</s>FD-36 (Rev. 5-22-64) FBI Date: 7/3/68 Transmit the following in (Type in plaintext or code) Via AIRTEL (Priority) TO: SAC, MEMPHIS (44-1987) FROM: SAC; CLEVELAND (44 -55) (P) RE: MURKIN - COST DATA Re Memphis airtel, 4/19/68. The following statistics pertain to the Cleveland Division for the month of June, 1968: 1. Number of man hours: Special Agents: Regular Hours - 23 Overtime Hours- 3 Clinical Employees: 4 2. Mileage: 67 3. 0 4. 6 Agents Memphis 2 - Cleveland 4-19/12-5/11-B-18287 2-3/3-1mg SEARCHED ... INDEXED. (4) B SEARCHEO ... FIDED ... 3. JUL - 1985 FBI - MEMPHISS Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent M Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents contain FBI records from July 1968 detailing cost data for investigations across multiple regional offices, including Memphis, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Omaha, and others. These include man-hours spent by agents, mileage traveled by Bureau vehicles, and unusual expenses. One section references James Earl Ray’s defense fund in Columbus, Texas, noting Lomal Wilhelm as a fundraiser for Ray, who was later convicted of assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. The FBI found no records matching Wilhelm’s name in their files. Other entries include administrative notes about case closures, communication logs, and unrelated inquiries about witnesses or property transfers. A separate document mentions FBI cost data submissions for investigations involving bank robberies in Louisiana, Klan activities, and witness testimonies from House Sub-Committee hearings on Un-American Activities. Another section references a letter attributed to "DABBY WAGNER" discussing a plot against Martin Luther King Jr., with claims that the Klan did not support violence. The FBI requested forensic analysis of latent fingerprints from a business reply postcard linked to the Lorain Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, and sought handwriting comparisons with James Barlow Ray, a suspect in the assassination case.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Convicted of assassinating Martin Luther King Jr.; associated with a defense fund in Columbus, Texas.  
- **Lomal Wilhelm**: Identified as a fundraiser for Ray’s defense fund; no FBI records matched his name.  
- **Frances Davinport**: Provided information about Wilhelm’s residency and employment.  
- **Fred W. Benteson**: Texas resident with a driver’s license linked to Wilhelm.  
- **DABBY WAGNER**: Mentioned in a letter referencing a plot against Martin Luther King Jr.  
- **KIOIS WITTE**: Testified about Klan activities, denied involvement in assassination plots, and referenced interactions with WAGNER.  
- **Morris L. Kagner**: Provided details on Klan operations, including financial records and member lists.  
- **William Somersett**: Traveled to Atlanta and Memphis post-assassination, allegedly seeking information about the National States Rights Party and the King case.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination; location of the Lorain Hotel and FBI SAC office.  
- **Columbus, Texas**: Location of Ray’s defense fund.  
- **Marion, Ohio**: Address associated with the American Heritage business reply postcard.  
- **Cleveland, Ohio**: FBI office involved in processing evidence from the postcard.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Location where Somersett made trips following the assassination.  
- **Little Rock, Arkansas**: Mentioned in unrelated witness relocation context.  

Key Events  
- FBI cost data reports for June 1968 across regional offices, including Memphis, San Diego, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Denver.  
- Investigation into James Earl Ray’s defense fund and associated individuals (e.g., Lomal Wilhelm).  
- Forensic analysis requested for latent fingerprints on a business reply postcard linked to the Lorain Hotel in Memphis.  
- Testimonies about Klan organizations, including the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (NKKK), and their alleged involvement in violent acts.  
- References to a letter by DABBY WAGNER discussing a plot against Martin Luther King Jr., with claims of non-violent Klan stance.  
- Legal proceedings involving constitutional privileges and refusal to disclose records or membership details.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations, requested forensic analysis, and coordinated with local offices.  
- **Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK)**: Mentioned in testimonies about alleged violent activities.  
- **National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (NKKK)**: Referenced alongside KKK in Klan-related inquiries.  
- **House Sub-Committee on Un-American Activities**: Involved in hearings on Klan activities (February 1966).  
- **American Heritage**: Magazine associated with a subscriber list linked to the business reply postcard.  
- **National States Rights Party**: Mentioned in connection with William Somersett’s alleged activities.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_71-06-part_2_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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