</s>NK 44-554 itself to read, "Will give French lessons to white calls, three not a crowd. Like party for movies or pic for white couple, Have who's permission, S.F. Pay area, "RAY nico wrote and crossed out following, the last sentence in his ad, "Guls send photo. Discretion given on expected." RAY checkered the appropriate boxes on the form indicating he had enclosed $5,00 and that he wanted his ad to do run free in the next 60th issue of Select Magazine. Conf in an envelope to end MAY probably sent his subscription form magazine in November or December, 1967, to the in man on the left side of the envelope, and to the source explained the envelopes subscription box was received in the destroyed, the sent the end of Ray's was published in the December, 1967. Issue of Select Magazinne. to its subscribers occurred on 4/12/63, was was sent a copy of this issue which apparently was not returned to Select associates. REQUEST OF THE BUNSAU: The FBI Laboratory is requested to compare the known hand-lading of the subject with the questioned handprinting contained on the enclosed form. The Latent Fingerprint Section of the FBI Identification Division is requestedto process the enclosed subscription form for latent impressions. Compare any latent impressions developed with the subject's fingerprints, The Bureau is requested for return the enclosure after these examinations have been made. LEAD: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA AT SAN FRANCISCOSO, CALITORNIA 1, Conduct appropriate invosstion at 34 Gladys Street to determine if the JAMES B. MAY residing there is identical with subject, looking towards the approximation of subject. ARMED AND DANGEROUS. JUU266 -2- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The declassified government documents from May 1968 detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. The records focus on financial transactions, handwriting analysis, and geographic tracking to link Ray to potential criminal activity. Key elements include a $175 check signed by David Cooperman, a letter from Dallas referencing an individual hired to assassinate MLK with payments of $900, hotel registration cards from Memphis linked to Vincent Walker and Lawrence Rand, money orders signed "Eric S. Galt" tied to Los Angeles and Atlanta, and latent fingerprint analysis on hotel records. The FBI compared handwriting samples between Ray and the signature "Eric S. Galt," while tracking financial instruments and movements across multiple cities. The investigation also involved interagency collaboration and forensic comparisons to establish connections between suspects and the assassination.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of MLK, subject of fingerprint and handwriting analysis.  
- **Samuel Schneiderman**: Linked to car rentals and financial transactions; possibly connected to Ray.  
- **Eric S. Galt**: Signature found on money orders and letters; compared to Ray’s handwriting.  
- **David Cooperman** and **Lalah Cooperman**: Individuals associated with checks under investigation for fraud.  
- **Vincent Walker** and **Lawrence Rand**: Hotel guests whose registrations were scrutinized for ties to Ray.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central hub for the investigation; William Lee Hotel registration records analyzed.  
- **Dallas, Texas**: Origin of a letter referencing an assassination plot against MLK.  
- **Los Angeles** and **Atlanta**: Locations where money orders signed "Eric S. Galt" were purchased.  
- **San Francisco**, **St. Louis**, and **Knoxville, Tennessee**: Cities mentioned in the geographic scope of the investigation.  

Key Events  
- FBI compared handwriting on financial instruments (e.g., checks, money orders) to James Earl Ray’s known samples.  
- Analysis of a $175 check from David Cooperman revealed no fraud match in FBI records.  
- A letter from Dallas referenced an individual hired to assassinate MLK with payments of $900.  
- Hotel registration cards from Memphis were examined for potential links to Ray.  
- Latent fingerprint analysis requested on hotel records to identify possible connections to Ray.  
- Money orders signed "Eric S. Galt" were traced to Los Angeles and Atlanta, with comparisons to Ray’s handwriting.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI**: Conducted forensic analysis, interagency collaboration, and tracking of financial transactions.  
- **Bank of America**: Mentioned in relation to checks linked to Samuel Schneiderman.  
- **U.S. Postal Service**: Issued money orders signed by "Eric S. Galt" under investigation.  
- **Memphis Police Department**: Received a letter referencing an assassination plot against MLK.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861-bulky_hs1-233652821_65-06-part_2_of_3.pdf

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