. I was not.
Q. Who drove you back? A. Mr. Ellison.
Q. That is the Finn that you
have spoken of, the Scandinavian, the second chauffeur? A. That is Mrs.
Morrow’s chauffeur.
Q. He is not the chauffeur any
more, is he? He is the gatekeeper, isn’t he? A. I believe so.
Q. Yes. Now, what time did
Ellison drive you back? A. He drove me to Hopewell. I left the Morrow home
about 12 o’clock, arrived in Hopewell at 1:20, I believe.
Q. Were you summoned by Mrs. Lindbergh? [303] A. I
had been that morning.
Q. She asked you to come over
and take care of the baby? A. She said she thought it better, yes.
Q. Did she say then how long
she anticipated staying? A. She did not, that I recall.
Q. Did she say “we will stay
overnight”? A. I don’t recall just what she said.
Q. Didn’t she say “The Colonel
is going to be detained in New York, making a speech at the Lotus Club”? A. She
did not mention the Colonel to me.
Q. Did she say the Colonel
might be home late, that he had engagements in New York? A. No.
Q. Well, when you did arrive
in the afternoon the Colonel was not there, is that correct? A. He was
not, correct.
Q. And yet was it before or
after the Colonel arrived for dinner that you and Red Johnson held this
telephone communication that night? A. Mr. Johnson and I held a telephone
communication after the Colonel arrived.
Q. Was the Colonel at dinner
when you talked to Johnson? A. As I recall, yes.
Q. In the dining room? A. Yes.
Q. The baby had been put to
bed? A. Yes.
Q. The Whateleys were down in
the wing? A. Yes, in the kitchen.
Q. There was nobody on the
second floor, as far as you know, but that child? A. No.
Q. Where was the telephone
call from? A. The telephone call was from Englewood.
Q. Did you trace it? A. No,
but I understood at that time.
Q. What number in Englewood? A. I
do not know.
Q. Don’t you know it was from
Hopewell? A. No.
Mr. Wilentz: Just a minute.
[304] The Witness: No, I don’t
know that.
Mr. Wilentz: I object to the
question, because it is predicated upon a statement which is not the fact. That
is to say, when counsel says “don’t you know it was from Hopewell,” that question
presumes that it was from Hopewell and
that my adversary is going to show it now. Now I know that is not the fact.
Mr. Reilly: I must object to
his testifying first.
Mr. Wilentz: Well, that is
true, I suppose.
Mr. Reilly: It is a very
clever chance to stop the witness at a very important question. I am testing her credibility. She doesn’t know
where the telephone call came from and I am trying to test her credibility, if
she can remember where it came from, that is, the station. I think I am
entitled to it.
The Court: The witness may
answer.
By Mr. Reilly: Q. Now, you
certainly knew, did you not, that when Mrs. Lindbergh recalled you to the
Hopewell home to take care of the sick child, that you would not be able to
keep any engagements that night with Red Johnson, didn’t you? A. I did
know that.
Q. He was available at
Englewood? A. He was.
Q. When you left the home why
didn’t you phone? A. He wasn’t.
Q. Why didn’t you phone him
then? A. I did call the house; he
wasn’t home. I left a message [305] where he would find me, that I had gone
down to Hopewell.
Q. You had been out with him
the night before. What was the great importance of the second night?
Mr. Wilentz: Oh, well, now, I
object.
Mr. Reilly: Question
withdrawn.
Q. Was there any importance to
the second night? A. Yes; he was going to leave for Hartford the following
morning.
Q. Going to leave for Hartford
Wednesday morning? A. Yes.
Q. He told you that? A. Yes,
he had planned to do that.
Q. I suppose you wanted to say
good bye to him? A. Yes.
Q. On Tuesday night, is that
it? A. Yes, that is correct.
Q. Monday night’s ride wouldn’t
suffice, would it?
Mr. Wilentz: Well, I object to
that, if your Honor please.
Q. It didn’t suffice.
The Court: That seems rather
immaterial, Mr. Reilly.
Q. Now just what was the exact
time that Red Johnson phoned you? A. Mr. Johnson phoned me about, I should
say, about 8:30.
Q. How long did you talk to
him? A. Oh, not more than five minutes.
Q. Then you went back in the
wing? A. Yes, in the wing.
[306] Q. When you arrived in
the afternoon of March 1st was the child suffering from a cold? A. When I
saw him in the afternoon he seemed to have gotten over it pretty well.
Q. Well, you didn’t see the
beginning of it? A. No.
Q. So that is your mere
conclusion? A. That was my conclusion.
Q. There were evidences of a
cold there, weren’t there? A. There were.
Q. Yes. The child was 20
months of age, correct? A. Yes
Q. Sufficient for you to. make
an extra shirt for it that night, is that right? A. Yes, as a precaution.
Q. Sufficient for you to rub
the little chest with Vicks? A. That is correct.
Q. And sufficient for you to
give that child a physic about half past
seven that night? A. Yes.
Q. And yet you, supposed to be
devoted as you told us to this child, put the child into the crib after rubbing
it, after putting on the extra shirt, after putting on the Vicks, after giving
it a physic, put it in there shortly after eight o’clock and never visited that
child again until ten, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. That is what you did? A. That
is what I did.
Q. Most of the time you spent
up in Mrs. Whateley’s room, is this correct up here (indicating on map)? A. Yes,
that is correct.
Q. Mrs. Whateley’s windows—were
they open? A. I believe so.
Q. No need of closing any
shutters over there, was there? A. No.
Q. Her windows, faced in the
same direction did they not as the windows of the nursery, out on the fields? A. Yes.
Q. At any time while you were
in that room with Mrs. Whateley that
night was an electric light in the [307] room put on and off? A. Yes.
Q. It was put on and off? A. In
Mrs. Whateley’s room, yes.
Q. So that anybody out in the
fields knowing something about the house would know that was Mr. and Mrs. Whateley’s
room? A. If they had studied it, yes.
Q. Well, in all the time that
you visited this house weekends and
other times, you never saw any strangers roaming through the house, did you? A. I
did not.
Q. Just what time would you
say the child was finally put to bed? A. Eight o’clock.
Q. Then, did you descend to
your dining room? A. Yes.
