</s>-PD-305(Rev. 9-27-65) - FBI Date: 1/21/69 Transmit the following in (Type in plaintext or code) AIRTEL (Priority) REGISTERED MAIL Vic To: Director, FBI ATTENTION: (C) CIVIL RIGHTS SECTION From: SAC, PHILADELPHIA (44-1368) (C] GENERAL INVEST. DIV. (C)-DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE DIV .. Subject: MURKIN CR EL VRA-65 CRA-64 CRA.64 PE PPE O PF BM BM BM-Threats Racial Matters Klan Organization Summary of Complaint: Remytels 1/19/69. Enclosed for the Bureau are three copies of a self-explanatory Lihm. Info copies furnished Memphis and Atlanta. Enclosed to the Bureau for the Bureaus are three copies of a 3 Bureau (Enc. 3) (RH) Memphis (Enco. 2) (Rh) 1- Memphis, Enco. (RhM) 2- 1- Atlanta (Enca. 1) 2) RH) 1- Philadelphia (Rh] 1- 1- 144-1369 1- 100-4719H (SCLC) JRW/JBK (8) ACTION: UACB: No further action being taken and LHM enclosed Copy furnished to USA LHM being submitted. Report being submitted EDPa. Primary investigation instituted Limited investigation instituted Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent M Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The text details an FBI and RCMP investigation into James Earl Ray (JER)’s movements and alleged connections to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Key elements include interviews with Henry Stum, a former employee at the Brown Shoe Company tannery in Alton, Illinois, who denied any association with JER or Nazi ideology. Hotel records from Acapulco and Guadalajara, Mexico, were checked for JER’s presence but yielded inconclusive results. RCMP agents investigated JER’s movements in Montreal, Canada, including contact with J.M. Charron at the Neptune Tavern, though no definitive evidence was found. Allegations of Nazi ties to JER were refuted by Stum and dismissed as media speculation. The documents highlight fragmented information, potential errors (e.g., conflicting dates for Stum’s naturalization), and limited success in verifying JER’s activities.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray** (JER): Primary suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination; investigated for travel to Canada and alleged ties to Nazi ideology.  
- **Henry Stum**: Interviewed by FBI agents; denied any connection to JER or Nazi affiliations.  
- **J.M. Charron**: Contacted by RCMP in Montreal, reportedly vacationing in Puerto Rico at the time of investigation.  
- **RAOL** (possibly a pseudonym or code name): Allegedly offered JER a deal to return to the U.S., though details remain unclear.  

Key Locations  
- **Alton, Illinois**: Stum’s former workplace; site of FBI interview.  
- **Acapulco, Mexico**: Hotel San Francisco checked for JER’s registration (October 10–11, 1967).  
- **Guadalajara, Mexico**: Pancho Villa Motel records indicated Eric B. Galt’s stay on October 18, 1967.  
- **Montreal, Canada**: RCMP investigated JER’s movements and contact with Charron at the Neptune Tavern.  

Key Events  
- **FBI Interviews (January 8, 1969)**: Stum denied involvement with JER or Nazi ideology; claimed no knowledge of JER’s activities.  
- **Hotel Record Checks**: Mexican hotels lacked consistent record-keeping, making verification of JER’s presence difficult.  
- **RCMP Investigation in Canada**: Sought evidence of JER’s movements and connections to Montreal-based contacts.  
- **Alleged Nazi Ties**: Media speculation about JER’s potential links to Nazi ideology was refuted by Stum and dismissed as unverified claims.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Conducted interviews and cross-border investigations into JER’s activities.  
- **RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)**: Collaborated with FBI on international inquiries, focusing on Montreal and Canada-U.S. border movements.

MLK Declassified Files

190-hq-709_bulky_231_sec_006_ser_231_only-part_11_of_12.pdf

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