</s>Laboratory Transmittal Form 2-7-2-0 1 - Mr. Rosen (Mr. Long 2260) 1 -Mr. Conrad 2-2.0 1 - MR. Conrad 2 - Mr . Mortimer LAB FILE LABORATORY FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20535 FEDERAL BUREAUR OF INVESIGATION To1 FBI, Memphis (44-1987) Date: April 16, 1968 Re: MURKIN CR John Edgar Hoover, Director 00: Memphis 00: FBI File No .: D-11-38861 Lab. No. Examination requested by: San Francisco, Albany D-11 -38862 D-5500467 JK D-5600467 JFK Reference: PC-56167 IZ Airtels 9/9/68, 4/98/68 PC-CA 5618 IZ Examination required: Document - Microscopic (Hairs and Fibers Miscellaneous) Remarks: Enclosures (2) (2 Lab report) 2-San Francisco (173-65 Enclosures(2) [2 Lab Report) 2-Albany (44+493) Enclosures (2). (2 lab report) JHM: law (10) 18 4-11 ADMINISTRATIVE PAGE 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary: The documents detail forensic analysis conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory in 1968 regarding laundry tapes and markings associated with the investigation into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Key elements include comparisons of tape samples from various laundries, including Star Laundry in Salisbury, Maryland; Blum's Individual Laundry and Dry Cleaning Co. in Macon, Georgia; and Superior Laundry Co. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The analysis focused on Thermo-Seal machine markings, such as codes "02B-6," "MIF14," "MIF15," and others, to determine if they matched evidence recovered from the crime scene (e.g., laundry tags on a white Jockey T-shirt and checked print undershorts). The FBI sought to identify the source of these markings and assess whether specific laundries or machines were involved. Some tapes were found not to match the crime scene samples, while others were retained for further examination. Communications between FBI field offices (Memphis, Baltimore, Boston) and the laboratory highlight coordination in forensic analysis and code verification efforts.  

Key People:  
- R.K.18 (possibly a reference to an individual or entity associated with tape markings)  
- F. Ross and Rudolph Ramellii (Jackson, Mississippi; suppliers of laundry tape)  
- Mr. EMMONS (President of Phoenix Laundry Corporation, Hattiesburg, Mississippi)  
- SACs (Special Agents in Charge): Jackson (157-9586), Baltimore (44-699), Atlanta (44-2386), Boston (157-644)  
- Mortimer Lee (FBI laboratory examiner)  

Key Locations:  
- Memphis, Tennessee (central to the investigation)  
- Salisbury, Maryland (Star Laundry)  
- Macon, Georgia (Blum's Individual Laundry and Dry Cleaning Co.)  
- Cambridge, Massachusetts (Superior Laundry Co.)  
- Syracuse, New York (Textile Marking Machine Corporation)  

Key Events:  
- Forensic comparison of laundry tape markings from multiple laundries to evidence linked to the assassination.  
- Verification of Thermo-Seal machine codes and their association with specific laundries.  
- Determination that some tapes did not match crime scene samples, while others were retained for further analysis.  
- Coordination between FBI field offices and the laboratory to identify potential sources of markings.  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory  
- Textile Marking Machine Corporation (manufacturer of Thermo-Seal machines)  
- Star Laundry (Salisbury, Maryland)  
- Superior Laundry Co. (Cambridge, Massachusetts)  
- Blum's Individual Laundry and Dry Cleaning Co. (Macon, Georgia)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861-bulky_hs1-233652821_65-03-part_2_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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