</s>LA 44-1574 "I came home and told CHARLIE!" She said she told her brother CHARLES STEIN, about the conversation she had had with GALI in the Sultan Room, and his agreement she drove her to New Orleans to pick up two daughters. She said the also to New ORLEANS, that did not want to go on to the road alone with a strange man; but she did not have to go" on to get her kids. "The next morning he came over, early. About 9:00 a.m. He thought Charlie was my husband. He didn't believe that he was my brother. I introduced him to CHARLie again. He was was my mother. I introduce him to Charlie again. back. He did come back thought. He said, I'm going to do you this favor. You do one one favor. There won't be any expenses for his trip to New Orleans, I know, you're your brother and your cousin go trip to new Orleans, your neighbor. RITA said said agreed to this. GALT drove them. in his Mustard mustard they agreed to do this. was in North Hollywood, California, on Lakership Boulevard across the street from the Riverfront Sofa Company. Driving which and Eric GALT rode in the Riverside. On Lakerstown. Driving to sons, DINO LINO ROSAS, front at the back. GALT did not and ERIC GALT ride in the South Carolina, on RITA and his car. enter the election headquarters with them but sat in at the car. in the election where they were inside. Shortly after they were outside, GALT was came in. Galt did not was a lady who registered us. There was also a man at a desk. was a Lady who registered as. There spoke also a Man at a Desk. likes about 35 people who did not. GALT spoke he went into the scene. He looked machine in the room and got coffee just like he knew said it was. I don't drink coffee so I didn't have any, said RITa. seat, on said that from where he was sitting in the back seat, he was to register, he noticed that there were some extra licenced to register. He noticed that the scene some thought they were black and white in color and said that the were not orange and black or yellow and black like California license plates. She did not know what state they were not. a positive statement on this. The car was not too real. She said she thinks there were so many dirty white papers on the floor in the back seat. She was also did not notice anything written an in these papers. There were no suitcases or boxes inside the<loc_144><loc_855><loc_851><loc_851><loc_870><loc_144><loc_869>car. There were no suitscases or suitscases inside the -2- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O.E.O 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative activities in 1968 concerning potential connections to James Earl Ray and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Interviews with multiple individuals, including John R. Crowley, Steve Lazarchuk, Roger Gossner, Chick Boucher, Don Galbraith, Charles Adair, Al Crows, Helen Stewart, William Harrington, and Alan Thompson, were conducted to examine phone calls, hotel registrations, and financial transactions linked to Ray or suspected associates. References to a passport scheme involving the AFL-CIO providing $250,000 for King’s assassination are noted, with Al Crows allegedly discussing plans to assist someone in leaving the country. Photographs of James Earl Ray were shown to witnesses without confirmation. Hotel records from the St. Francis Hotel and Buena-Ventura Golf Course were analyzed for connections to Ray or related individuals. FBI interviews with Donald Martin Blaa and Clifford Wolfe denied knowledge of Ray or other assassination-related figures. Telecommunication records, including call logs dated December 1967–February 1969, reference CHARLES CALVIN BOOKMAN, DR. RUSSELL HADLEY, and CHARLES JOSEPH STEIN, who were interviewed regarding Ray’s activities, travel plans to Memphis and New Orleans, and financial transactions involving telegrams and collect calls. FBI case files (e.g., LA 44-1574) and declassification directives under Executive Order 14176 are mentioned.  

Key People  
- **RITA STEIN**: Testified about interactions with GALT, including a trip to New Orleans to retrieve her daughters; provided personal background details.  
- **GALT** (also referred to as *Eric Starvo Galt* or *James Earl Ray*): Suspect linked to MLK’s assassination; mentioned in FBI interviews and telecommunication records.  
- **DONALD MARTIN BLAA**: FBI interview subject who denied knowledge of James Earl Ray or other assassination-related individuals.  
- **CLIFFORD WOLFE**: FBI interview subject denying connections to Ray or related figures.  
- **AL CROWS**: Arrested on robbery and burglary charges; denied involvement in MLK’s assassination during an interview at Los Angeles County Jail.  
- **CHARLES CALVIN BOOKMAN**: Interviewed regarding his association with James Earl Ray; discussed prison encounters, financial requests, and travel plans.  
- **DR. RUSSELL HADLEY**: Provided medical information about Eric Starvo Galt (James Earl Ray), including surgical procedures and payments.  
- **CHARLES JOSEPH STEIN**: Testified about interactions with LARSEN (possibly a journalist) and attempts to contact James Earl Ray in prison, mentioning travel to New Orleans and Memphis.  

Key Locations  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Mentioned in Rita Stein’s trip to retrieve daughters and legal inquiries related to James Earl Ray.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Site of interviews, telecommunication records, and FBI case files (e.g., LA 44-1574).  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Referenced as a destination for travel plans linked to James Earl Ray’s incarceration.  
- **St. Francis Hotel, Hollywood, California**: Examined for hotel registration records connected to suspects.  
- **Buena-Ventura Golf Course, Ventura, California**: Mentioned in FBI inquiries about potential links to James Earl Ray.  
- **Oxnard, California**: Home of John R. Crowley, a subject of FBI investigation.  

Key Events  
- FBI interviews with individuals such as John R. Crowley, Steve Lazarchuk, and Al Crows to investigate phone calls, hotel registrations, and financial transactions linked to James Earl Ray.  
- Examination of hotel records from the St. Francis Hotel and Buena-Ventura Golf Course for connections to suspects.  
- Investigation into a passport scheme involving the AFL-CIO providing $250,000 for King’s assassination, with Al Crows allegedly discussing plans to assist someone in leaving the country.  
- FBI interviews with CHARLES CALVIN BOOKMAN, DR. RUSSELL HADLEY, and CHARLES JOSEPH STEIN regarding James Earl Ray’s activities, travel plans to Memphis and New Orleans, and financial transactions.  
- Legal inquiries related to James Earl Ray’s incarceration and potential testimony from prison contacts.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, maintained case files (e.g., LA 44-1574), and analyzed telecommunication records and hotel registrations.  
- **AFL-CIO**: Allegedly involved in a passport scheme tied to the assassination plot, with $250,000 reportedly provided for King’s murder.  
- **Los Angeles County Medical Association**: Mentioned in the context of DR. RUSSELL HADLEY’s patient referrals.

MLK Declassified Files

44-la-1574_742142_008-02-part_4_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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