</s>TREASURY DEPARTMENT UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR WASHINGTON, D.C. 20226 601.0 Date: April 10, 1968 BY LIAISON 9-m. mcleod Munki TO : Federal Bureau of Investigation ATM: Special Agent Bartlett FROM : DIRECTOR SUBJECT: Mrs. James W. Trinkle Dr. Jerry Middlebrooks Aubrey Carter The attached documents are furnished for your information, or action, as deemed appropriate. The following information,or action, is requested. EX-115 REC: 59 47-3/1/11/16 6 APR 18 1968 3 ENCLOSURE 0: Attachments Three memoranda dated April 5, 6, and 8, 1968 9-9/1.1/1,1/2,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,99.99,100,101,102,104,105,106,106.00,106/107,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,118,122,129,114.115,126,127,129.114,116.122,122.113,134,115.126,126.126.127,128,129/134,126/127,134.129,134/126.129.134.126/126,132.134,133.134/134.125,126-126,129-134,134-126.134-135,126:126.137,134:126,137,138,134134,135,136,137.138,138.138.134134.134136.137.134135.13414136.134146

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and Secret Service investigations into potential threats against Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on suspects such as Eric Starvo Galt, Walter Michael Mallin, and others. Key elements include:  
- **Eric Galt**: A suspect linked to the Rebel Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where he resided from April 3–8, 1968. His car, a Mustang, was registered under his name in Birmingham, Alabama, and purchased from William D. Paisley on June 29, 1967. Galt’s movements, including work on barges between St. Louis and New Orleans, are noted.  
- **Walter Mallin**: A former employee of Mrs. Marjorie Harris, identified as a suspect due to his history of mental illness, previous threats against the president, and escape from a mental institution in 1967. The FBI requested fingerprint comparisons with evidence from the assassination case.  
- **Investigation Activities**: The Memphis Division conducted crime scene analysis, interviewed witnesses, and checked motel records. The Secret Service coordinated with local authorities and other FBI divisions (e.g., Chicago, Phoenix) to track suspects. A murder warrant was pending if Galt or Mallin were identified.  
- **Artists’ Conception**: The FBI withheld public inquiries about an artist’s sketch of the suspect due to potential media leaks, pending internal approval.  
- **Claude McLaren and Hugh Craddock**: Mexican authorities and U.S. agencies tracked individuals linked to MLK’s safety, including a Marine Corps reservist named Hugh Craddock, who allegedly stole an M-14 rifle from Camp Lejeune and expressed anti-Black sentiment. A conversation involving David Parrish and Piskorski noted claims of plans to kill MLK Jr., prompting FBI inquiries into Craddock’s activities in South Carolina and Alabama.  
- **Administrative Entries**: Coded entries reference declassified documents under Executive Order 14176, including dates such as April 4, 1968 (day of MLK’s assassination) and timestamps like “APR 10 5 47 AM.” Codes such as P.H., P.I.A., and PIL denote personnel or case identifiers.  

Key People  
- **Eric Starvo Galt** (suspect linked to MLK assassination)  
- **Walter Michael Mallin** (former employee with mental health history and prior threats)  
- **Mrs. Marjorie Harris** (Harris’s former employee, Walter Mallin’s employer)  
- **Claude Chester McLaren Jr.** (born September 12, 1936, Texas; subject of photographic documentation by Mexican authorities)  
- **Hugh Craddock** (Marine Corps reservist accused of stealing an M-14 rifle from Camp Lejeune and expressing anti-Black sentiment; identified as a suspect in threats against MLK Jr.)  
- **David Parrish** (linked to Piskorski’s conversation about plans to kill MLK Jr.)  
- **Piskorski** (reservist who allegedly discussed intentions to harm MLK Jr. with Parrish)  
- **Dr. Jerry Middlebrooks**, **Aubrey Carter**, **James W. Trinkle** (individuals mentioned in communications)  
- **Frank C. Holloman** (Memphis PD director)  

Key Locations  
- **Rebel Motel, Memphis, Tennessee** (Galt’s residence during the investigation period)  
- **Birmingham, Alabama** (Galt’s car registration and purchase details)  
- **St. Louis and New Orleans** (Galt’s alleged barge work locations)  
- **Mexico City, Mexico** (site of McLaren’s photographs and sketches; location of initial FBI communications)  
- **Camp Lejeune, North Carolina** (where Craddock allegedly stole an M-14 rifle)  
- **South Carolina and Alabama** (locations associated with Craddock’s activities and potential sightings)  

Key Events  
- **April 3–8, 1968**: Galt resided at the Rebel Motel in Memphis; his car was purchased in Birmingham on June 29, 1967.  
- **April 10, 1968**: FBI and Secret Service coordinated efforts to track suspects, including Galt and Mallin.  
- **April 8–12, 1968**: FBI and Mexican authorities exchanged photographs and sketches of McLaren; efforts to track individuals linked to MLK’s safety.  
- **April 11–12, 1968**: Airmail transmission of documents to U.S. agencies; investigation into Craddock’s rifle theft and anti-Black statements.  
- **April 12, 1968**: FBI inquiries into Piskorski’s claims about threats against MLK Jr., leading to focus on Craddock as a suspect.  
- **April 4, 1968**: Date of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination referenced in coded entries.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** (led investigation, coordinated with local authorities)  
- **United States Secret Service** (coordinated with FBI on suspect tracking)  
- **Memphis Police Department** (collaborated with federal agencies)  
- **Mexican Metropolitan Police** (provided sketches and information on McLaren and related cases)  
- **Social Security Administration**, **Selective Service Headquarters**, and **credit bureaus** (involved in background checks for suspects)  
- **U.S. Department of Justice** (involved in legal and investigative coordination)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_03-04-part_1_of_5.pdf

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