</s>FBI KAN CITY FBI BIRMGHAM 1045 AM URGENT 4-17-68 JGA TO DIRECTOR ATLANTA, CHICAGO, KANSAS CITY, LOS ANGELES, MEMPHIS. NEW ORLEANS AND MOBILE. FROM BIRMINGHAM 44-1740 P MURKIN CR. 00 MEMPHI.S. INTERVIEW WITH ASSOCIATE OF ERIC STARVO GALT REVEALED GALT ON OCCASION CLAIMED TO BE COOK AND BAKER ABOARD SHIP. NO BAKERY OR COOKING SCHOOL LOCATED BIRIMGHAM. LOCAL BAKINGY OFFICIAL CLAIMS PERSONNEL TRAINED AT BAKery SCHOOL IN KANSANS CITY OR CHICACO. RECEIVING OFFICES REQUESTED CHECK AND BAKING SCHOOL UNDER NAMES GALT. HARVEY LOMEYER AND JOHN WILLARD. END PAB FBI KANS CITY SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED PR 18/1 KANSAS CITY 44-760-154 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into Eric Starvo Galt’s alleged conspiracy against Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on his activities in Birmingham, Alabama, and Memphis, Tennessee, between March 29 and April 5, 1968. Galt, who used aliases including John Willard and Harvey Lowymer, was accused of planning to injure, intimidate, or threaten Dr. King. A 30.06 rifle with a telescopic sight, purchased by Galt on March 30, 1968, was found near the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, where Dr. King stayed during his assassination on April 4, 1968. The FBI tracked Galt’s movements across multiple states, including Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Mexico, and noted his ownership of a 1966 white Mustang purchased in Birmingham. Investigations included verifying his employment history, education, and personal details, with Galt described as a "loner" exhibiting a nervous habit of pulling at his earlobe. The FBI issued a press release on April 17, 1968, announcing Galt’s fugitive status and the conspiracy charge. Additional efforts involved tracking Galt through phone records, vehicle movements, and fingerprint comparisons, with connections to individuals such as B.J. Parker (a truck driver resembling Galt’s composite sketch) and James Eugene Gault. The FBI also interviewed John Kenneth Madden, a suspect who claimed to have been in Memphis around the time of Dr. King’s assassination and described interactions with a militant group.  

Key People  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Central suspect in conspiracy against Dr. King; used aliases John Willard and Harvey Lowymer.  
- **J. Edgar Hoover**: FBI Director who provided details about the investigation and press release.  
- **Ramsey Clark**: Attorney General who announced Galt’s fugitive status.  
- **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.**: Target of the alleged conspiracy, assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968.  
- **B.J. Parker**: Truck driver resembling Galt’s composite sketch; observed in Springfield, Missouri.  
- **James Eugene Gault**: Linked to Galt via fingerprint comparisons and a gun found in the case.  
- **John Kenneth Madden**: Suspect interviewed by FBI who claimed to have been in Memphis around April 4, 1968.  

Key Locations  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Site of Galt’s alleged conspiracy planning and rifle purchase.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Location of Dr. King’s assassination and where the rifle was found near the Lorraine Hotel.  
- **Kansas City, Missouri**: Mentioned in searches for bakery schools, driver’s license checks, and investigative efforts.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Galt’s reported travel destination and location of a bartending school he attended.  
- **Springfield, Missouri**: Where B.J. Parker was observed; part of tracking efforts.  
- **Topeka, Kansas**: Department of Motor Vehicles involved in verifying driver’s license data.  

Key Events  
- **March 29–April 5, 1968**: Alleged conspiracy by Galt and his brother to intimidate Dr. King.  
- **April 4, 1968**: Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis.  
- **April 17, 1968**: FBI press release announcing Galt’s fugitive status and details of the conspiracy charge.  
- **March 30, 1968**: Purchase of the 30.06 rifle by Galt in Birmingham, Alabama.  
- **FBI efforts to track Galt through phone records, vehicle movements, and fingerprint comparisons**.  
- **Interviews with suspects and witnesses in Memphis and Kansas City**.  
- **NCIC verification of suspect details**.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted the investigation into Galt’s alleged conspiracy and issued press releases.  
- **Selective Service System**: Involved in verifying Galt’s registration status.  
- **Bureau of Vital Statistics (Kansas City, Missouri)**: Part of efforts to compile birth records for investigative purposes.  
- **Southwest Bell Telephone Company**: Provided phone records used in tracking Galt.  
- **Department of Motor Vehicles (Topeka, Kansas)**: Assisted in verifying driver’s license data.  
- **North American Van Lines**: Transportation company linked to Galt’s van delivery route.  
- **United States Savings Bonds Payroll Program**: Mentioned in administrative forms related to FBI case management.

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_169-03-part_1_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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