Q. You had dinner with Mr. Whateley?
A. Yes.
Q. Whateley was there? A. Yes.
Q. Mrs. Lindbergh, I take it,
was in the library or somewheres? A. Yes.
Q. So, the entire second floor
was vacant of any person except the child? A. I believe so.
Q. The entire third floor—is
there a third floor? A. No.
Q. The wings of the second
floor—nobody in those wings? A. No.
Q. Except the child, is that
correct? A. That is correct.
Q. Now, what time did you and
Mrs. Whateley think it so important to go upstairs to her room to look at a
dress?
Mr. Wilentz: I move that “so
important” be stricken out.
Mr. Reilly: All right, I will
take that out.
Q. What time did you go
upstairs to look at the dress? A. About nine o’clock.
[308] Q. Did you pass the
nursery? A. No.
Q. Did you go up the back
stairs? A. Yes.
Q. At nine o’clock, you left Whateley
on the ground floor? A. Yes.
Q. In the wing? A. Yes.
Q. And that is the last you
saw of him? A. Yes.
Q. Until after you discovered
the child was gone? A. That is correct.
Q. Is that correct? A. Yes.
Q. You were—did you ever know
the Whateleys in England? A. I did not.
Q. You never knew anything
about them until you took this position and happened to be thrown—by reason of
your position in this country, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. You know nothing about
their antecedents, or— A. No.
Q. Or anything about them, do you? A. No.
Q. How old was Whateley,
about? A. I should say about forty something.
Q. Now, in the room that he
was in when you last left him, how near was that to the servants’ staircase
leading up to the nursery floor—and I wonder could you point it out on this
first chart here (referring to Exhibit S‑4)? This, we will state, is the dining
room for the help, correct? A. Yes.
Q. Here is the kitchen? A. Yes.
Q. Now, is this the stairs that goes up? A. Upstairs.
Q. Upstairs, and that would
lead, come out about here? A. That is correct.
Q. I see. Then, walk along to
the nursery, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. The child was well
acquainted with Mr. Whateley, wasn’t he? A. Yes, I believe so.
Q. He played in the kitchen? A. Yes.
Q. In fact, he had a pet name
for him, didn’t he? A. I don’t
recall that.
[309] Q. Well, he called Mrs. Whateley
“Elsie”? A. Yes.
Q. What did he call you? A. Betty.
Q. The child was not
accustomed to strangers, was it? A. No, not strangers.
Q. Never came in contact with
strangers? A. No.
Q, This child was carefully
reared in a little select circle, if I may be correct in saying it, of his
lovely mother, his distinguished father, yourself, the Whateleys, and maybe his
grandmother and his aunt? A. Yes, members of the family.
Q. And practically that is about all, is that
correct? Except— A. He went to school.
Q. Yes, he went to school. A. Yes.
Q. With the other children of
neighbors and friends of the late Miss— A. Elizabeth Morrow.
Q. –Elizabeth Morrow; correct?
A. That is correct.
Q. So this child was being
raised in very quiet surroundings, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. Now, after leaving the
ground floor at nine o’clock you did not see, as you testified, Whateley until
after this whole thing was over? A. (No answer.)
Q. Did you spend an entire
hour upstairs in Mrs. Whateley’s living room? A. I believe so.
Q. On your way upstairs did
you see either the Colonel or Mrs. Lindbergh on the second floor? A. No.
Q. So as far as you know the
second floor again was free of everyone except the sleeping child? A. Well,
I knew that Colonel and Mrs. Lindbergh were in the house and they would be in
that part of the house.
Q. Yes, you knew they were in
the house and moving around? A. Yes.
Q. But you at no time saw them
on the second [310] floor? A. No.
Q. And you knew that the
Colonel was dining? A. At nine o’clock I believed him to be finished.
Q. Yes; between eight and nine
he was dining. A. Yes, yes.
Q. And it was his custom to go
into the living room or the library? A. Yes.
Q. And sit and chat with Mrs. Lindbergh after dinner?
A. Yes.
Q. Is that correct? A. Yes,
I believe so.
Q. And you had a right to
assume and did assume they were on the ground floor, didn’t you? A. Yes, or
up in their room.
Q. Now how well was the house
lighted? Was the ground floor lighted? A. Yes, it was as I recall.
Q. Now is there a fan light in
the front door, which is here (indicating on map)? A. I don’t recall that.
Q. Well, there is a large main
hall, isn’t there? A. Yes.
Q. Here it is here; is this
the main hall (indicating)? A. That is the main hall.
Q. Is that the doorway
(indicating)? A. Yes.
Q. Now there are glass panels
alongside of the doorway, or is it solid wood? A. Solid, as I remember it.
Q. Is there any glass over it?
A. I could not tell you.
Q. Now is this the pantry
right to the right of the main door as you walk in (indicating)? A. That
is correct.
Q. Is that correct? Is there a
window in the pantry? A. Yes.
Q. Naturally while serving
Colonel Lindbergh’s dinner there would be need for the use of the pantry, wouldn’t
there? A. Yes.
Q. So that the pantry would be
lighted? A. Yes.
Q. Is that correct? A. Yes.
[311] Q. And so would the
kitchen? A. Yes.
Q. And how about this room
here (indicating) what room is this, the living room? A. No, that is a
bedroom.
Q. A bedroom on the first
floor? A. Yes.
Q. Well, over here is the
living room (indicating), would that be lighted? A. Yes, that would be lighted.
Q. Was it lighted? A. Yes,
I believe so.
Q. The dining room was
lighted? A. Yes.
Q. The library was lighted? A. I
don’t know about the library.
Q. What kind of windows on the
first floor? A. French windows.
Q. Shades on them or drapes? A. No,
no shades or drapes.
Q. Just French windows,
nothing over them at all? A. No.
Q. Any shutters on the
outside? A. I believe so.
Q. They wouldn’t be drawn in
at nine o’clock at night? A. No.
Q. So that to a person passing
by the house there would be every indication that the house was inhabited and
people were home by the lights; is that correct? A. That would be correct.
Q. Now, can you recall the
lights on the second floor? A. No, I know that there were no lights on the
east wing when I left it.
Q. The east wing is the
nursery wing? A. Yes.
Q. Now, the French windows you
have spoken about, did they open in? A. In the baby’s nursery?
