</s>PAGE NINE. ONE FOUR ZERO HOWARD AVE ., BURLINGAME, CALIF ., MODEL NUMBER H FIVE L FOUR. SERIAL NUMBER THREE ONE SIX FOUR SEVEN: SUPERIOR FRENCH LAUNDRY, ONE TWO EIGHT FOUR WEST MAIN AVENUE, OAKLAND, CALIFF ., WHICH HAS NUMEROUS MACHINES OF THIS TYPE SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN RETURNED TO REPRESENTATIVE. MACHINE H FIVE K ONE SERIAL NUMBER THREE ONE THREE FIVE EIGHT RETURNED to TEXTILE MARKING MACKINE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY ALBANY. REGARDING THE ABOVE MACHINS ALL OF THOSE HAVING FIVE CHARACTERS HAVE BEAN IDENTIFIED AND THE NUMBERS FURNISHED BY TELEPHONE TO BALTIMORE, BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO. OTHER MACHIMES SET FORTH ABOVE FOR THE DESIGNATION IN THE MODEL NUMBER INDICATING THAT THEY ARE FIVE CHARACTER MACHINESS. HOWEVER THE RECORDS OF TEXTILE MARKING MACHINA END PAGE NINE 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into laundry marking machines and textile codes linked to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). The focus is on identifying specific thermo-seal machines used to imprint red tapes with codes such as "ZERO TWO B DASH SIX" or "TWO DASH SIX," found on clothing connected to MLK’s assassination. Efforts included tracking textile marking equipment, verifying machine usage in the Northeastern U.S., and contacting companies like Lewis National Corp., Superior Laundry, Textile Marking Machine Co., and Ideal Soft Water Laundry. The FBI coordinated with offices in Boston, Albany, Memphis, and other regions to obtain photographs of laundry tapes, identify machine models, and trace distribution networks for thermo-seal equipment. Analysis of tape samples revealed discrepancies in printing and dimensions compared to those recovered from MLK’s clothing, including a defective machine producing longer tapes than standard. The investigation also sought information on individuals like Fred Weber and Ray Schneider, former sales representatives for Textile Marking Machine Co., and compiled a composite description of an unknown subject (UNSUB) fleeing Memphis after the assassination.  

Key People  
- **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.**: Central figure whose assassination is linked to the investigation.  
- **FBI Agents**: Including SAC James L. Handley, SA Ernest Beltor, and others involved in tracking machines and codes.  
- **Paul Campbell**: President of Superior Laundry Co., Inc., Cambridge, Mass., who provided details about marking machine usage.  
- **Fred Weber**: Sales representative for Textile Marking Machine Co., interviewed regarding code systems.  
- **Ray Schneider**: Former sales representative for Textile Marking Machine Co., whose whereabouts were sought.  
- **George Thatcher**: Individual whose shirts contained thermo-seal markings from Textile Marking Machine Co.  
- **John Torres**: Owner of Nu-Brite Cleaners and Dyers, Fall River, Mass., who observed laundry tapes but denied using specific codes.  
- **Special Agents**: SACs in Boston (157-644), Memphis (44-1987), and Albany (44-493) overseeing the investigation.  

Key Locations  
- **Cambridge, Massachusetts**: Home to Superior Laundry Co., Inc. (model IS14A, serial 3229).  
- **Amesbury, Massachusetts**: Site of Ideal Soft Water Laundry, where a machine was replaced by another.  
- **Syracuse, New York**: Headquarters of Textile Marking Machine Co., manufacturer of the machines in question.  
- **Dorchester, Massachusetts**: Location of Lewis National Corp., which handled a disputed machine model.  
- **Newark, New Jersey**: Home to Prosperity Division of Ametex and other distributors.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Location of the flophouse where the UNSUB (unknown subject) fled after MLK’s assassination.  
- **Boston, Massachusetts**: Center for laundry investigations and contact with laundries like Superior Laundry Company.  
- **New York, New York**: Laundries and Navy exchanges involved in tape analysis.  
- **Navy Exchanges**: Locations across the U.S., including Norfolk, Jacksonville, and San Francisco, linked to tracking laundry tapes.  

Key Events  
- **April 7–8, 1968**: FBI investigation into laundry tapes found on clothing linked to MLK’s assassination.  
- **Search for Machines**: Efforts to locate textile marking machines producing red thermo-seal tapes with specific codes (e.g., "ZERO TWO B DASH SIX").  
- **Coordination Between FBI Offices**: Communication between Boston, Albany, Memphis, and other regional offices to track machine distribution and usage.  
- **Verification of Codes**: Analysis of tape markings, including the five-character code system used in dry-cleaning and laundry industries.  
- **Contact with Laundries**: Directives to laundries like Bond Dry Cleaning Co., Barclay Cleaners, and others to confirm or deny use of specific codes.  
- **Code Analysis**: Examination of laundry tape samples revealed discrepancies in printing and dimensions compared to those found on MLK’s clothing.  
- **Machine Defects**: Textile Marking Machine Co.’s equipment was noted for producing tapes longer than standard (1/6" vs. 1/8").  
- **Unsub Profile**: A composite description of the suspect fleeing Memphis, Tennessee, was compiled by FBI agents.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Central agency conducting the investigation, with offices in Boston, Albany, Memphis, and other locations.  
- **Textile Marking Machine Co.**: Manufacturer of machines used for laundry marking, based in Syracuse, NY.  
- **Lewis National Corp.**: Company involved in handling a disputed machine model (IS14A).  
- **Superior Laundry Co., Inc.**: Laundromat in Cambridge, MA, with ties to the investigation.  
- **Ametex Prosperity Division**: Distributor of thermo-seal machines in Newark, NJ.  
- **Navy Exchanges**: Military facilities tracked for potential connections to laundry tape distribution.

MLK Declassified Files

157-bs-644_hs1-852666761_178-01-part_3_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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