</s>CG 44-1114 CHICAGO BACKGROUND INFORMATION RE SUBJECT - 90 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail investigations into James Earl Ray’s criminal history, residences, employment, and associations from 1950–1969, with some references to Martin Luther King Jr. and related individuals. Ray’s arrest records include a 1952 robbery charge in Chicago, where he was shot by Officer George Green during apprehension. FBI inquiries focused on his alleged residences at 61 East Cedar Street and 2725 North Pine Grove, later demolished or repurposed, as well as employment with Neo Products Company and Borg-Ericson. A 1955 post office burglary case in Kellerville, Illinois, linked Ray to stolen postal money orders, though no conclusive evidence tied him to the crime. Later investigations in 1968–1969 explored his residency in Chicago’s "hippie" communities and discrepancies in his identity and employment history. A separate entry referenced a 1968 discussion involving Robert P. Bennett of J.C. Penny, Inc., who reported that a group including Senator BENNETT discussed Martin Luther King Jr.’s chauffeur, Kelly Williams, and concerns about risks to King’s safety. The industrialist sought assistance from Standard Oil Company of Indiana to identify the chauffeur’s former employer.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray** (subject of multiple investigations; described as 5'6", 124 lbs, with a waddling gait)  
- **George Green** (Chicago Police Department officer who shot Ray in 1952)  
- **John McDonough** (retired Chicago Police officer and former partner of Green)  
- **Robert P. Bennett** (J.C. Penny, Inc.)  
- **Senator BENNETT** (father of Robert P. Bennett)  
- **Martin Luther King Jr.** (referred to as "KING")  
- **Kelly Williams** (alleged chauffeur for King)  
- **WaltHER T. RIFE** (arrested for money order fraud)  
- **Earl Ray** (co-conspirator in money order thefts)  
- **Louis Suppera** (former owner of 2723 North Pine Grove)  

Key Locations  
- **61 East Cedar Street**, Chicago, Illinois (Ray’s alleged residence; now part of a larger apartment complex)  
- **2725 North Pine Grove**, Chicago, Illinois (demolished for Andora Apartments)  
- **Kellerville, Illinois** (site of 1955 post office burglary)  
- **Alton, Illinois** (location of stolen money order transaction)  
- **Chicago, Illinois** (center for hippie-related investigations)  
- **Standard Oil Company of Indiana/Indianapolis** (requested assistance to identify chauffeur’s former employer)  
- **Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet, Illinois** (Ray allegedly incarcerated 1951–1952)  

Key Events  
- **May 6, 1952**: Arrest of James Ray for robbery in Chicago; shot by Officer George Green during apprehension.  
- **March 7, 1955**: Burglary of Kellerville Post Office; 66 postal money orders stolen.  
- **April 30, 1968**: FBI investigation into post office burglary and arrests of RIFE and RAY.  
- **April 25–26, 1968**: FBI efforts to locate JAMES EARL RAY in Chicago’s "hippie" communities.  
- **April 19, 1968**: Review of Illinois license records for JAMES EARL RAY and aliases.  
- **Discussion among a group including Senator BENNETT** (April 25–26, 1968): Concerns about Martin Luther King Jr.’s chauffeur, Kelly Williams, and risks to King’s safety.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** (conducted post-burglary investigations and searches for JAMES EARL RAY)  
- **Illinois State Penitentiary** (Ray allegedly incarcerated 1951–1952)  
- **United States Postal Inspection Service** (investigated the 1955 burglary)  
- **J.C. Penny, Inc.** (Robert P. Bennett’s employer; referenced in discussion about King’s chauffeur)  
- **Standard Oil Company of Indiana/Indianapolis** (requested assistance to identify chauffeur’s former employer)  
- **Chicago Police Department** (records search for arrests or convictions post-1952)

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_125-01-part_3_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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