JULY 9, 1956 PART ONE OF TWO

Monday, July 9, 1956

HEADLINE: TAYLOR CONFESSION IS MADE PUBLIC BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

George MacKinnon, United States District Attorney, Thursday made public, James P. Taylor’s confession of the Kenneth Lindbergh kidnapping and slaying last November 12.


The confession was made to Richard N. Pranke and Harry D. Bergland, FBI agents in the Hennepin County jail April 9, 1956. It was four months after Taylor’s arrest and a few days after he had pleaded guilty in Minneapolis federal court to the crime.


Irving Nenerov and Walter E. Riodan, court appointed attorneys for Taylor were present when the confession was made. Certain portions of the confession were deleted from this text. MacKinnon said, because the details were not collaborated by another competent evidence or because references were made to innocent persons whose reputations might be damaged. Such deletions are indicated thus…..


The following is a portion of Taylor’s statement as released by MacKinnon dealing with events after Taylor’s arrival in Thief River Falls on November 12.


I arrived at the Thief River Falls airport at approximately 3:45 p.m.. I went into the airport restaurant and ordered a cup of coffee and a roll or sandwich. I had been drinking again early that morning to fortify myself for what laid ahead, just what I did not know.


One man finally offered to give me a ride into Thief River Falls since there were no taxis available.


I could not have afforded a taxi now as I had only $.60.

I was carrying a small brown overnight bag, empty except for a shirt, a pair of slacks, and a hatchet which I had bought at a hardware store.


The man who drove me to Thief River Falls dropped me in front of a hotel stating that this would probably be the hotel where I would stay. I entered this hotel and asked the man in attendance whether he had two rooms reserved for Herbert F. Johnson.


He stated that he did not but in all likelihood it would be at the other hotel in town to which he directed me.


I then walked around the block and entered the other hotel asking whether they had a reservation for Herbert F. Johnson. A woman informed me that she did have this reservation and one for a Miss Hadley.


I then was quite nervous and came very close to turning back again, however, I didn’t since I could not pay my way out of Thief River Falls.


I stood in this lobby and smoked, although it is not my custom to smoke cigarettes. Smoked three or four. I told the woman that I would be back to register later on, picked up my bag and after asking for directions to the bank, walked over to the bank.


A SMILING MAN
I knocked on the bank door. A very genial and smiling man answered my knock and opened the door and introduced himself as Kenneth Lindbergh. We shook hands during which time I introduced myself as Herbert F. Johnson. We walked into the main part of the bank, Lindbergh called a Mr. George Werstlein over to him and introduced us.


I noticed that a janitor was sweeping the floors in the bank.


Lindbergh then walked me into his office, helped me off with my coat and hat, and we sat down in two chairs facing one another. Werstlein retired behind a semi-close partition within six feet of us.


I knew that I could not disclose the nature of my business while all of these people were in the bank, but happened to stall off as best I could until they left. I did lead Lindbergh to believe that I was Herbert F. Johnson of the Johnson Wax Company; that we were going to buy a large tract of land in that area to build a new plant, that to date we had kept all our intentions very confidential and were still in only the planning stages on this new enterprise.


Lindbergh asked me as to the labor situation. I then went on at great lengths to discuss how we wanted to use local people as much as possible.


We then talked at great length about the number of high school seniors, about working conditions and employment conditions in the area. It was about this time that Werstlein re-entered Lindbergh’s office, stating that he was going to leave for home and before he left, was there anything he could do to help.


Lindbergh told Werstlein, thank you, no he needed no help.


I HAD COLD FEET
After Werstlein’s departure, Lindbergh and I sat and talked about hunting, fishing, and athletics. I didn’t know whether the janitor was still there. I hadn’t see him leave and I didn’t know if Werstlein would be coming back or calling back. Shortly there after the phone rang. Lindbergh answered and affirmed the fact that everything was all right to Werstlein.


He then returned and we talked for some time again.
I had cold feet and I still wanted to back out but I had no money to leave , I had $.60.


I knew I couldn’t even get out of town. Then there was the matter of, I knew Lindbergh would ask me about putting the money for the deal away I tried to leave this money which I could not produce.


To stall further I mention the fact to Lindbergh that he certainly had a nice modern looking bank. He then took me on a tour of the whole bank in explaining the uses of all the machines in the system used.


I wanted to do this myself to learn whether or not the janitor was still in the bank.


When we came back to Lindbergh’s office, I opened this subject on hunting and fishing once more. Finally Lindbergh mentioned would I want a cashier’s check for the money. Trying a last desperate shot at hoping to avoid the whole thing I asked Lindbergh if you would like to place the whole bag just as it lies in the vault: that a check would not be necessary.


Lindbergh said he would feel better about it and he felt it would be the only way to handle the matter, would be to give me a cashier’s check for the money.