Q. Yes. A. Yes.
Q. And outside were shutters? A. Yes.
Q. Those shutters were closed?
A. Yes.
Q. And lock dropped in; is
that correct, a bar lock; is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. And the window was half
closed or slightly open in order to give ventilation? A. Yes, the [312] south
window was.
Q. Now, had you tried those
windows, the windows that went up and down at any time? A. Tried them, you
mean?
Q. Yes, that day or the day
before, Monday or Tuesday—you weren’t there Monday—Tuesday, I mean. Did you try
the windows? A. I don’t recall.
Q. Well, they were new
windows, weren’t they? A. Yes.
Q. Were they rather stiff? A. I
don’t recall.
Q. Well, it is a fact that in
order to get into this room you would have to raise that window up from the
outside? A. That is correct.
Q. Now, the shutter was drawn
in, both shutters were drawn in, as I understand it; you drew them in? A. Yes.
Q. As far as they would go? A. Yes.
Q. But with the exception of a
little warp, which made it impossible to throw the bar lock; is that correct? A. Yes.
Q. But with the exception of
that little warp and that little crack that was left, the two shutters were drawn
in; is that correct? A. Yes.
Q. You had never given any
indication to any, person in the world that that room was the nursery, had you? A. No.
Q. Nobody had ever questioned you about where the
nursery was or where the crib was or where the baby slept, had they? A. They
have not.
Q. It wasn’t generally known
where the baby slept, was it? A. No.
Q. It wasn’t generally known
where the nursery was, was it? A. No.
Q. Now, did you have any fear
at all that possibly because of the shirt and the overshirt and the sleeping
garment and the blankets, that the baby might perspire too freely and catch a
fresh cold be- [313] tween eight and ten o’clock? A. No, I did not. I felt
absolutely content in my own mind that he was comfortably settled for the
night.
Q. Had you ever studied the
care of babies, I mean along medical lines? A. No, I had not.
Q. As far as you know, no
doctor had been sent for to treat the baby? A. No.
Q. You thought household
remedies were sufficient? A. Yes.
Q. It was just a slight cold? A. Very
slight.
Q. But you were afraid of a
greater development; is that right? A. That is correct.
Q. Now, in addition to the
little shirt, then I think you said there was an overshirt and the sleeping suit;
what blanket did you have over the baby? A. I had a double blanket and a
quilt with a sheet.
Q. And then the pins? A. And
then the pins.
Mr. Reilly: Now, may I have
the sleeping garment.
Mr. Wilentz: May we have a
recess?
The Court: A five-minute
recess?
Mr. Wilentz: Yes.
The Court: We will have a
five-minute recess. During that time any member of the jury who desires to retire,
may do so in the custody of the officers.
(A five-minute recess was here
taken.)
(The court reconvened at 12:08
P. M.)
The Court: Let the jury be
polled.
[314] (The jury was polled and
all jurors answered present.)
Mr. Wilentz: Miss Gow, will
you please take the stand.
BETTY
GOW, resumes the stand.
By Mr. Reilly: Q. Now, Miss
Gow, to get back to the Whateley room upstairs about ten o’clock, you told us
that you decided that you ought to see the baby, is that right? A. Yes.
Q. You came downstairs as you
have indicated and into the nursery, but you did not turn on the light, because
a light from the bathroom shone into the
nursery and that was sufficient light for you, is that correct? A. Yes,
that is correct.
Q. Now, you did tell us that
you closed a French window, is that correct? A. Yes.
Q. And turned on the heat? A. Yes.
Q. To take the chill out of
the room, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. Now, did you then turn on
the light in the room? A. I did not.
Q. When you discovered the
baby was gone, did you turn on the
light? A. No, I didn’t.
Q. Then who was the first
person to turn on the light, if you know? A. Colonel Lindbergh, I believe.
Q. Where was the button, right
by the door, the switch? A. By the door, yes.
Q. Were there two switches,
one by the bathroom door and one by the other door? A. There was one by
Mrs. Lindbergh’s bathroom door and one by the other door.
Q. You went downstairs and asked the Colonel
[315] and then you came upstairs right with the Colonel, did you? A. Right
after him, yes.
Q. And you saw Mrs. Lindbergh
on the second floor then? A. I saw her in her room.
Q. Well, when the light was
turned on so that you were able to see in the room, how long would you say that
was after you discovered there was no form in the crib? A. About five
minutes.
Q. And as you looked around
the room did you see anything in the room that was different from when you left
it? A. I didn’t look around the room. I just knew the baby wasn’t there.
Q. Well, you were familiar
with the room? A. Yes.
Q. Was there anything that
stood out as different? A. Nothing.
Q. Did you go over to the
crib? A. I did.
Q. And how were the
bedclothes; arranged or disarranged? A. They were very slightly
disarranged, still had the baby’s shape of his body there.
Q. Was this a cold night? A. It
was a very windy night, as I remember.
Q. Where was the dog? A. The
dog was downstairs in the west wing.
Q. What kind of a dog was it? A. A
smooth haired terrier.
Q. What they call a fox
terrier in this country? A. I believe so, yes.
Q. Were the markings black and
white? A. Yes.
Q. It wasn’t a police dog? A. No.
Q. And how long had the dog
been there to your knowledge? A. In the Hopewell home?
Q. Yes. A. It came there
with the Whateleys.
Q. Did they bring the dog? A. Yes;
as I know, they did.
Q. Do you know where the Whateleys
brought [316] the dog from? A. From Princeton.
Q. So that the dog was very
well acquainted with the butler Whateley, wasn’t he? A. Yes, he was.
Q. Had Whateley trained the
dog? A. With Mrs. Whateley, yes.
Q. Had they taught him any
tricks? A. No, not that I recall.
Q. Did they look upon the dog
as their property? A. No, they did not.
Q. Did they keep the dog in
their quarters? A. Yes, I believe so.
Q. That particular night that
dog was kept in the kitchen where Whateley was, wasn’t it? A. Yes, he was
there.
Q. In a basket? A. I don’t
recall just where he was.
Q. But he was in the room with
Whateley? A. As I know it, yes.
Q. Whateley was the dog’s
master, wasn’t he? A. No, he wasn’t.
Q. Well, they brought him
there? A. They did, for the Colonel.
Q. And they fed him? A. Yes.
Q. And they took care of him? A. Yes.
Q. And the dog was constantly
around him? A. He was.
Q. So that anything Mr.
Whateley did or Mrs. Whateley did around the house would not excite any suspicion
on the part of the dog, would it? A. No, I wouldn’t think so.
Q. You didn’t hear the dog
bark once that night, did you? A. No, I did not.
Q. Did you ever hear the dog
bark? A. Yes.
Q. When strangers came to the
door you heard the dog bark, didn’t you? A. Yes, as I remember he did.
Q. Well you have the same kind
of dogs in England, haven’t you? A. Yes.
[317] Q. All terriers,
Scottish and Selingham, are sort of peppy dogs, aren’t they? A. Yes.
Q. Did you ever visit that
room again that night? A. The baby’s room?
Q. I will put it this way:
When was your second visit to the room? A. After I discovered he was gone?
Q. Yes. A. When they
asked me to bring up a knife.
Q. Now when you went up with a
knife that was the time you say you saw an envelope? A. Yes.
Q. Where? A. On the sill
of the east window.
Q. Did anybody in particular
call your attention to that? A. No.
Q. Was it affixed to the
window by a thumb-tack? A. No.
Q. It was just lying flat on
the window? A. As I remember it, yes.
Q. Well now, that was the window
that goes up and down and the window that had the warped shutters? A. Yes.
Q. Did you go to the window
then, that window? A. I did not, no.
Q. Did you ever go to that
window? A. No.
Q. Did you ever look out that
window after you pulled the shutters together? A. No.
Q. Did you see the Colonel go
to that window? A. No.
Q. Did you see anybody go to
that window? A. No.
Q. Wasn’t all their attention
directed to, the French window? A. No, I don’t recall that.
Q. The French window was the
only window in the room that had been left open even though the shutters were
closed? A. That is correct.
Q. You say there were three
windows in that room? A. Yes.
Q. Now, am I indicating
correctly when I point [318] out these two windows as the windows of the nursery?
A. Yes.
Q. Were the shutters on the
window that I am pointing to on S‑2, was that window—were the shutters closed? A. Yes.
Q. Were they locked? A. Yes.
Q. Did you ever tell anybody
that the shutters on the nursery window
were warped and could not be closed? A. I didn’t know it until I came to
close it.
Q. You didn’t know it then
until Tuesday night, March 1st? A. That is correct.
Q. That shutter was warped? A. Yes.
Q. How many times had you put
the baby to bed in that room before that? A. I had put him to bed one weekend
before.
Q. Did the shutter work then? A. I
don’t recall that.
Q. Well, see if you can’t recall it: did the
shutter work and was it locked that previous weekend? A. As a matter of
fact, I don’t believe we closed the shutters at all the previous weekend.
Q. None of the shutters? A. I
don’t believe so; it was because of the wind we closed it that night.
Q. Then to your knowledge is
it the first night the shutters were ever shut in that nursery? A. To my
own knowledge, I believe, yes.
Q. That is the first night
even the French shutters were closed? A. To my—well, now, they were closed
before, the previous weekend; I used to close them for the baby’s afternoon
nap, to shut the light out.
Q. Were they closed when the
baby went to bed at night, the French shutters? A. I don’t recall.
Q. How many weekends had the
baby spent there in five months? Every weekend? A. No, not every; I
imagine about five.
Q. In any of your conversation
with the Whateleys that night when you were having dinner did [319] they say how
long Mrs. Lindbergh had decided to stay at Hopewell? A. I don’t remember
discussing it.
Q. They didn’t say they
intended to go back to the Morrows the next day did they? A. I don’t remember.
Q. More supplies were needed
for the home when the Colonel was in residence and you and the baby were there
than would be required when the Whateleys were there alone? A. Naturally.
Q. Did you deal with just one
tradesman or many tradesmen in Hopewell? A. I don’t know that.
Q. That would be the Whateleys’
knowledge? A. Yes.
Q. Well, now, have you any
accurate recollection that that shutter was ever warped before that night, as
far as you know? A. No, I have not.
Q. Was there any handyman
around there who took care of repairs? A. Mr. Whateley did all the small
things about the house.
Q. Whateley was able to do
repairing, wasn’t he? A. I believe so.
Q. He was well able to and
could remedy a warped shutter? A. I don’t know that.
Q. But did you call it to his
attention that night, that the shutter was warped? A. It was too late then
to do anything about it.
Q. But when you went
downstairs for dinner and knew this
shutter wouldn’t lock did you call it to his attention then? A. I don’t
remember.
Q. Did you ask him to fix it
the next day? A. I cannot remember that.
Q. But you have no
recollection it was warped before that night? A. No, I have not.
Q. How long did you remain in
and around the estate after the kidnapping? A. I believe until the end of
May.
Q. Am I correct in saying that
shortly after this [320] alarm was given, that many police came, many
officials? A. Yes.
Q. And in time they were more
or less confined to the gate house: is that correct—or is there a gate house
down here? A. There is a house at the gate, yes.
Q. Was that the headquarters
of the investigators after a while? A. No.
Q. Well, weren’t there
reporters and people down at this gate house? A. There were a few State
Police there.
Q. Well, wasn’t there a guard
there? A. They formed a guard, yes.
Q. Yes. Now, a great many
people, of course, had access up to as far as the garage: is that correct? A. Yes;
only people who could pass the State Police.
Q. I mean the state reporters,
State Troopers, people that you considered were officials investigating the
case? A. Yes; they were so considered.
Q. Within the next couple of
days there were about a hundred there maybe, more or less, is that correct? A. I
am sure there were.
Q. And Colonel Lindbergh’s
estate consisted of a main road running from it, where the pointer is here up
to the house, is that it? A. Yes.
Q. And were there any other
roads or was it so-called Woodland around there? A. All woodland, to my
knowledge.
Q. Then, there was just one
main road, is that correct, from here to the Colonel’s home? A. That is
correct.
Q. Well, now, was there a
branch road that ran around there or a branch areaway that ran around to the
garage here, in here? Is this the main road? A. Yes, that is it.
Q. Well, now, does the main
road—here is a flagstone court? A. Yes.
Q. Would this be the front of the house? A. [321]
That is the front of the house.
Q. That is the front of the
house, yes. (Referring to Exhibit S‑3.)
Q. And as you bear to the
right you come around here to the garage, is that it? A. That is correct.
