</s>LA lh-157/ when it was placed there or how long it had been there. The indices of the Los Angeles Office contain no reference to JOHN WESLEY RAPORD, JR ., or JOHN WESSLEY TUCKER. Enclosed for the Laboratory is the original portion of the box, as furnished to SA PHILIP J. REILLY, J. for comparative examination with other samples of handwriting submitted in this matter. Enclosed from the Bureau are three copies of a photo- graph of the handwriting. Two photographs of the above-described handwriting are enclosed for Jackson and Memphis. -2- 2005 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document details an FBI investigation into a cardboard box found near a bank in California, containing handwritten notations referencing James Earl Ray’s address in Leland, Mississippi. The box bore names including John Wesley Rapord Jr., John Wesley Tucker, and Jonour, which were cross-referenced with local records in Leland and Memphis. Mrs. Margaret Berry, residing at 112 Tucker Street in Leland, was interviewed but provided no information about the box or its contents. FBI laboratories concluded that the handwriting on the box did not match James Earl Ray’s known handwriting. Fingerprint examinations of the box yielded no significant results. The documents include administrative details regarding document releases under Executive Order 14176 and references to FBI file numbers, including 44-38861 and D-681125011.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (address referenced on the box)  
- John Wesley Rapord Jr.  
- John Wesley Tucker  
- Jonour (name appearing on the box)  
- Mrs. Margaret Berry (residing at 112 Tucker Street, Leland, Mississippi)  
- Chief E. J. Dean (Leland police chief)  

Key Locations  
- Leland, Mississippi (address linked to the box)  
- Los Angeles, California (bank where the box was found)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI office involved in the investigation)  
- Jackson, Mississippi (mentioned in administrative references)  

Key Events  
- Discovery of a cardboard box with handwritten notations near a bank in California on November 21, 1968.  
- FBI investigation into the handwriting and address on the box, including comparisons to known individuals.  
- Interview of Mrs. Margaret Berry regarding the box’s presence at her address in Leland, Mississippi.  
- Laboratory analysis concluding that the handwriting on the box did not match James Earl Ray’s known handwriting.  
- Fingerprint examination of the box yielding no significant results.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- FBI Laboratory (conducted handwriting and fingerprint analysis)  
- Los Angeles Police Department (mentioned in administrative references)  
- Leland, Mississippi police department (Chief E. J. Dean involved in the investigation)

MLK Declassified Files

44-la-1574_742142_007-01-part_7_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

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