OFFICIAL FORM No. 1o MAY PAINT NO. 1O USA PATRIOT (C.O.M.) (CMI) 9-1414 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum TO SAC, BIRMINGHAM (44-1740) (P) DATE: 4/15/68 FROM : SA NEIL G. MARTIN SUBJECT: MURKIN SUBJECT: On 4/8/68, PRESTON SWEENY, Cumberland Capital Corpora- tion, First Avenue and 21st Street, North, Birmingham, was contacted in regard to loan association check concerning all portinent names to date, and he advised there was no record of any any other name to date. He advised there were no record made on a discreet basis without the nature of the inquiry being made discused and the source can be relied upon to not reveal that such check was made by the FBI. 4/4-7/4/0-693 SEARCHED INDEXED SERALIZED APR 1 1968 NGM:jbt (3) Fo1-ohm-1/2) Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan $0.00-100 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O ., 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential threats against Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) following his assassination on April 4, 1968. On April 10, 1968, Mrs. Bob Wilson reported that Mr. Ruffin, employed by a rental car agency, had made frequent airplane trips between Birmingham and Memphis days before MLK's assassination. A separate memo from April 12, 1968, notes Jimmy Glenn Lowery, a route salesman in Birmingham, who was described as resembling an FBI artist’s sketch of a suspect. Lowery denied owning a white Mustang and stated he had no connections to individuals named Lower or Galt. The FBI also reviewed fingerprint records for John Christopher Grimes, linked to prior convictions including manslaughter in 1965.  

Key People:  
- **Mrs. Bob Wilson**: Reported Ruffin’s travel between Birmingham and Memphis before MLK’s assassination.  
- **Mr. Ruffin**: Rental car agency employee with frequent trips between Birmingham and Memphis.  
- **Jimmy Glenn Lowery**: Described as resembling an FBI sketch; denied ownership of a white Mustang or connections to suspects.  
- **John Christopher Grimes**: Linked to prior convictions, including manslaughter in 1965; fingerprint records reviewed by FBI.  

Key Locations:  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Central to investigations involving Ruffin, Lowery, and Wilson.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Mentioned as a destination for Ruffin’s travel between Birmingham and Memphis.  
- **Five Points South, Birmingham**: Area where Lowery was reportedly seen.  

Key Events:  
- **April 4, 1968**: Assassination of MLK in Memphis, Tennessee.  
- **April 8–12, 1968**: FBI inquiries into potential threats, including checks on Ruffin’s travel and Lowery’s background.  
- **Fingerprint review**: Examination of John Christopher Grimes’ records for prior criminal activity.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations, reviewed fingerprint records, and compiled suspect profiles.  
- **Birmingham Police Department**: Involved in local inquiries and provided information on Ruffin and Lowery.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_04-03-part_6_of_6.pdf

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