Q. So that this is just a
little branch path? A. That is right.
Q. There is only one road.
Now, the next morning when—it was a clear day the next day? A. As I
recollect it, it was.
Q. And you saw many
investigators, did you, in and around the garage and the front door and through
here (indicating)? A. Yes, many.
Q. And, I assume that only the
important officials were permitted to come inside the house to converse with
the Colonel, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. But there was a horde of
people outside there, back and forth, is that correct? A. Yes.
Q. Now, how long did that
condition continue, two or three days until they got things under control? A. I
couldn’t give you any time on that.
Q. Eventually, though, they
were limited, except for the important officials, to the gate house? A. That
is correct.
Q. Correct? A. Yes.
Q. When—we are just about to
adjourn, I was just about to ask you something about the garment, Miss Gow. What do you call this, Miss Gow? A. That
is a sleeping suit.
Q. And made by Dr. Denton, is
that it? A. That is correct.
Q. Where was it purchased? A. I
don’t know, Mrs. Lindbergh purchased it.
Q. How many sleeping suits do
you recall the baby had? A. I imagine about four or five.
Q. How many sleeping suits did
the baby have in that house that night? A. I don’t recall the exact [322] number.
Q. Where were they laundered? A. I
laundered them.
Q. You laundered all the baby’s
things, did you? A. His underwear, yes.
Q. Yes. And where was the baby’s
underwear kept? A. Over weekends, as a rule, the underwear was not
unpacked from the suitcase. Mrs. Lindbergh brought it down there.
Q. Well, were the baby’s suits
kept at the Morrow estate? A. Well, there were some there.
Q. And some in Hopewell? A. Yes.
Q. How many would you say were
in the Morrow estate the night of the kidnapping? A. Probably one or probably
none. I cannot just tell you that now.
Q. Have you ever seen the
sleeping suit that was left in the Morrow estate before the kidnapping, since
then? A. Yes, I believe I have.
Q. Where did you see it? A. Among
the baby’s things.
Q. Who had them? A. Well,
I did while I had care of the baby.
Q. No, this is after the
kidnapping. A. Yes, I mean after the kidnapping, when I was taking care of
the second baby.
Q. Using the same suits? A. No,
not using them.
Q. How many suits did you have in Hopewell of this
kind and description before the kidnapping, I mean that day? A. There
would be two at least, I don’t know the number.
Q. Two at least? A. Yes.
Q. Where are they now? A. I
do not know.
Q. When did you last see them?
A. I don’t recall just where.
Q. Did you ever see them after
the child was kidnapped? A. Yes.
Q. Where? A. I packed them myself in a
suit [323] case to go back to Englewood.
Q. Where did you put the
suitcase. after you packed it? A. Well, I didn’t see it after that. It was
sent up to Englewood.
Q. You don’t know whether it
left the Hopewell estate in the same condition as you packed it or not, do you?
A. I don’t know that.
Q. You have never seen them
since, have you? A. No, I don’t think so.
Q. In other words, there were
four or five of these babies’ suits in and around Hopewell and at the Morrow
estate on the night of the kidnapping? A. Yes.
Q. Correct. Now, of course,
this suit was not on the baby when you went to the morgue (exhibiting article
to the witness)? A. No.
Q. Now, about these thumb
guards; how many did you have for the child? A. I had two.
Q. Didn’t you have a set over
in Englewood? A. No.
Q. You had only two? A. Yes.
Q. Where were they purchased? A. Mrs.
Lindbergh purchased those.
Mr. Reilly: May I have one,
Mr. Hauck, please?
(Mr. Hauck produced the thumb
guard.)
By Mr. Reilly: Q. Did you ever
buy any of these yourself? A. No, I didn’t.
Q. You can buy them in any
drug store, can’t you? A. I believe you could.
Q. No springs or anything on
this to hurt the baby’s thumb, is there? A. No.
Q. Well, without disturbing
this knot, would you [324] slip it over your thumb and show if you can how it is
put on? A. That is not the condition it was in. It was flattened.
Q. Oh, this is supposed to be
opened, is that it? A. Oh, yes.
Q. I see. This is supposed to
be opened and the thumb goes through? A. From below.
Q. From below, this way, is
that it? A. That is correct.
Q. Goes through here and how
far does the guard extend, over the nail? A. Oh, yes, all the way down to
the base of the thumb.
Q. Down to the base of the
thumb? A. Yes.
Q. And then you tie it around
the wrist? A. That is correct.
Q. Well, now, would that leave
any of the thumb exposed above the guard? A. Just the very tip of his finger.
Q. Just the tip. So that the
child’s teeth would come in contact with this instead of the thumb, is that it?
A. That is correct.
Q. And that is to break the
habit of sucking thumbs, is that correct? A. That is correct.
Q. Now there isn’t any doubt
but what you are correct in your testimony that this thumb guard is in the same
condition as you say you picked it up on or about April 1st, 1932, is that
correct? A. That is correct.
Q. On this path, the end of
which is here, the beginning of which is here? A. That is right.
Q. One hundred yards in from
the gate house, correct? A. That is correct.
Q. The gate house controlled,
occupied and guarded by State Police, correct? A. Yes, correct.
Q. The road is how wide? A. About
five yards, I should say.
Q. Fifteen feet wide. Was this
in the center of the road or on the edge of the road? A. It was [325] in
the center of the road.
Q. In the center of the road,
here, fifteen feet wide, in broad daylight? A. Yes.
Q. At what time in the
afternoon? A. About three, between three and four.
Q. One month after the baby
was kidnapped; is that right? A. That is correct.
Q. And you found it on your
way back, didn’t you? A. We did.
Q. Did you drop it on your way
down? A. I did not.
Q. Sure about that? A. Positive
about that.
Q. And yet with all these
policemen and with all the inclement weather for the month, and with everybody passing
and searching those grounds day after day and night after night, you would have
this jury believe that you could pick up in broad daylight on that road this
bright, shiny thumb guard in the same condition it is—
Mr. Wilentz: Just a minute. It
is not right, if your Honor, please. Therefore, I object to the question. It is
not shiny; therefore, I object to the question.
Mr. Reilly: I will leave it to
the jury whether it is bright and shiny.
Mr. Wilentz: No, you needn’t
leave it to the jury. It is not bright and shiny; that is my view.
