</s>PAGE TWO INVESTIGATION BIRMINGHAM DETERMINED THAT TELEPHONE EXCHANGES IN NUMBERS MENTIONED ABOVE ARE LOCATED AS FOLLOWS: FIVE TWO FOUR AT COLLINSVILLE, ALABAMA: TWO EIGHT EIGHT AT MONTGOMERY, ALASAMA: FOUR EIGHT TWO AT ODEN RIDGE, IN FALKVILLE, Ala. AREA: EIGHT NINE NINE AT ASHFORD, HOUSTON COUNTY, ALA. ALABAM. MOBILE, IMMEDIATELY DETERMINE POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANCE OF TELEPHONE NUMBER TWO EIGHT FIGHT - THREE NINE ZERO ZERO FOUR at MONTGOMERY, AND EIGHT NINEE NINE-THREE ZERO SIX ONE AT ASHFORD. BIRMINGHAM, WILL HANDLE COLLINSSVILLE AND FALKVILLIES LEADS TO DETERMERMINGHAN, WILL KANDLE COLINSSILLVILLE AND FAKVILLAGES LEADS BE REPEATED IN OTHER STATES AND ABOVÉ NUMBers NOT NECESSARILY ALABAMA NUMBRS. END FLK FBI MOBILE 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

Summary  
The text comprises declassified FBI telegrams and reports from late 1967–early 1968, focusing on investigations into individuals suspected of ties to organized crime, civil unrest, and potential involvement in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (April 4, 1968). Key figures include Eric Starvo Galt (also known as Harvey Lowryer or John Willard), a white male described as approximately 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall with brown hair and blue eyes. The documents reference a 30.06 rifle found near the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, linked to the assassination, and trace its purchase to a Birmingham gun dealer on March 30, 1963. Galt’s movements include travel to Los Angeles, New Orleans, Birmingham, Mexico, and Memphis, with a white Mustang (purchased in Birmingham in August 1967) abandoned in Atlanta in April 1963. The FBI issued public appeals for information on Galt, emphasizing his alleged conspiracy to violate civil rights under Title 15, Section 241 of the U.S. Code. Coded language and abbreviated addresses are used throughout, reflecting high-priority surveillance. The text also notes geographic focus on Memphis, Birmingham, Atlanta, and New Orleans, with ties to broader FBI efforts against organized crime and civil rights violations during the Civil Rights Movement. A typo in Dr. King’s assassination date (listed as April 4, 1958) is present but preserved as per original records.  

Key People  
- **Eric Starvo Galt** (also known as Harvey Lowryer or John Willard): Suspected conspirator in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., described with physical traits including a "brush" haircut, blue eyes, and a nervous habit of pulling at an earlobe.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Identified as the official suspect in MLK’s assassination, though referenced indirectly in context of FBI investigations.  
- **William N. Hester**, **Billy Joe Faulkner**: Individuals under surveillance for potential ties to criminal networks or civil unrest.  
- **FBI Agents and Informants**: Mentioned through coded references (e.g., "MURKIN") and operational directives.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Dr. King’s assassination; referenced via the Rebel Motel and Lorraine Hotel.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Linked to gun dealer purchases and FBI surveillance operations.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Location of abandoned white Mustang (1966 model).  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Mentioned in Galt’s travel history and as a hub for civil rights activity.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Included in Galt’s reported movements.  

Key Events  
- **Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.** (April 4, 1968): Central to FBI investigations, with references to the 30.06 rifle found near the Lorraine Hotel.  
- **FBI Public Appeal**: Issued press release urging public cooperation in locating Galt, emphasizing his alleged danger and criminal conspiracy.  
- **COINTELPRO Operations**: Implied through context of FBI surveillance targeting civil rights leaders and organized crime networks.  
- **Surveillance of Civil Rights Leaders**: Highlighted by tracking individuals like Galt across multiple cities during the 1960s.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central to all investigations, with telegrams detailing surveillance, coded communications, and operational directives.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Implied through legal references (e.g., Title 15, Section 241).  
- **Civil Rights Movement Organizations**: Indirectly referenced via FBI focus on civil unrest and rights violations.

MLK Declassified Files

157-mo-2627_625067_25-02-part_3_of_4.pdf

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