</s>JN 157-9586 PAUL V. FAIRLEY 205 Government Street Tupelo, Mississippi Mississippi license M-8113, MARTHA JO MIMS. 719 Hemlock Columbus, Mississippi O. A. HOKIE Highway 61 South Port Gibson, Mississippi Wisconsin license Y52-152 KATHILYN F. FUNK 408 3rd Avenue North Columbus. Mississippi A. L. BREWER 312 10th Avenue Greenwood, Mississippi Mississippi license N 2014 H. E. SMITH 1007 Poplar Jackson, Mississippi HOMER B. DAVIS Route 5, Box 118 Jackson, Missouri R. L . KING 620 West 6th Street Jackson, Missouri Missouri license KK7E85, Oldsmobile Mrs. LOUIS RAY 4217 Beauty Lane St. Louis, Missouri Alabama license 3-2647, Dodge 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains FBI records related to investigations into Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, including motel registration data, inquiries into James Earl Ray’s activities, and assessments of potential threats. Motel registration cards from Corinth, Mississippi (March 29–April 3, 1968) list names, addresses, license plate numbers, and vehicle details for individuals across multiple states. These records are part of FBI File #157-9586 and were reviewed under Executive Order 14176 for declassification. The FBI sought to verify the authenticity of a registration card for Eric S. Galt at the Birmingham Travelodge Motel (Room 307, April 11, 1969) and investigated James Earl Ray’s alleged connections, including a rifle purchase at Cotlins Supply Company on March 29/30, 1968. Harry Pope’s letter alleging overheard conversations about MLK’s assassination was reviewed; Pope denied writing the letter and claimed mental illness, with Columbia, Missouri police chief Tom Rainey corroborating his instability. The FBI also traced phone numbers linked to Ray, including 322-3561, which South Central Bell Telephone Company confirmed was unregistered in Mississippi.  

Key People  
- Glen M. Swicegood (Dothan, Alabama)  
- F. C. McGinnis (Birmingham, Alabama)  
- J. A. Smelley (Sheffield, Alabama)  
- L. O. Ellis (Sheffield, Alabama)  
- Jack Cornelius (Muscle Shoals, Alabama)  
- Earl Crawford (El Dorado, Arkansas)  
- Ervin Sherwood (Dewitt, Arkansas)  
- Brooks Phillips (Corinth, Mississippi; motel owner)  
- Eric S. Galt (Birmingham Travelodge Motel registration)  
- James Earl Ray (alleged rifle purchase, motel registration)  
- Harry Pope (denied allegations about Dr. Russell Bush and MLK’s assassination)  
- Dr. Russell Bush (retired dentist in Columbia, Mississippi; allegedly discussed assassination plans with Pope)  
- George C. McCully (South Central Bell Telephone Company state security officer)  
- Tom Rainey (Columbia, Missouri police chief; assessed Pope’s mental state)  

Key Locations  
- Corinth, Mississippi (motel registration records, FBI review)  
- Dothan, Alabama  
- Birmingham, Alabama (Birmingham Travelodge Motel)  
- Sheffield, Alabama  
- Muscle Shoals, Alabama  
- El Dorado, Arkansas  
- Dewitt, Arkansas  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI office)  
- Jackson, Mississippi (FBI SAC office)  
- Columbia, Mississippi (Harry Pope’s residence, Dr. Russell Bush’s address)  
- Meridian, Mississippi (NAACP activities)  
- Houston, Texas  
- Louisville, Kentucky  

Key Events  
- FBI review of motel registration records from Corinth, Mississippi (March 29–April 3, 1968)  
- Investigation into Eric S. Galt’s motel registration and handwriting analysis at Birmingham Travelodge Motel  
- Inquiry into James Earl Ray’s alleged connections to the Travelodge Motel and rifle purchase at Cotlins Supply Company  
- Review of Harry Pope’s letter alleging overheard conversations about MLK’s assassination; Pope denied writing the letter and claimed mental illness  
- Assessment of Pope’s credibility by Columbia, Missouri police chief Tom Rainey  
- FBI inquiries into phone number 322-3561 linked to James Earl Ray, confirmed unregistered in Mississippi  
- NAACP activities in Mississippi, including reports on community tensions by Reverend R. S. Porter  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Southern Baptist Convention (associated with Glen M. Swicegood)  
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)  
- South Central Bell Telephone Company  
- Local police departments (Columbia, Missouri; Memphis, Tennessee)  
- Mississippi Department of Motor Vehicles (license plate data)

MLK Declassified Files

157-jn-9586_624938_427d-04-part_6_of_8.pdf

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