</s>OPTIONAL FORM NO. 18 REAL PROFESSIONAL OFFICE (CIO) 9-11-18 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum TO : SAG, DALLAS (444-2649) DATE: 6/3/68 FROM : SA: Robert T. Finn SUBJECT: MURKIN On 6/9/66 Eloise McGehee, Secretary, Grand Avenue P'nk and Trust Company, Dallas, Texas, advised that she was the person responsible for admitting customers to the dafe-deposit box area and also the person responsible for keeping a record of who enters their safe deposit boxes. Mrs. McGehe checked her records on all persons entering their safe-deposite box during the month of April, 1968, and determined that safe- deposit box during her month of March, 1968. and determined their either because they rented the safe-deposition box prior to JAMES BAY 1967 or because she knew the individual personally. Mrs. McGhee was shown a picture of JAMES EARL RAY, but Mrs. McGehee said the picture did not look familiar. Mrs. McGhee checked her record for boxes under the name JAMES EARL RY and all known aliases but with negative results. Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI and federal agency investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities in Texas during 1967–1968, focusing on potential connections to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Safe-deposit box records for April 1968 in Dallas, Texas, were checked by Eloise McGehee and Carl Neel of City Bank and Trust Co., revealing no entries under Ray or his aliases. A letter referenced a private plane trip to California linked to the assassination, though its authenticity and relevance remain unclear. FBI agents interviewed witnesses such as Tommy Lee Webb (U.S. Marine Corps sergeant in Oklahoma) and Gine Bass (last seen in Dallas on March 18, 1968), noting no recognition of Ray’s photograph. Passenger records from American Airlines Flight 338 (April 6, 1968) were reviewed, with some passengers stating they did not recognize Ray. Telephone calls placed from Uvalde and San Antonio to Dallas in December 1967 were investigated, with individuals like Vern Leo Grover and Mattie Mae Hicks providing statements about potential call placements. Interviews with hotel managers and flight personnel in Fort Worth and Dallas included comparisons of Ray’s appearance to individuals such as Jerry Stover and Lloyd Gene Bass, while administrative notes referenced document classification under Executive Order 14176 and savings bond promotions.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (suspect in MLK’s assassination)  
- Eloise McGehee (bank employee, Dallas, Texas)  
- Carl Neel (City Bank and Trust Co., Dallas, Texas)  
- Tommy Lee Webb (U.S. Marine Corps sergeant, Oklahoma)  
- Gine Bass (last known residence in Dallas, Texas)  
- Edgar H. Semler (hotel manager, Fort Worth, Texas)  
- Freddy Frekkin (Hotel Texas auditor, Fort Worth, Texas)  
- Jerry Stover (American Airlines passenger, Dallas/Fort Worth)  
- Lloyd Gene Bass (meat company employee, Dallas, Texas; interviewed by FBI)  
- Frank Brickley (drifter, subject of missing person inquiries)  
- Vern Leo Grover (Uvalde, Texas)  
- Mattie Mae Hicks (Dallas, Texas)  

Key Locations:  
- Dallas, Texas (banks, safe-deposit boxes, FBI operations)  
- Allen, Oklahoma (Webb’s interview location)  
- Fort Worth, Texas (hotel stays, witness statements)  
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (flight destinations)  
- Uvalde, Texas (telephone call origin)  
- San Antonio, Texas (telephone call origin)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (mentioned in telephonic communications)  
- Waco, Texas (linked to telephone call investigations)  

Key Events:  
- Safe-deposit box checks for April 1968 in Dallas  
- Interview with Tommy Lee Webb regarding December 1967 activities  
- Review of American Airlines Flight 338 passenger records (April 6, 1968)  
- Investigation into telephone calls from Uvalde and San Antonio to Dallas (December 15–16, 1967)  
- FBI interviews with witnesses including hotel managers, flight personnel, and suspects like Lloyd Gene Bass and Frank Brickley  
- Comparison of James Earl Ray’s appearance to individuals such as Jerry Stover  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (Dallas, Memphis, San Antonio offices)  
- Dallas Police Department (record checks and identification processes)  
- American Airlines (Flight 338 passenger records)  
- City Bank and Trust Co. (Dallas, Texas)  
- Southern Methodist University (flight passenger records)  
- Arnold Meat Company (linked to Lloyd Gene Bass’s employment)

MLK Declassified Files

44-dl-2649_sec_004_ser_551-660-part_7_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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