</s>Mr. Tolson Mr. Delach, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Mr. Deach, U. S. Department of JUSTICE Mr. Bishop, FBI WASH DC COMMUNICATIONS SECTION Mr. Calhoun, Mr. Bell APR11 1968 Mr. Poli TELETYPE Mr. Foll FBI INAPOLS Mr. Subhan, Mr. Sullivan, 402PM URGENT 4-11-68 MLC Mr. Trout, Mr. Trout, Miss Holmes, Miss Candy TO DIRECTOR, FBI (44-38861) Miss Gandy) SAC ST. LOUIS SAC BALTIMORE SAC MEMPHIS (44 -1987) SAC BRIMPHAM (44+1740) FROM SAC INDIANAPOLIS (444-563) MURKIN RE SUSPECT ERIC STARVO GALT USA RE BUTEL ALL OFFICES APRIL TEN, LAST, LAST ST. ST. louIS TEL TO SPRING- FIELD, ARIL ELEVEN, INSTANT, AND SPRINGFIELD TEL INDIAAPOLISS, APRIL ELEVEN. INSTANT. RECORDS AMERICAN COMMERCIAL LINES SHOW NO PAST OR PRESENT EM- PLOYMENT FOR GALT. ABOVE COMPANY MERGED WITH NUMBEROUS COMPANIES AND RECREC-4 44-4-4 SEC. 5011 RECOROS DESTROYED. AN ID SEVEN LISTING SHOWS ONE E. S ., GAULT, SOC. SEC. SEC ., 561 EMPLYERPRIDEOG6 TO NI NEETEEN WIFY-28ENER PROBABLY AMERICAN BARGE LINES CO- FURTHER INFO. UACB #EBALMORRE, CONTACT/SOUFFE, FOUR, FOR INFO RE GAULT WHO END PAGE ONE LEB: HECD.U-U2EEM 66APR181968 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail two distinct FBI investigations related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). The first set involves surveillance and fingerprint analysis linked to Eric Starvo Galt, a suspect with no employment history at American Commercial Lines. Fingerprint comparisons were conducted between Galt and others like Ernest R. Semett, Hayden Eugene Thompson, and Robert James Shadoff (AKA Garry Eric Galt). Surveillance noted vehicles with Alabama license plates, including 3-56262, observed near Ashland, Ohio, on April 6, 1968. Interviews were conducted with Vincent Fiore and Ronald Nelson regarding potential ties to the assassination. A letter from Derek (date unspecified) referenced a car sighting in Ohio tied to the investigation.  

The second set includes correspondence from Sara P. Jones (and later Sara F. Jones) to the FBI alleging Charles G. Adams, a Boston minister, undermined MLK’s leadership through religious manipulation and financial schemes. Jones claimed Adams influenced Baptist conventions, controlled fundraising, and opposed King’s methods, potentially enabling his assassination. Judge B. A. Hook of Memphis, Tennessee, was mentioned as a possible accomplice. The FBI was advised to investigate Adams’ activities, including alleged ties to rival Baptist conventions and financial networks. Unrelated to the MLK case, laundry tapes from a Thermo-Marketing machine in Naples, Florida, were sent to the FBI Laboratory for code analysis.  

Key People  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect under investigation; no employment history at American Commercial Lines.  
- **Ernest R. Semett**: Fingerprint comparison requested.  
- **Hayden Eugene Thompson**: Suspect with fingerprint records.  
- **Robert James Shadoff (AKA Garry Eric Galt)**: Photographs and identification records provided for witness review.  
- **Vincent Fiore**: Neighbor of Carol Malentta, interviewed regarding potential ties to MLK’s assassination.  
- **Ronald Nelson**: Owner of Nelson’s Auto Parts, denied knowledge of alleged payments for MLK’s murder.  
- **Charles G. Adams**: Minister in Boston accused of undermining MLK’s leadership through religious manipulation and financial schemes.  
- **Judge B. A. Hook**: Memphis judge allegedly linked to Adams, with ties to Baptist conventions and opposition to King’s civil rights efforts.  
- **Sara P. Jones / Sara F. Jones**: Correspondent who provided "clues" about Adams’ activities to the FBI; credibility questioned due to mental health concerns noted in later records.  

Key Locations  
- **Ashland, Ohio**: Site of a car sighting with Alabama license plate 3-56262 on April 6, 1968.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: FBI field office involved in the investigation; site of Progressive National Baptist Convention and Judge B.A. Hook’s judicial role.  
- **Boston, Massachusetts**: Adams’ residence and church location (194 Warren Avenue).  
- **Naples, Florida**: Location of Thermo-Marketing machine involved in unrelated FBI code analysis.  

Key Events  
- **Fingerprint comparisons between suspects and latent prints from the MLK assassination case**.  
- **Surveillance of vehicles with Alabama license plates linked to potential suspect movements**.  
- **Interviews with individuals connected to alleged payments or involvement in the assassination plot**.  
- **Letter from Derek (date unspecified) alleging a car sighting in Ohio tied to the investigation**.  
- **Suspicion of Adams’ involvement in MLK’s assassination**: Jones alleges Adams manipulated Baptist congregations, controlled fundraising, and opposed King’s leadership, potentially enabling his murder.  
- **FBI investigation into Adams and Hook**: The bureau is advised to question Adams and examine his ties to rival Baptist conventions and financial networks.  
- **Unrelated FBI code analysis**: Laundry tapes from a Thermo-Marketing machine in Naples, Florida, were sent to the FBI Laboratory for examination of code markings.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted fingerprint analysis, surveillance, interviews, and administrative coordination of both investigations.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Involved in administrative coordination of the investigation.  
- **American Commercial Lines**: Company checked for employment records of Eric Starvo Galt.  
- **Progressive National Baptist Convention**: Mentioned as a group Adams allegedly influenced to oppose King’s methods and control civil rights marches.  
- **Thermo-Marketing Machine Company, Inc.**: Manufacturer of the machine whose tapes were analyzed by the FBI in an unrelated case.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_02-01-part_1_of_6.pdf

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