I then asked Lindbergh whether he wanted to put the bag in as it was since the money in the bag was a lot of small denomination’s. He said then that he thought it best that he count it before locking it up.


HE NEARLY PASSED OUT
I then told Lindbergh to prepare himself for a shock. I realized that Lindbergh was a large man and that I did not want any kind of rumpus. Therefore I gave Lindbergh the following story:


I told him that I was with a large syndicate; that his bank was being robbed. Lindbergh very nearly passed out. I told him to please stay calm; that no one would be hurt so long as everyone cooperated.


At this time Lindbergh, as I have before stated, was visibly shaken, was very pale and trembling. I felt like he might have a heart attack.


He asked if it would be all right if he got a drink. I said most certainly and went with Lindbergh to the lavatory in the back of the bank where had a paper cup full of water. He seemed to get a hold of himself a little bit and we returned to his office.


I believe it was around 9:30 or 10 o’clock at that time.
When Lindbergh asked me a couple of questions in regard to why and how his bank was being robbed. All I said for an explanation was that there were other members of the syndicate in town, some near his home in the event that he did not cooperate.


Lindbergh then said, it is a funny thing but I just mentioned to my wife today that I had never been robbed.


Then he said, well we might as well get what you want.


LINDBERGH OPENS SAFE
This, is another injection: during the conversation that evening in the bank and alarm had sounded at the bank. Lindbergh had gotten up and gone back near the vault. The alarm ceased during the time that he was gone.


I had picked up the bag and walked with Lindbergh to the vault. He told me that he could not open the safe where all the currency was , since I can’t remember, but I do believe that Werstlein had closed the safe with money just before he left or Lindbergh closed it when the alarm rang.


He was able, however to open up another safe which contain silver and travelers checks.


Lindbergh started to put the contents of this safe into the bag while I was holding the bag open. He spilled one box of silver and then I began to help him as he had become very nervous again.


I asked Lindbergh are you sure you could not open that other safe. He manipulated the dials repeatedly said it is impossible it will not open until Monday morning……………………….


We then walked out of the vault, which Lindbergh close behind us, and left the bag containing the travelers checks and silver by the side door of the bank. During this time I had been doing a lot of thinking and regards as to what I was going to do with Lindbergh.


I couldn’t just let him walk out of the bank and I had forgotten all the sleeping potions which I had intended to bring. The hatchet remained in the bag all during this time. Lindbergh was completely oblivious that I even had a hatchet. It was in the bag and the clothes were on top.


NOW A GETAWAY?
In Lindbergh’s office I decided that since…… by being so long delayed causing me to miss all possible means of transportation out of Thief River Falls, I would use Lindbergh’s car to leave this point and leave him in the bank.


Since I have nothing that I felt suitable to tie Lindbergh with and he mentioned that Werstlein might drop in again that evening. I decided to take Lindbergh with me if he would come.


I didn’t know if he would, not. I don’t know what I would have done if he would have said no.


I had it in mind to take Lindbergh back to Minneapolis now and leave him drugged in a room which I was still holding at the Nicolet Hotel.


I wiped off all the fingerprints in the locale area where I had been sitting in Lindbergh’s office and had done so in a bank vault. We put our coats and hats on and I informed Lindbergh that I would be taking him to Minneapolis where he would become free later.


We walked together toward the rear of the bank were Lindbergh turned off the lights. Lindbergh had picked up the bag containing the travelers checks and money and we walked out of the door which Lindbergh’s pulled shut with his free hand.


I asked him whether it had locked behind him and he said it had and then we walked to the car showing me where it was. We deposited the money in the back on the floor of the back seat , we stood and talked at the corner for a few seconds we then returned to Lindbergh’s car.


I started to get in on the right-hand side and let Lindbergh drive: whatever he stated, he was too nervous.


I told him I would drive that he would have to direct me out of Thief River Falls. We drove at a fairly good rate of speed towards Detroit Lakes.


DETROIT LAKES ARRIVED
Lindbergh played the radio and we talked about hunting and fishing during this drive. He asked me several times where I would please leave his car so he could find it in Minneapolis, since he took exceptionally good care of it and would hate to see a damage in any way. I told them I was not concerned with taking care of the automobile, only getting out of Minnesota as fast as possible.


After going this far and then realizing that with only the travelers checks and silver I was quite disappointed. I knew that I could not carry all that silver on the plane; that I would have difficulty even lifting the bag with all that silver.


When we arrived in Detroit Lakes we drove past the city itself on Highway 10. Out on the southern outskirts of Detroit Lakes we stopped for gas.


I had driven past this gas station first and approached it from the south heading north. I didn’t have any money in my pockets and the money to pay for the gas came from the money Lindbergh handed me. We went back into the center of Detroit Lakes to the Greystone Hotel.

Lindbergh had stated he had better call his wife; he said she would be worried about him. I told him I can certainly understand and would be glad to give him this opportunity.