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Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities in St. Louis, Missouri, during 1967–1968, focusing on his alleged connections to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Key elements include hotel registration records from the MacArthur Hotel, which identified James Earl Ray’s stays between January 26 and April 19, 1968, with initials linked to Charles Breitweiser. FBI agents interviewed hotel staff, including manager Irvin Shatzman, who confirmed the signatures on registration cards belonged to Breitweiser. Investigations also tracked John Ray (James Earl Ray’s brother), last seen in Jefferson City, Missouri, around 1967, and located him at the Grapevine Bar on Arsenal Street, St. Louis, where he denied knowledge of his brother’s whereabouts post-escape from prison. Additional records include a liquor license application for Carol Pepper’s tavern (Grapevine Tavern) and financial transactions tied to a mortgage involving John Ray and Carol Pepper. The FBI also explored threats against MLK, including interviews with Delano Elmer Walker, who claimed an unidentified man offered him $50,000 to assassinate King in 1966, and Benny K. Pinkston, linked to prior threats via police reports from Illinois and Arkansas.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; investigated for hotel stays and family connections.  
- **John Ray (brother)**: Last seen in Jefferson City, Missouri, around 1967; interviewed by FBI agents.  
- **Carol Ann Pepper**: Sister of John Ray; owner of Grapevine Bar/“Jack’s Place”; no criminal record found.  
- **Irvin Shatzman**: Manager of MacArthur Hotel; provided hotel registration details.  
- **Charles Breitweiser**: Hotel clerk who signed registration cards for James Earl Ray.  
- **Delano Elmer Walker**: Alleged recipient of assassination threat against MLK; incarcerated at Missouri Training School for Men.  
- **Benny K. Pinkston**: Linked to threats against MLK; also known as “Hardwalker” or “Preacher.”  
- **Lawrence Donald Stout**: Subject of FBI investigation for potential co-conspirator status.  

Key Locations  
- **MacArthur Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri**: Site of James Earl Ray’s alleged stays and hotel records reviewed.  
- **1982 Arsenal Street, St. Louis, Missouri**: Address of Grapevine Bar/“Jack’s Place” operated by Carol Pepper.  
- **Jefferson City, Missouri**: Location of Missouri State Penitentiary; John Ray mentioned visiting his brother there in 1967.  
- **Missouri Training School for Men (Mobberly, Missouri)**: Institution where Delano Elmer Walker was incarcerated.  
- **Cairo, Illinois; Sikesboro, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas**: Locations tied to threats against MLK via Benny K. Pinkston’s activities.  

Key Events  
- **Hotel Registration Checks**: FBI reviewed MacArthur Hotel records for James Earl Ray’s stays between January 26, 1968, and April 19, 1968.  
- **FBI Interviews**: Agents interviewed hotel staff, neighbors, and family members to track James Earl Ray’s movements and contacts.  
- **License Plate Investigation**: Missouri State Highway Patrol linked a license plate (AB2-558) to John Ray; another vehicle (A2E2-558) observed near the Grapevine Tavern on April 29, 1968.  
- **John Ray’s Confession**: He admitted to being James Earl Ray’s brother but denied knowledge of his whereabouts post-escape from prison.  
- **Liquor License Application**: Carol Pepper applied for a liquor license for her tavern in September 1967.  
- **Threats Against MLK**: FBI investigated claims that Delano Elmer Walker received $50,000 to assassinate King and linked Benny K. Pinkston to prior threats via police reports.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities, family connections, and threats against MLK.  
- **Metropolitan Police Department, St. Louis**: Provided arrest records for Carol Ann Pepper.  
- **Missouri State Highway Patrol**: Assisted in verifying license plate information linked to John Ray.  
- **St. Louis United States Attorney’s Office (Veryl L. Riddle)**: Involved in legal proceedings related to the investigation.  
- **State Liquor Control Office (Missouri)**: Monitored liquor license applications for Carol Pepper’s tavern.  
- **Miller-Scheer Realty and Insurance Company**: Property management entity linked to Sharon M. Stockmann, who held the Grapevine Tavern property in her name.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_161-03-part_2_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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