Mr. Reilly: And it isn’t
muddy, and it isn’t rusty.
Mr. Wilentz: I object to the
question for the reason that it anticipates and presupposes things that are not
the fact.
[326] Mr. Reilly: It is the
fact from her testimony, it was there a month.
Mr. Wilentz: No, about the
shiny, and not about the other things.
The Court: I think it will
satisfy the Attorney General if you will eliminate the brightness.
Mr. Reilly: I will eliminate
the brightness.
The Court: Suppose you do
that, Mr. Reilly.
Mr. Reilly: I will eliminate
the brightness and, while I am questioning this witness on this, may the jury
have it?
The Court: It is already in
evidence, yes. Certainly the jury may have it.
Q. Have you examined it? A. I
have.
Q. When did you see it last? A. I
saw it last at the end of March.
Q. Nobody cleaned it as far as
you know? A. It was in a much muddier condition when I picked it up than
that.
Q. Who changed this condition?
A. It has not been changed, but it was more dull I should say, I brushed
off the dust.
Q. What do you mean by saying
it was in a much muddier condition when you told the Attorney General this
morning that it is in the same condition and just the same as it was when you
picked it up? A. It can’t possibly be in the same condition when it has been
handled by people.
[327] Q. Now you are a very
bright young lady, Miss Gow, aren’t you? A. I am. (Laughter and applause.)
Q. Yes. And you know—
The Court: Now that demonstration
must not be repeated again. I have already had occasion to warn people that
they must not applaud and they must not
laugh in such fashion. Perhaps those who now indulge have not heard of my
warning before, but I can tell you now that if you persist, if the spectators here
persist in this sort of interruption, I am going to clear the court room. You
may proceed.
Mr. Reilly: May I at this
point ask for the luncheon recess, because I will be much longer with the young lady.
The Court: The people who are
in the court room will remain standing, those who are seated will remain
seated. The jury may retire and come back here at 1:45 P. M. The prisoner is
now remanded in the custody of the Sheriff and the Court will take a recess
until 1:45 P. M.
(At 12:34 P. M. the Court
recessed until 1:45 P. M.)
(1:46 P. M.)
The Court: The Clerk may poll
the jury.
(The jury is polled and all
jurors answer present.)
[328] The Court: Is the
defendant in court?
Court Clerk Fell: There he is.
The Court: Now, let us see if
we can not have order.
BETTY
GOW
resumed the stand:
Mr. Reilly: May we proceed?
The Court: Yes.
Cross-Examination
(continued) by Mr. Reilly: Q. Miss Gow, when you were in Detroit did
you ever visit Canada? A. I did, on one occasion.
Q. How long were you in Canada?
A. Oh, for about two hours.
Q. It was not an extended
visit that required your reentry into the United States, was it? A. No.
Q. Cross by the way of
Windsor? A. I don’t remember.
Q. From Detroit? A. On
the bridge from Detroit.
Q. Do you recall, Miss Gow, a girl coming over
on the steamer with you to this country the first time you came over by the
name of Nellie O’Connell? A. No, I don’t.
Q. Do you recall a girl going
to Miss Alaire’s Agency about the same time that you did, a girl that came over
on the steamer with you and applied for a job? A. No, I went there alone.
Q. Miss Gow, do you recognize
the original of this photograph (showing the witness)? A. I do.
Q. Who is it, or was it, rather? A. Violet
Sharpe.
[329] Mr. Reilly: May I have
it marked for identification.
(Photograph marked Exhibit D-3
for identification.)
Q. I take it, Miss Gow, that
this also is a picture of you (showing the witness.) A. That is, yes.
Mr. Reilly: I offer it for
identification.
(The photograph is marked D-4
for identification.)
Q. Miss Gow, I show you a
photograph and ask you whether or not you knew the original of that? A. No,
I have never seen that before.
Mr. Reilly: May I have it
marked for identification?
(The photograph was marked D-5
for identification.)
Q. I show you this picture,
Miss Gow, folding up the bottom of it, and ask you whether you know this gentleman?
A. I have seen him, yes.
Q. Do you know what his name
is? A. Yes.
Q. What is it? A. Dr.
Condon.
Mr. Reilly: I offer the
picture for identification.
Mr. Wilentz: No objection.
(The photograph was marked D-6
for identification.)
[330] Mr. Reilly: Does your
Honor wish to see these?
The Court: Oh, I think not,
until, perhaps, later on, they are offered in evidence.
By Mr. Reilly: Q. Miss Gow, have you ever been
to City Island? A. City Island? No.
Q. Or any of the waters
adjacent to City Island? A. No.
Q. Ever been to Hunters
Island? A. No.
Q. Or in the waters adjacent
to. Hunters Island? A. No.
Q. Did you ever do any boating
at all in your different trips, your
pleasure trips with Mr. Johnson? A. In North Haven.
Q. None off the Englewood
shore? A. Just off the house at North Haven.
Q. Did you ever know two girls
known as Paulette and Louise Deboise? A. No.
Q. When you were in Detroit
for a period of six months—am I correct? A. Yes.
Q. During what year? A. That
would be 1930.
Q. 1930? A. Yes.
Q. Did you ever know a man there named Abe Wagner?
A. No, I didn’t.
Q. It occurred to me during
lunch time I would like to inquire a little more fully as to this nursery. Was
there anything in the room that you recall besides the crib? A. Oh, yes.
Q. Wasn’t there a table in the
center of the room? A. There was.
Mr. Reilly: I wonder if we
couldn’t get an enlarged chart?
[331] Mr. Wilentz: An enlarged
chart?
Mr. Reilly: Or picture.
Mr. Wilentz: Oh, sure, we will
get it for you.
Mr. Reilly: Have you got a
photograph of the whole nursery?
Mr. Hauck: Not all together.
(Mr. Hauck gives Mr. Reilly
some photographs.)
Q. I am now showing you, Miss
Gow, Exhibit S‑8 and I ask you whether or not that is the other window of the
nursery? By other window I mean the one that the shutters were latched on? A. Yes.
Q. And I now show you S‑12;
that shows the unlatched shutter window? A. Correct; that is correct.
Q. Now, then, these two photographs,
Miss Gow, if you will be kind enough to turn a little bit, would correspond to
these two windows, is that correct (indicating on map)? A. Yes, that is
correct.
