</s>FD-302 (Nov. 1-25-60) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Date April 23, 1968 1 WALTER L. BROOKS, Manager, Congress Airport Inn, 3433 North Lindbergh Boulevard, advised as follows. At 5:08 PM on April 18, 1968, a male guest registered at the motel under the name of JAMES RAY, Allstate Inc. Co ., Columbia, Ill. in a 1967 Plymouth bearing license JE or SE40861. the guest under the same name of James RAY. Allstate Ins. Co. or guest carriages. Guest Registration at the time for or SHERRY! CARRIER. BROOKS saw this individual, who was assigned to Room 1967, when the hotel was in the early evening hours of April 18. BROOKSS in the lobby of the motel. BROKSS did not, engage the motel in conversation but merely observed him in the four-door sedan, since BROOKSS, upon first observing him in this mouth, four-door sedan, in the late BROOKs, upon FIRST observing the car, had believed that a friend of his who drives a similar type car was visiting BROOKSON, in late thirties, when he was 10'0 - 170 pounds, as was waiting for his car. slender build, hair, hair wearing an unreclined sport shirt, a white spot coat, possibly blue checked, dark trousers, with no tie and tie to the left side of the room. April 19, 1966. Upon arriving at the motel at about 10:30 AM on April 19. 1968, BROKS noted that the 1967 green Plymouth was still parked in front of Room 114, however, at about noon on April 19 1968, brookss noted that he was gone from that location and it has since been learned that the man who location and and it is since been heard that the car was on April 19, motel without checking out shortly before 12 noon on April 10, 1968. Upon registering the man had paid $79.79 in cash, in advanced, for the room fee and tax. This paid transaction is identified for a room fee fee fee & tax. on the cash machine tape for the model for April 18 1968. Once a guest completes the Guest Registration card, the clerk at the hotel then executes a ledger card from the information at the Guest Registry card. on April 18 ,, 1968. Two local telephone calls were made from Room 114, however, the motel does not record the numbers called since the guest may dial directly from the room, 4/20/68 at St. Louis County, Missouri File # SL 44-775 4/30/68 of St.Louis County, Missouri File # <loc_248><loc_872>SA JOHN J. BUCKLEY (A) <loc_248><loc_873><loc_248><loc_873>by SA JOHNJ. BECKLEY (PAW) <loc_509><loc_909><loc_463><loc_909>Date dictated <loc_590><loc_914>4/22/68

Summary  
The document contains multiple entries from April 1968 detailing investigations into an individual resembling James Earl Ray, the suspect in Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. On March 30, 1968, Douglas Johnson reported seeing a man matching Ray's description at a liquor store on old Highway 61 between Steele, Missouri, and Blytheville, Arkansas. Investigations by SA William R. Burton identified three potential locations for liquor sales along the route: Walnut in Steele, Missouri; Rendezvous (operated by Jackie Perry) in Holland, Arkansas; and B & B Tobacco Store operated by Clatus Bailey near the Missouri-Arkansas border. Eddie Rinehart of Eddie's Tobacco Store in Steele, Missouri, was noted to resemble Eric Starvo Galt, a man described as matching Ray's appearance, though Rinehart denied any connection to Ray. Additional sightings included an individual resembling Ray at the Mid-American Hotel in Miami, Florida, and a white male with a Tennessee license plate observed near Kirkwood, Missouri. The document also includes unrelated information about the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (NKKK), including organizational meetings in St. Louis, Missouri, and its structure under James R. Venable.  

Key People  
- **Douglas Johnson**: Reported sighting of a man resembling James Earl Ray on March 30, 1968.  
- **Eddie Rinehart**: Proprietor of Eddie's Tobacco Store in Steele, Missouri; noted for resemblance to Eric Starvo Galt.  
- **Clatus Bailey**: Operator of B & B Tobacco Store near the Missouri-Arkansas border.  
- **Jackie Perry**: Operator of Rendezvous Club (liquor store operation) in Holland, Arkansas.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Identified as a look-alike resembling James Earl Ray, observed at Mid-American Hotel in Miami, Florida.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; registered at Congress Airport Inn in St. Louis, Missouri.  
- **James R. Venable**: Leadership figure of the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (NKKK).  

Key Locations  
- **Steele, Missouri**: Liquor store locations along Highway 61; Eddie's Tobacco Store.  
- **Blytheville, Arkansas**: Border area near Missouri-Arkansas; mentioned in context of Highway 61 sightings.  
- **Mid-American Hotel, Miami, Florida**: Location where an individual resembling James Earl Ray was observed.  
- **Kirkwood, Missouri**: Site of a white male with a Tennessee license plate sighting.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: NKKK meetings and Congress Airport Inn (linked to James Earl Ray’s registration).  

Key Events  
- **March 30, 1968**: Douglas Johnson reported a man matching James Earl Ray’s description at a liquor store on Highway 61.  
- **Investigation into James Earl Ray’s movements**: SA William R. Burton reviewed potential locations for liquor sales along Highway 61.  
- **Identification of look-alikes and license plate sightings**: Eddie Rinehart, Eric Starvo Galt, and a white male with a Tennessee license plate were noted as possible connections to Ray.  
- **NKKK organizational activities**: Meetings in St. Louis, Missouri, and Georgia, including structure under James R. Venable.  

Key Organizations  
- **National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (NKKK)**: Mentioned in context of meetings in St. Louis, Missouri, and Georgia; structured under leadership of James R. Venable.  
- **Rendezvous Club**: Liquor store operation in Holland, Arkansas, operated by Jackie Perry.  
- **B & B Tobacco Store**: Liquor sales location near the Missouri-Arkansas border, operated by Clatus Bailey.

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_171-01-part_9_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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