</s>. BH 44-1740 HOTELS AND MOTELS All hotels and hotels, including all employees on all shifts, were contacted at the inception of this investigation and continued throughout as developments indicated. The names of all such employees interviewed are maintained in the Birmingham file. 146 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains multiple entries related to an FBI investigation into potential threats against Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). A rifle sale is noted, with U.L. Baker selling a rifle and scope to Harvey Lowerwey on March 29, 1968. On April 16, 1968, Donald F. Wood and Neil P. Shanahan, FBI agents, reviewed statements from John Webster De Shazo, who identified a man purchasing a Remington .243 Winchester rifle and Redfield scope at Aeromarine Supply Co., Birmingham, Alabama, in 1968. De Shazo could not confirm the purchaser’s identity but believed the individual was among seven photographed suspects. The FBI also filed a complaint against Eric Staylord Galt for conspiring to intimidate MLK under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241, leading to an arrest warrant issued by U.S. Commissioner Mildred F. Sprague on April 17, 1968.  

Key People  
- **U.L. Baker**: Rifle seller in Birmingham, Alabama.  
- **Harvey Lowerwey**: Purchaser of rifle from U.L. Baker on March 29, 1968.  
- **John Webster De Shazo**: Witness who identified a man purchasing a rifle at Aeromarine Supply Co. in 1968.  
- **Donald F. Wood**: FBI agent involved in reviewing witness statements.  
- **Neil P. Shanahan**: FBI agent assisting in the investigation.  
- **Eric Staylord Galt**: Charged with conspiring to intimidate MLK; subject of an arrest warrant issued on April 17, 1968.  
- **Robert M. Barrett**: FBI special agent referenced in the complaint against Galt.  
- **William A. Saucier**: FBI special agent involved in the case.  
- **Mildred F. Sprague**: U.S. Commissioner who issued an arrest warrant for Galt.  

Key Locations  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Central location for rifle sales and FBI investigative activities; includes Aeromarine Supply Co., Redmont Hotel, Andy’s Lounge (1st Avenue North), and Jefferson Medical Group (1500 6th Avenue, South).  
- **Aeromarine Supply Co.**: Site of the rifle sale to Harvey Lowerwey on March 29, 1968.  
- **University of Alabama**: Mentioned in De Shazo’s address.  

Key Events  
- Sale of a Remington .243 Winchester rifle and Redfield scope by U.L. Baker to Harvey Lowerwey on March 29, 1968.  
- FBI agents reviewed witness statements from John Webster De Shazo regarding a rifle purchase at Aeromarine Supply Co. in 1968.  
- Identification of seven suspects via photographic identification during the investigation.  
- Filing of a complaint against Eric Staylord Galt for conspiring to intimidate MLK under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241, leading to an arrest warrant issued on April 17, 1968.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Led the investigation into potential threats against MLK, coordinating interviews, record checks, and photographic identification efforts.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Involved through Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241, which was cited in the complaint against Eric Staylord Galt.  
- **U.S. Commissioner’s Office**: Issued an arrest warrant for Eric Staylord Galt on April 17, 1968.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_05-03-part_7_of_7.pdf

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