Q. This first picture is this
window and this window here is this second window (indicating); is that
correct? A. That is correct.
Q. So that between those two
windows we had this furniture, did we? What is this, a chifferobe? A. There
is a fireplace between the two windows.
Q. There was a fireplace
between the two windows? A. Yes. You will have to turn this the other way
(rearranging photographs.)
Q. Oh, it was the other way? A. Yes.
Q. This was the table then? A. That
was the table, in the center of the room.
[332] Q. In the center of the
room there was a table. About how large, if you can point out something here in
the courtroom? A. Yes.
Q. As large as this table
here? A. As large as this (indicating.)
Q. And these large chairs
placed that way, one on each side? A. Yes, one on each side.
Q. Now, was that table between the window and the
crib? A. It was.
Q. And the chairs were between
the window and the crib? A. One
chair at least. I don’t remember the other.
Q. Now, isn’t it a fact that
scattered around on the floor there were toys and a kiddie car in the room? A. There
were no toys on the floor.
Q. Well, there was this large
screen, wasn’t there, indicated on S‑7? A. The screen around the bed, yes.
Q. Assuming that this corner of the jury box
here is the crib and this pointer, we will say, indicates the screen, did the
screen entirely shut off the crib? A. No, only one end.
Q. And how far down on the
crib would you say the screen extended? A. About one-quarter of the length.
Q. One-quarter of the length? A. Yes.
Q. That was the end of the
screen nearest to the window, is that correct? A. Yes, that is correct.
Q. Was that nearest to the
French window? A. To avert the air, yes.
Q. Well, then, was the screen
at the head of the bed? A. The head of the bed.
Q. Was it a heavy screen? A. Yes,
solid wood screen.
Q. Was it in the same position
when you came back to the empty crib as it was when you went downstairs, or
rather, when you left the room and left the baby to sleep? A. Yes, to all
appearances it was.
[333] Q. Then it is your
deduction, is it, that whoever approached the crib came around the edge of the screen?
A. It is.
Q. Now, approaching the crib
in that direction toward the foot of the crib and the unexposed part away from
the screen was that bottom of the crib anywhere near the door in that room? A. The
crib was in the exact center of the room.
Q. The crib? A. Yes, the
exact center of one wall.
Q. But the far wall? A. Yes.
Q. Am I correct in assuming
that if this was the window it was unlatched, and that the jury railing was the
far wall of the room? A. Yes.
Q. The crib was up against the
far wall of the room? A. That is correct.
Q. Correct. Then it was the
length of the room from the window, or the width? A. The width.
Q. The width of the room? The
width of the room from the window and how wide a room was that; have you any
idea, Miss Gow? A. I couldn’t say.
Mr. Reilly: I am afraid I will
have to appeal to Mr. Pope on maps. Mr. Pope, have you the dimensions of the
width of the nursery?
Mr. Pope: It is on the map
there.
Mr. Hauck: That bottom map is
the nursery, left side.
Mr. Reilly: Is that it? Oh,
this is it. Mr. Wilentz: S‑2.
Mr. Reilly: It is stipulated
by the attorneys that the chart S‑2 shows the width of the [334] room to be
thirteen feet—
Mr. Wilentz: Ten and a half
inches.
Mr. Reilly: Ten and a half
inches.
Q. And Miss Gow, this crib was
about how wide, a single crib? A. Yes.
Q. A foot and a half or two
feet? A. Wide?
Q. Wide. A. About two and
a half feet, I should say.
Q. Well, now, I notice here,
showing you Exhibit [S-]9, a door at what appears to be foot of the crib, am I
correct? A. That is correct.
Q. And that door leads into
what room? A. That door is a closet.
Q. That is a closet? A. Yes.
Q. Now I also notice a door behind the chair
on S‑9 of the nursery. A. Yes.
Q. Where did that door lead
to? A. Leading to the hall and the baby’s bathroom.
Q. And that was about, well,
just the distance indicated on this paper? A. Yes.
Q. Was the baby’s bathroom
door open? A. I can’t recall that.
Q. The other side of the baby’s
bathroom led to Mrs. Lindbergh’s bedroom, did it? A. To Mrs. Lindbergh’s
bathroom.
Q. Bathroom? A. Yes.
Q. And at some time during
that night you know that Mrs. Lindbergh was in her room? A. Yes.
Q. After you had put the baby
to sleep? A. Yes.
Q. Now were there any other
doors in that room? A. (No answer.)
Q. Wasn’t there a door that
led out into a hallway? A. There were three doors altogether, a closet
door.
Q. The photographs do not show
them. This is [335] the closet we were just referring to (indicating on map),
is that correct? A. Yes, that is correct.
Q. And the crib was along here
(indicating)? A. That is correct.
Q. Now the head of the crib
and the screen was up here, wasn’t it (indicating)? A. That is correct.
Q. And right here at the head
of the bed was a door that led into the hallway? A. No, that led into Mrs.
Lindbergh’s bathroom.
Q. Is this the door to Mrs.
Lindbergh’s bathroom (indicating)? A. Yes. There was about two feet of
hallway there, just a passage.
Q. An alcove? A. Yes,
into her bathroom.
Q. Well, was this two feet
wide enough for anybody to walk—is there a hallway to walk along? A. Oh,
no, no.
Q. Just sort of a foyer? A. Yes.
Q. That led outside this door
into the bathroom. All right. Now this door I am pointing to. on S‑2 leads into
the hallway, is that correct? A. Yes, that is correct.
Q. That would be this hallway
here (indicating on another map.) A. No.
Q. Here (indicating.) A. That
is right, there.
Q. And directly opposite
another bedroom? A. That is correct.
Q. Who occupied that bedroom? A. I
was to occupy that room that night.
Q. Were your clothes and
things in there? A. I had a small suitcase in there.
Q. Did any of the windows in
that room face in the same direction as the unlatched window? A. Yes.
Q. This window here did, didn’t
it (indicating)? A. Yes.
Q. And this door at the head
of the crib, or the foot of the crib— A. Foot of the crib.
Q. –Foot of the crib, the
unexposed part of the [336] crib, led right into the hallway; is that correct? A. That
is correct.
