The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-07-09
MYSTERY SURROUNDING LETTER
TO CHIEF POND is SOLVED.
Note Was Penned BY H. G. Perring-
ton, a Superintendent, Formerly of
Redwood Falls; He Saw Things in
a Dream; Told a Friend What He
Was Going to Do; Has Been an
Inmate of a Chicago Sanitarium.

Today The Free Press received word
that the letter was penned by II. G.
burlington, former resident of Sleepy
Eye. Shortly after Ledbeter's disap-
pearance burlington was attending the
funeral of his wife in Redwood Falls
After the services were concluded he
had a conversation with a resident of
Redwood to whom he stated that
he had a revelations; that he had seen
the body of Ledbeter lying in a lake
near the dead mans home. He in
formed this gentleman that he was
going to write letter to the chief
of police at Mankato, informing the
officer of what had been revealed to
him.
Is Spiritualist.
Mr.. burlington is superintende Mt
1t is said that he has been an inmate
of sanitarium at Chicago and some
times acts peculiar. The burlington
letter was mailed at Sleepy Eye on
June l, and was received by Chief
Pond on the same date. Chief Pond
thought enough of the epistle to drag
Skaters lake, a Small body of water
near the Ledbeter farm. Mr.. Purring-
ton has son living somewhere in the
southern part of the state.
A facsimile of the mysterious letter
was published in The Free Press on
Monday morning following the finding
of Ledbeter's body OH his farm.
Told Story to Baxter
Minneapolis Journal: According to
William Baxter, private detective EN-
ployed by the state in the Ledbeter
case at Mankato, Frank Smith repu-
dated to him his alleged confession
and has made another statement which
is now puzzling the authorities. Bax
ter says he posed as fugitive and
was locked in the cell with the pris-
oner.
Baxter says that during this period
Smith denied to him that Mrs. Led
better had anything to do with the
crime, but said he was hired by a man
to dispose of Ledbeter. Baxter today
returned to Minneapolis from Mankato
Once during the convention, Baxter
says, Smith lost control of the thread
of his story. and admitted striking the
death blow himself, but that he i'm
mediately retracted this.
HE told me Mrs. Ledbeter had
nothing to do with the crime, al
though she knew of it, Baxter says.
''Once Smith said that when he struck
Ledbeter, the man fell several feet
away. He caught himself Immediate
ly, however, and said another man
struck the blow. With the exception
of that time, he has maintained all
through that ne did not strike the
blow, although he admitted planning
the murder for another man."
Baxter says his investigations salts
fly him that Ledbeter was never bur
led in the barn, but only in the place
where his body was found. Baxter
says Smith told him he had planned
to dig several holes to throw off the
authorities, but did not have time.
According to Baxter. Smith now says
the murder took place outdoors in
front of the hen house
Smith is the nerviest >man Pye
met" said the detective "When II
asked him how he felt when the mob
went out to the farm, he said:
'Well, if they had killed me it
would have been over in a few min
utes. Besides, | am thirty two years
old. and have seen good deal"
Baxter says he was unable to get
Smith to tell who had hired him to
commit the crime, and he also refused
to tell the motive except in general
way. The case is far from solved.
Baxter thinks, and the real motive
may never be known. He intends to
return to Mankato tomorrow and re-
sumo his work there.
The Home of Smith
The man Smith has told several diff. |
ferent stories as to his former places
OF residence. In an interview with
newspaper men the day before the
body of Ledbeter was found. Smith |
stated that he lived at Blue Grass
Iowa. Later he said that his father
was dead and his step mother lived at
Cleveland, Ohio. A few days ago the
fellow claimed his father, John Smith.
lives on a farm one and one half miles |
from Stockton, Iowa. The farm adjoins
one owned by the father of William
Garner.
Smith put in one winter cnopping
wood near Bakeley, Minn. He was
looked upon as a tough character by
the men he worked with.
Had Heard No Bad Stories.
Despite the fact that he boarded at
the hotel conducted at Hayward,
Wis, by Holley J. Ledbeter the late
murder victim, and his wife, it is only
since the discovery of Ledbeter's dead
body that j. c. Hanson has heard
stories of the unbecoming conduct of
Mrs. Ledheter.
For 1stfirty three years Mr.. Hanson
was engaged in the tailoring business
in this city, and he is now back on.
!