Some interesting stories. The nursery’s 2nd story window was open so they couldn’t get Bruno on breaking in. But he had to un-clip some safety pins holding the blanket over the baby. That got him him a breaking and entering charge. My parents had some (business) contact with Hauptman’s widow, years later. She swore her husband was innocent. The story was they had a German visitor who grabbed the child, dropped him by accident, killing him and burying the body, getting the ransom money and leaving the country before things got too hot.
I always thought Hauptman was as guilty as hell. I do remember that the window was open and that a handmade ladder was pressed against the house. The wood of the ladder matched wood in Hauptman’s garage, I believe. I know his widow carried on for years claiming he was innocent and getting some pretty famous people to believe her, too. I ain’t buyin’.
Anyway, how cool to have a granddad who witnessed the “Trial of the Century.”