</s>AIRTEL 8/13/75 To: SAC, Atlanta (44-2386) 1 - Mr. Lawn From: Director, FBI (44 -38861) MURKIN ReA/Tairtel 8/17/75. that by letter to the Attorney General, dated July 30, 1975, A Reginald Eaves, Public Safety Commissioner, Atlanta, volunteered to furnish a copy of the recent investigation by the Atlanta Bureau of Public Services to the department. Accordingly, Atlanta should obtain a copy off this report which will be disseminated to the Civil Rights Division. JCL.bap (4) NOTE: Departmental Attorney Steven Horn, Civil Rights Division, telephoneally requested that copy of report be obtained as noted above. REC 22 44-388616990 EX 104 Alico. Dr. Dep. AD Adn .- Dep. Ad In- AUG 1 14 1975 Adder. D. Adder- D. MAILED R Ext. Affair AUG 13 1975 Ex. Dr .- Ex. Gen. FBI Laboratory Laboratory Ex. & Ev. JSP/E/M Telephone Telephone R- Telephone Re- MAIL ROOM LY TELETYPE UNIT GNO 551-546 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The document details an FBI investigation into allegations of a conspiracy surrounding the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Robert Byron Watson, a teenager at the time of the assassination, claimed he overheard a conversation at Magellans Inc., an art gallery associated with Blockade Runners Inc., where individuals discussed plans to kill MLK. Watson alleged involvement by Gene Purcell, Jerry Adams, Bayne Culley, and Howard Eugene Purcell in the plot, providing specific details about the method and timing of the assassination. He also claimed these individuals fled the U.S. immediately after the event. Mrs. Watson corroborated some aspects of his statements but noted limited interest from federal agencies. The FBI reviewed Watson’s claims alongside his arrest record, which included convictions for drug-related offenses. Interviews with associates of Magellans Inc., including William Amette and Ben Sutherland, revealed no credible evidence of a conspiracy. Polygraph examinations of Culley, Adams, and Purcell confirmed they had no knowledge of the alleged plot. The investigation concluded Watson’s allegations lacked substantiation due to inconsistencies in witness accounts, his unstable mental health, and potential motives for fabricating the story. The FBI also reviewed claims linking Magellans Inc. to international drug smuggling operations and ties to federal agencies, but these were deemed unverified. Key figures like James Earl Ray, investigated as the lone assassin, were examined for potential conspiracy ties, though evidence suggested he acted alone. The document includes correspondence between Watson and political figures, newspaper clippings, and statements from attorneys and witnesses, some of whom doubted Watson’s credibility.  

Key People  
- **Robert Byron Watson**: Alleged source of conspiracy claims; incarcerated in the Federal Youth Center for cocaine distribution.  
- **Gene Purcell**, **Jerry Adams**, **Bayne Culley**, **Howard Eugene Purcell**: Named by Watson as alleged conspirators; only Bayne Cul,ley had a minor criminal record.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected lone assassin of MLK; denied involvement in conspiracy.  
- **Mr. Livingston**: Claimed knowledge of a conspiracy involving H.H. Andrews and Magellans Inc.  
- **H.H. Andrews (R.L. Warren)**: Alleged orchestrator of assassination plot, incarcerated in Toronto, Canada.  
- **Rev. Samuel B. Kyles**: Civil rights activist linked to the assassination site via property developments.  
- **Ben Sutherland**: Involved with Blockade Runners Inc., interviewed about company operations.  
- **Bernard Fensterwald**: Lawyer investigating conspiracy theories; associated with James Earl Ray’s case.  
- **Lynnwood Maddox**: Atlanta attorney who met with Watson in 1970 regarding conspiracy allegations.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination; Lorraine Motel and Rev. Kyles’ church.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Headquarters for Magellans Inc. and FBI interviews; location of Watson’s residence.  
- **Toronto, Canada**: H.H. Andrews’ incarceration site.  
- **Chile**: Watson allegedly traveled there in 1974 without probation approval.  
- **Shiloh Battlefield, Savannah, Tennessee**: Location where Culley and Purcell allegedly searched for Civil War relics during the assassination.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee.  
- **June–July 1975**: FBI interviews with Watson’s associates, including William Amette and Ben Sutherland, to assess conspiracy claims.  
- **Polygraph examinations** (July 23, 1975): Confirmed Culley, Adams, and Purcell had no knowledge of the alleged plot.  
- **July 30, 1975**: Atlanta Police Department provided an investigative report on MLK’s assassination to FBI, deemed unreliable due to focus on drug-related data.  
- **August 29, 1975**: FBI concluded Watson’s claims lacked evidence and were likely motivated by personal obsessions.  
- **September 1975**: Newspaper clippings from *Atlanta Journal and Constitution* and *The Militant* attached as evidence in the investigation.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Coordinated federal review of Watson’s allegations and interviewed witnesses.  
- **Magellans Inc.** (formerly Blockade Runners, Inc.): Art gallery linked to alleged conspirators; operated by Jerry Adams and others.  
- **Blockade Runners Inc.**: Business front associated with artifact trading and smuggling operations.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Involved in reviewing Watson’s claims through FBI channels.  
- **French Liberation of Quebec (FLO)**: Organization allegedly associated with H.H. Andrews.  
- **Great American Silver Company**: Post-1968 business venture of former Blockade Runners associates, indicted for fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_28-04-part_1_of_3.pdf

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