</s>FD-302 (Rev. 4:15:44) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Date: April 17, 1968 CHARLES STEPHENS, cab driver, United Cab Company, 255 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, Georgia, was exhibited a group of photographs which included the two photographs of ERIC STARVO GALIF. The STREETS stated that the photographs of ERIG STARVO in the following statements are assembled the following photographs that were transported on April 5, 1968, at approximately 8:41 a.m. from the vicinity of Capitol Avenue and Memorial Drive to the Greyhound Bus Depot the passenger he had in his cab was the fact that he had a very lean, thin face and none of the individuals in the above-mentioned photographs diglayed such facial characteristics. 4/17/68 Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta 44-2386 -607 On- SA THOMAS J. BARRETT and File # SA Thomas C. RENNAHAN, JR ., TJBJhs 4/7/68 by Date dictated This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of theFBI and is loaned to your agency. It and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency, 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into Eric Starvo Galt, a suspect linked to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. A 30.06 rifle with telescopic sights was recovered near the Lorraine Hotel and traced to a Birmingham, Alabama gun dealer. Galt is alleged to have purchased the rifle on March 30, 1965, and a 1966 white Mustang (Alabama license plates) abandoned in Atlanta on April 11, 1968. The FBI claims Galt conspired with an unnamed individual in Birmingham from March 29–April 5, 1968, to injure or threaten King’s right to travel. Galt used aliases including John Willard and Harvey Lowmeyer. A separate investigation traces the Mustang’s ownership history through Jefferson County, Alabama Department of Revenue records, with the car originally sold by Maring Crawford Ford Company in Birmingham to Melvin E. Harvey in March 1966. Title transferred to William D. Paisley in December 1966 and later to Eric S. Galt in August 1967. The FBI notes that Maring Crawford Company practices registering demonstrators under salesmen’s names during protests. Financial records, including bank drafts and checks issued under Galt’s name, were examined but yielded no conclusive leads. A witness, Jimmie D. Garner, identified a photo of Galt from a lineup. The documents also reference Donald James Nissen, linked to an alleged KKK plot against MLK, though no direct connection to the Mustang case is established. Searches for Harvey Lowmeyer and Eric Stavro Galt across multiple Georgia counties yielded no records, with some entries containing redacted or unclear text.  

Key People  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect linked to the assassination; used aliases including John Willard, Harvey Lowmeyer, "Harvey E. Lowerver," and "Helvin F. Harvey."  
- **J. Edgar Hoover**: FBI Director who announced charges against Galt.  
- **Thomas Joseph Cox**: Identified by an informant in Birmingham as associated with Galt.  
- **Mrs. Dawn Cochane**: San Francisco bank teller who identified a sketch of Galt based on a transaction.  
- **Melvin E. Harvey**: Original buyer of the Mustang in 1966.  
- **William D. Paisley**: Second owner, transferred the car to Eric S. Galt in 1967.  
- **Jimmie D. Garner**: Witness who identified a photo of Galt during an FBI lineup.  
- **Donald James Nissen**: Linked to an alleged KKK plot against MLK.  
- **Harvey Lowmeyer** (also referred to as Lomweyer, Lowneyer, Loweyer): Investigated in Georgia counties with no records found.  
- **Clyde Courney**: Investigated for movements in Cordele, Georgia, including a motel stay and travel plans to Jacksonville, Florida.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of King’s assassination; Lorraine Hotel where he stayed.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Gun dealer linked to the rifle purchase; informant’s location.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Abandoned Mustang found in 1968; FBI offices and motel where Galt was reportedly staying in 1967.  
- **San Francisco, California**: Mrs. Cochane’s bank and location of a transaction involving Galt.  
- **Jefferson County, Alabama**: Department of Revenue records tracing the Mustang’s ownership history.  
- **Grady, Decatur, Miller, Seminole, Thomas, and Colquitt Counties, Georgia**: Locations searched for Harvey Lowmeyer and Eric Stavro Galt; some entries contain redacted or unclear text.  
- **Cordele and Vienna, Georgia**: Mentioned in context of Clyde Courney’s movements.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated in Memphis.  
- **March 30, 1965**: Rifle purchase by Galt from Birmingham gun dealer.  
- **April 11, 1968**: Abandoned Mustang discovered in Atlanta.  
- **April 17, 1968**: FBI press release identifying Galt as a fugitive and detailing conspiracy charges.  
- **Car Ownership Transfers**: Mustang’s history from Maring Crawford Ford Company to Harvey, Paisley, and Galt.  
- **Witness Identification**: Jimmie D. Garner identified a photo of Galt during an FBI lineup.  
- **Financial Records Review**: Examination of bank drafts and checks under Galt’s name.  
- **Cab Ride Lead**: Report of a white male passenger resembling Galt in Atlanta in 1967.  
- **Searches for Harvey Lowmeyer and Eric Stavro Galt**: No records found in Georgia counties; some entries contain redacted or unclear text.  
- **Inquiry into Bedspread Linked to Galt**: Requests for textile manufacturers and photographic evidence.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations, coordinated with local agencies, and issued press releases.  
- **Seafarers International Union**: Mentioned in connection to Thomas Joseph Cox’s employment.  
- **American Bulk Carriers**: Contacted for information on Cox.  
- **Grady County Credit Exchange**  
- **Decatur County Sheriff’s Office**  
- **Miller County Sheriff’s Office**  
- **Seminole County Sheriff’s Office**  
- **Thomas County Tax Collector’s Office**  
- **Ku Klux Klan (KKK)**: Mentioned in context of an alleged plot against MLK, though not directly tied to the car case.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_157-02-part_1_of_4.pdf

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