</s>FD . 245 ( ..... ) .* 13-60) H. S. Department of Justice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILED DO NOT DESTROY FEDERAL BUREAU DECLASSIFICATION' of DO NOT STRIP INVESTIGATION Volume Number: Bureau File Number DO NOT DISTROY PRESERVE FOR SELECT 10-5-11-00 DATE/13/03/08 by SpiCKlata COMMITTEE-ON ASSINATION See also Nos. - - - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into Paul Osborn Bridgeman’s connections to James Earl Ray, a suspect in Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Bridgeman’s activities in Kansas City, Missouri, including bond jumping, hotel moves, and associations with individuals like Jim Dougherty and the Old Fortress Beer Tavern, are examined. Wayne Rothberg provides information on Bridgeman’s financial transactions and attempts to locate him through phone contacts. Robert Dale Porter describes Ray’s time at the Missouri State Penitentiary, his interactions with inmates such as Neil Aby, and potential escape plans involving contraband. The FBI also investigates phone call records from 1967 linked to Ray’s movements, including calls to Texas, Alabama, and Missouri. Bridgeman’s family history, including his parents’ deaths in Daytona Beach, Florida, and inheritance disputes, is documented. Passport applications for Ramon George Snyd, showing a resemblance to Ray, are scrutinized alongside correspondence club investigations by the Postal Inspector.  

Key People  
- **Paul Osborn Bridgeman**: Subject of FBI investigation; linked to James Earl Ray via financial and social connections.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of MLK Jr.; connected to Bridgeman through prison interactions and potential criminal ties.  
- **Wayne Rothberg**: Informant providing details on Bridgeman’s activities in Kansas City, including bond jumping and hotel moves.  
- **Jim Dougherty**: Alleged associate of Bridgeman; associated with the Old Fortress Beer Tavern.  
- **Robert Dale Porter**: Interviewed regarding Ray’s prison activities at Missouri State Penitentiary; mentioned interactions with Neil Aby.  
- **Neil Aby**: Inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; interacted with Ray during his incarceration.  
- **Carol Norton**: Ex-wife of Bridgeman; referenced in FBI inquiries.  
- **Roy and Edith Babbs, Jim Davis, Jack N. Davis**: Relatives or associates of Bridgeman providing information on his whereabouts.  
- **Ramon George Snyd**: Suspect linked to Ray via passport application photo resemblance; resided in Toronto, Canada.  

Key Locations  
- **Kansas City, Missouri**: Bridgeman’s alleged residence; site of bond jumping and financial transactions.  
- **Old Fortress Beer Tavern**: Associated with Bridgeman’s social connections.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Site of Ray’s incarceration and interactions with inmates like Neil Aby.  
- **Daytona Beach, Florida**: Location of James M. Bridgeman’s death; site of inheritance disputes involving Bridgeman’s family.  
- **Toronto, Canada**: Snyd’s residence and passport application location.  
- **El Paso, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; San Antonio, Texas**: Locations of phone calls potentially linked to Ray’s movements.  

Key Events  
- **Bridgeman’s Bond Jumping and Financial Activities**: FBI investigates his financial transactions in Kansas City, including hotel moves and associations with Jim Dougherty.  
- **Ray’s Prison Interactions**: Porter details Ray’s time at Missouri State Penitentiary, interactions with Neil Aby, and potential escape plans involving contraband.  
- **Phone Call Records Investigation**: FBI examines 1967 call records linked to Ray’s movements, including calls to Texas, Alabama, and Missouri.  
- **Passport Application Review**: FBI scrutinizes Ramon George Snyd’s passport for resemblance to Ray and potential ties.  
- **Bridgeman Family Inheritance Disputes**: Documentation of inheritance conflicts involving Bridgeman’s parents’ estate and his alleged theft of their safety deposit box.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted passport investigations, correspondence club tracking, and interviews with informants like Wayne Rothberg and Robert Dale Porter.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Institutional records referenced for Ray’s incarceration and interactions with inmates.  
- **Postal Inspector Office**: Collaborated with FBI on tracking correspondence clubs under investigation.  
- **Southwest Bell Telephone Company**: Provided phone call records linked to Ray’s movements.  
- **Kansas City Police Department**: Referenced in Bridgeman’s identification number details.

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_172-03-part_1_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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