The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-15
RECORD SOME SPOTTED
DISCOVERIES MADE ABOUT
JOHNNY WELLBORN
Not the Innocent "kid" That
He Attempted To Make
Himself Out


real identity OF the young man who
was with William Rinker the al
legged murdered of Sheriff t. J. Nc
Call Of Worthington, at Miloma OIL
Sunday night, August z. when the
crime was committed. and who Is
ter several weeks of liberty, has been
established through the efforts OF
Sheriff o. c. Lee, 1t develops that
the young man is not as innocent ~
he led the officers to believe at the
time Of Rinker's arrangements on the
charge OF first degree murder.
His true name is Lanier Johnsey,
and he has been identified by the SUI
IerinteRdent of the Iowa Industrial
school at Eldora, Iowa, where he WAS
serving q term of years for compiled
ty In the robbing Of the postofface at
Burlington, Iowa, three years ago.
Johnsey, who gave his name in court
here as John Wellborn, was sent TO
made his escape the latter part OF
July, 1929. From a letter received by
Sheriff Lee from the superintendent
of the reforTnatory, Johnsey was any
thing but a model prisoner. The let
ter state that he was continual
trouble maker among the inmates
and one time In a fit of anger severe
Z II injured one of the cocks by pound
Ing Kim over the head with heavy
> dish pan The letter recites other
Instances where Johnsey attempted to
stir uI' trouble and was continually
being punished for breaking the rules
Of the school. The superintendent
stAtes that he does not care to have
THE ybung man sent back, to that In
.stitution as they have given up all
hope of reforming him.
Sheriff Was Interested.
Sheriff Lee took great deal of in
! appeared. to be innocent of any con-
fection with the theft Of the suit
cases from the depot at Worthingten
On, the night prior to the murder OF
MeCaii, he secured employment for
him on the state road crew. A few
days later one of the men reported
the loss Of his pocketbook. Sus.
picton was eentered ON 'Wellborn"
and after an Investigation by Sheriff
custody again again TIC "W sSdns man WAS WAS
given a seve>e griliing after being
returned to his cell. at first he re-
manned Indifferent to the questions
put to him regarding his past life
and stuck to the story he had told on
the witness stand in the district court
room On August 23. Later how
him with questions, he broke down
completely and said that his real
name was Lan1er Jehnsey. He told of
his escape from the Iowa reformatory
and how he came to Worthington on
Saturday, August 6. There he Sc
cured job shoveling ceal but as the
work was not to his liking he quit
after working couple OF hours. Later
in the day he met Rinker In the rail
hung around the depot waiting TO
steal ride to the twin cities. No
ticing a stranger derosit two suit
cases in the waiting room, Johnsey
waited until after the man had de-
parted when he entered the waiting
room and stole both suit cases. He
then went down the track short dis
lance and concealing himself behind
some freight cars, donned the two
6f the suit cases. Rinker and john
sey then boarded an east bound pas
ssnger train. but after riding a short
distance Rinker discovered that he
had lost his revolver. They got of and
after finding the gun waited several
hours for another train, from which
they were put of at Brewster.
Johnsey's parents reside at Ham
mond, Indiana. Sheriff Lee has ad-
vised them OF their sons arrest, but
has had no reply to his letter written
aftsf receiving the letter from the
superintendent of the Iptka industrial
school, Johnsey says He never told
his parents of his Imprisonment at
Eldora, but led them to believe that
he was attenaing technical training
school. y
Rinker still refuses to discuss the
murder. In 6ne of the recent talks
Sheriff tse has had with the prisoner
he said that Johnsey had told him
that he had escared from some insti :
tuition but that he did net knew In
what, state. - ..- Is
Johnset has told Sheriff Lee that
Rtnker told him at worthington that
be had taken the revolver from a car
standing III front OF peuitentiary In
pne Of the western states, from which
place he escaped. Sheriff Lee is still
IN Sdnn unication with prison authori-
ties and hopes to eventually uncover
the prisoners past history: