</s>O O 70 4-506 (Rev. 3-20-79) U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO TI SERIALS 3-416-3440 44-38981 FEDERAL BUREAU FOR HISTORICAL FOR HISTORYICAL OF DECLASSIFICATION' INVESTIGATION ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED INVESIGATION HEREIN IS UNCLASBASED MATE EADQUARTERS SECOND 37 HISTORIAL VALUE NATIONAL ARCHIVE SECTION 37 SEXIAL 3-314-3-3490 ATTENTION BEFORE CHANGING CLASSIFICATION OR PROCESSING ANY DOCUMENT FROM THIS FILE FOR RELEASE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, CONTACT FOI/PA SECTION UNIT D, EXT. 567. FOI /PA SECTION Unit D, EXT. 5667. Transfer - Call 3421 Use Care in Handling this File 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document details FBI interactions with Cecil M. Shilstone, a New Orleans industrialist, regarding rumors in 1968 linking him to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Shilstone denied involvement and attributed the rumors to personal acquaintances, including Harry Batt (Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park owner), Louis Roussell (New Orleans financier), Clem Schirt (National American Bank president), and an unnamed physician. He also referenced his past political ties to Louisiana Governor John McKeithen and financial support for Jim Garrison’s investigation into the JFK assassination. The FBI concluded no evidence connected Shilstone to MLK’s murder, with the case remaining confidential. Additional records from May 1968 reference FBI efforts to track James Earl Ray, a suspect linked to MLK’s assassination, including coordination with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and analysis of photographs identifying individuals like Rita Stein and Marie Martin in Montreal. Legal procedures such as grand jury actions and murder warrants are noted, though case resolutions remain unclear.  

Key People  
- Cecil M. Shilstone (New Orleans industrialist, president of Shilstone Testing Laboratory, Inc.)  
- Harry Batt (owner of Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park)  
- Louis Roussell (New Orleans financier)  
- Clem Schirt (President of National American Bank)  
- John McKeithen (Louisiana Governor, political ally of Shilstone)  
- James Earl Ray (ex-convicted individual linked to MLK’s assassination)  
- Rita Stein (individual associated with Ray in Montreal)  
- Marie Martin (another individual reportedly seen with Ray in Montreal)  
- Jim Garrison (District Attorney, investigated JFK assassination)  

Key Locations  
- New Orleans, Louisiana (FBI office and location of rumors)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI SAC office coordinating Ray’s investigation)  
- Montreal, Canada (location where Rita Stein and Marie Martin were reportedly seen)  
- Dallas, Texas (linked to JFK assassination investigation)  
- California and Mexico (locations mentioned in photographs of Ray)  

Key Events  
- Rumors in 1968 suggesting Shilstone was a "political killer" connected to MLK’s assassination  
- FBI interview with Shilstone on May 6, 1968, regarding his denial of involvement  
- FBI tracking efforts for James Earl Ray post-assassination, including RCMP coordination  
- Use of photographs and newspaper clippings to identify individuals associated with Ray  
- Legal procedures involving grand juries, murder warrants, and potential conspiracy indictments  
- Reference to Garrison’s investigation into JFK assassination and Shilstone’s financial support  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)  
- House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)  
- Truth and Consequences (group allegedly funded by Shilstone for Garrison’s inquiry)  
- National American Bank  
- Shilstone Testing Laboratory, Inc.  
- The Shilstone and Associates

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_11-04-part_1_of_4.pdf

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