Q. And at the head of the
stairs leading to the attendants’ quarters, or to the main part of the house? A. Yes.
Q. Which? A. The main
part of the house.
Q. These stairs led down to
the main part of the house? A. Yes.
Q. Were the French windows of
that room latched in any way or just closed to? A. You mean the baby’s
room?
Q. Yes. Was there any chain
across or anything to hold them in place? A. No.
Q. They were just almost
closed; is that it? A. Almost closed.
Q. Now, you have testified
that you think from the time you put the baby to bed there was no light in the room, as far as you know? A. That
is correct.
Q. You left the baby in
complete darkness, correct? A. Yes.
Q. And that you at no time
heard anybody enter that room, falling over the chair, falling over the table,
or knock the screen down, or anything like that, did you? A. No.
Q. And you saw no screen
disturbed, no table disturbed, no chair disturbed? A. Yes.
Q. Nothing unusual? A. Nothing unusual.
Q. Miss Gow, do you know a Mr.
V. J. Cotter of City Island? A. I do not.
Q. Or, do you know Mrs.
Cotter? A. No.
Q. And you say definitely that
you were—I withdraw that. Did you ever go boating in and around New Rochelle? A. No,
never.
Q. Where did the Morrow yacht,
or rather the yacht for whom Johnson worked, where did it lie off? Did it ever
lie off Englewood? A. I believe it lay off Alpine, New York.
[337] Q. Mr. Lamont’s, wasn’t
it? A. Yes.
Q. Mr. Lamont’s yacht, wasn’t
it? A. Mr. Lamont’s yacht.
Q. Well, now, do you ever
recall visiting Lamont’s yacht when it was off the Columbia Yacht Club at 125th
Street or 130th Street at the North River? A. I never did, no.
Q. Was the Morrow home
adjacent to the Hudson River? A. No, it isn’t.
Q. It wasn’t more than a mile
and a half in, was it? A. It is a good mile in, I am sure.
Q. A mile in? A. Yes.
Q. You know there is a landing
at Englewood? A. Pardon?
Q. You know there are landings
at Englewood? A. I believe—
Q. There is a dock there. A. There
may be, I don’t know.
Q. You are quite sure you
never visited at any time the Lamont yacht when it was lying off the Englewood
dock? A. No, I didn’t.
Q. And that is the yacht that
Johnson was employed on? A. Mr. Johnson was employed on that yacht.
Q. Did you ever visit New
Rochelle? A. Never.
Q. Did you ever go out with
Violet Sharpe socially? A. No.
Q. And so you say that you have
never visited with Violet Sharpe any yacht or boat that was owned by Dr.
Condon? A. No, I didn’t.
Mr. Reilly: The witness is
yours.
Re-direct
Examination by Mr. Wilentz: Q. So that before March 1,
1932, you did not know Dr. Condon, did you? A. I did not.
Q. Did you know Mr. Hauck
before March 1, [338] 1932? A. No.
Q. Or did you know Mr. Reilly
before March 1, 1932? A. No.
Q. So that you did not know
Mr. Condon or Mr. Reilly or Mr. Hauck before March I, 1932? A. I did not.
Q. Now the Morrow estate that
we talked about was owned by the late United States Senator Dwight Morrow, isn’t
that so? A. That is so.
Q. And that is the Morrow you
speak of? A. That is so.
Q. And the Senator and Mrs.
Morrow were the grandparents of this child, is that it? A. They were.
Q. Now this home, this home of
the Lindberghs at Hopewell, was a comparatively new home, wasn’t it? A. It
was a new home.
Q. A new home. That is, it had just been
constructed within some few months before? A. That is correct.
Q. At least within a year of
this crime? A. Yes.
Q. Is that so? A. Yes.
Q. And, of course, in a new
home the warping of a shutter wasn’t anything unusual to you, was it?
Mr. Reilly. I object to it.
Mr. Wilentz: I withdraw the
question.
Q. When did Senator Morrow
die, if you remember?
Mr. Reilly: I object as
incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial, sad, but incompetent.
Mr. Wilentz: Why, if your
Honor, please, there is testimony with reference to people who are dead; it has
been so profuse in this case I [339] thought I would be pardoned if I suggested
the name of somebody who really has something to do with it who is dead.
Mr. Reilly: I don’t think it
is proper rebuttal and I don’t think by any stretch of the imagination should
the name of the distinguished Senator be tied up with the names of the people who have been mentioned that are dead.
Mr. Wilentz: He is a
gentleman, part of this household; we are talking about yachts and the location
of the home and the place where she worked.
The Court: I think I will allow
the question.
Mr. Wilentz: Will you repeat
the question?
(Pending question read as
follows: “Q. When did the Senator, when did Senator Morrow die, if you
remember?”)
A. I am not sure—it was—
Q. When did you go to work? A. October.
Q. In October, 1931? A. The
same year, I believe, nineteen—
Q. That is the October before
the March; is that it? A. That is correct, yes.
Q. That would be October, 1931?
A. Yes.
Q. Mr. Lamont referred to—do
you know whether or not Mr. Lamont was connected in business with Senator
Morrow? A. I had heard that.
Q. You judged that? A. I
had heard of it.
Q. You heard that?
[340] Mr. Reilly: I object.
She already testified he was a partner of Senator Morrow’s.
Mr. Wilentz: I didn’t know
that she had.
The Court: I will allow it to
stand.
Q. So that Mr. Johnson, to
whom reference has been made, was employed by the Lamonts, and you by the
Lindberghs at the Morrow home? A. That is correct.
Q. You were quite fond, I take
it, of Mr. Johnson? A. I was.
Q. He is a young man? A. Yes.
Q. You are now, I understand,
in answer to your question to Mr. Reilly, I understood you to say you are now
thirty? A. That is correct.
Q. I take it at that time,
being about three years ago, you were twenty-seven? A. (Nodding
affirmatively.)
Q. You had made no agreement
with the Lindberghs that you wouldn’t go out with any young men, had you? A. No.
Q. And you did from time to
time keep company with Mr. Johnson, who is now abroad? A. That is right.
Q. He was a young man, too, wasn’t he? A. Yes.
Q. A very nice young man, wasn’t
he? A. He was.
Mr. Wilentz: Miss Gow, I am
very much obliged to you and I wish you would stay until the end of the trial.
The Witness: Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment