</s>2 BH 44-1740 INDEX NAME Page Nos. DeSHAZO, JOHN WEBSTER 22, 173, 174 DILLBECK, LYNDELL EARL . 120, 121 DINERS CLUB, Birmingham, Alabama. 162 DINESTOWN, WALTER . 47 DOWNTOWN MOTORS 134 DUNCAN, C. H. 129 ENGLISH, DANNY 129 EVANS, RICHARD 43 FOREIGN CAR CENTER 134 GALT, ERIC S. 49 GALT. Reverend RALPH MARTIN 159 GALT ,, LOUISE. 159 GARDNER, W. M ., Retail Credit Company, GARDNER, W ., M . ., Retail Credit Company. 163 GILLILLAND, JOE B. Birmingham, Ala. 45 GOODMAN, RUBY . 109 GRAYSON, ROBERT 130 GREEN, D ., T. 74 GREER, BRENDA 129 HANNERS, JOHN DENNIS 24 HARRIS, ROSCOE. 129 HARDY, HILL. 77 HARVEY, MELVIN E. 49, 58 HENDERSON, SAM 129 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into firearm transactions and suspect activities in Birmingham, Alabama, between March 1967 and April 1968. Central to the inquiry was Eric S. Galt, a suspect linked to the procurement of a Remington Model 700 rifle (serial number 46176) purchased from Aeromarine Supply Company on March 29, 1968. The weapon was later exchanged for another model and traced to John Webster DeShazo, who is associated with the assassination plot. FBI agents compiled witness accounts describing Galt’s appearance (white male, 30–32 years old, dark hair, soft-spoken) and his movements in Birmingham between August 1967 and March 1968. Records include invoices, sales details, transportation logs, and a classified ad from March 30, 1968, promoting gun sales at Aeromarine Supply. Additional investigations focused on individuals with names such as HARVEY LOWEYERS, W. J. LEMEYER, and JOHN WILLARD, involving motels, charter flights, car rentals, and airport personnel to identify potential connections to unspecified activities.  

Key People  
- **Eric S. Galt**: Suspect linked to the procurement of the murder weapon; resided in Birmingham, Alabama.  
- **John Webster DeShazo**: Identified as the buyer of the rifle from Aeromarine Supply Company.  
- **Donald F. Wood**: Employee of Aeromarine Supply Company who testified about the sale and exchange of the rifle.  
- **Special Agents NEIL P. SHANAHAN, ROBERT M. BARRETT, and RALPH N. BUTLER**: FBI agents involved in the investigation and handling of evidence.  
- **U.L. Baker**: Employee of Aeromarine Supply Company; described the buyer as having a Southern accent and purchasing a rifle.  
- **John Dennis Hanners**: Customer who observed the buyer and provided physical description details.  
- **Judge William Arthur Jenkins**: Interviewed regarding residency at 1907 South 11th Street, Birmingham; denied any ties to the buyer.  
- **Harvey Loweyers** (alias): Fictitious address linked to investigations; no verified connection to purchases.  
- **W. J. Lemeier**: Individual associated with meetings in Birmingham on March 27, 1968.  
- **William Paterson**: Airport Motel manager providing flight and guest registration records.  
- **Bill Woods**: Supplier of chartered flight records for investigative purposes.  
- **Ralph Keefer**: ENCO Station employee noting an individual in a business suit using his cab on March 28, 1968.  
- **Jack Popinko**: Sunny-K Flying Service representative confirming the non-operation of Sunny-X Aero Service.  
- **Robert D. Morrison**: Southern Airlines ticket agent reporting a passenger named HARVEY LOWEYERS who booked flights but did not appear for departure.  
- **Richard Evans**: Bessemer, Alabama resident describing interactions with W. J. Lemeier.  
- **Sally Ann Washburn**: Avon Motel manager noting a registration for WILLIAM BUIDING from Memphis, Tennessee.  
- **Joe B. Gilliand**: Yellow Cab driver describing a passenger matching an artist’s sketch of the individual under investigation.  

Key Locations  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Central location for Galt’s activities, including his rooming house at 2608 Highland Avenue and Aeromarine Supply Company (5701 Airport Highway).  
- **Aeromarine Supply Company**, 5701 Airport Highway, Birmingham, Alabama: Site of rifle sales and witness interviews.  
- **Birmingham Trust National Bank**: Galt maintained a safe deposit box (#5517) from August 28, 1967, until December 13, 1967.  
- **St. Vincent Hospital**, Birmingham, Alabama: Location where Judge Jenkins’ mother was interviewed regarding residency claims.  
- **Mountain Brook, Alabama**: Neighborhood associated with some witnesses and the fictitious address investigation.  
- **Airport Motel**, Birmingham, Alabama: Provided records of flights and guest registrations.  
- **Parliament House Motor Hotel**, Birmingham, Alabama: Mentioned in flight-related investigations.  
- **West End Baptist Hospital**, Birmingham, Alabama: Site of a meeting between W. J. Lemeier and Richard Evans.  
- **Plantation Barbecue**, First Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama: Location of a meeting between W. J. Lemeier and Richard Evans.  
- **Avon Motel**, 1512 South 20th Street, Birmingham, Alabama: Where WILLIAM BUIDING was registered.  
- **Yellow Cab Company**, Birmingham, Alabama: Involved in taxi ride observations.  

Key Events  
- **March 29–30, 1968**: Galt purchased and exchanged a Remington Model 700 rifle at Aeromarine Supply Company; the weapon was later linked to the assassination of MLK.  
- **April 5–13, 1968**: Follow-up investigations into the buyer’s identity, including address verification attempts and witness statements.  
- **March 30, 1968**: Classified ad in Birmingham newspapers promoting gun sales at Aeromarine Supply.  
- **April 1968**: FBI agents interviewed witnesses and reviewed sales records to trace the rifle’s ownership and movement.  
- **April 8, 1968**: A package containing weapons was transported via Delta Airlines from Birmingham to Atlanta for forensic analysis.  
- **March 27–28, 1968**: Investigations into flights booked by HARVEY LOWEYERS and interactions between W. J. LEMEYER and Richard Evans in Birmingham.  
- **March 28, 1968**: Taxi ride by JOE B. GILLIAND involving a passenger matching an artist’s sketch of the individual under investigation.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into MLK’s assassination, firearm transactions, and suspect identification.  
- **Aeromarine Supply Company**: Retailer involved in the sale and exchange of the murder weapon; central to rifle procurement inquiries.  
- **Southern Airlines**: Provided flight records for passenger named HARVEY LOWEYERS who booked flights but did not appear for departure.  
- **Sunny-K Flying Service**: Supplied chartered flight records for investigative purposes.  
- **Airways Rent-A-Car** and **National Car Rental**: Reviewed for vehicle rentals linked to names such as HARVEY LOWEYERS, W. J. LEMEYER, and JOHN WILLARD but yielded no matches.  
- **Birmingham Police Department**: Involved in witness statements and address verification efforts.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_05-03-part_4_of_7.pdf

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