</s>FED: 24B (REV. 4:13:60) H. S. Department of Justic. MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE) FIELD-FILE Folln. .. .. ..... CUSED middelanews FEDERAL BUREAU Supplies of DO NOT DESTROY HISTORICAL VALUE NATIONAL ARCHIVY INVESTIGATION Bureau File Number Serial Number Volume Number "CO NOT DESTRY: ENTRE FILE. REVIEWED FOR HISTORICIAL F.S.I.O.T. VALUE. NATIONALARCHIVES" DECLASSIFICATION See also No. SEE VOL 1 FOR LITIGATIONS ALL-INFORMATION CONTAINED HETERN IS UNACH ASSEMBLED DATEIEN IS UNACI ASSESSED See nuit Section www.nuit-10-32850 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O ., 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative efforts from April 1968 regarding individuals linked to potential threats or suspicious activities related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). Key focus areas include interviews with suspects such as James Stedman, James Henry Short, Robert Lee Deal, and others connected to MLK’s murder investigation. The FBI examined financial transactions, vehicle registrations, and physical descriptions of individuals suspected of involvement. A bus passenger described as resembling an artist’s sketch of a suspect was investigated, along with car owners linked to MLK’s assassination through travel patterns and vehicle details. Financial records of Robert Borsari were scrutinized for potential ties, while military service records and VA hospital locations were used to track individuals like Eric Starvo Galt. The FBI coordinated across multiple offices in Memphis, New York, Indianapolis, and Louisiana to verify connections and gather evidence.  

Key People  
- **James Stedman**: Employed by T.R. Waldrop Co., questioned about MLK’s assassination; denied KKK ties or being a stoolie.  
- **James Henry Short**: Claimed knowledge of MLK’s killer, described meeting a group in Memphis planning to disrupt security at MLK’s motel.  
- **Robert Lee Deal**: Electronics technician linked to laundry marks found at Navy Exchange Laundry; investigated for movements around April 4–5, 1968.  
- **Robert Borsari**: Opened bank account in Birmingham, Alabama, with deposits tied to travel and lodging near MLK’s assassination.  
- **James Calhoun Galt**: Relative of Laura K. Galt; investigated as a potential lead but no direct connection to MLK’s murder was found.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt** (also known as Ernest Sumpeter Gault): White male with Army service records and alleged connections to Arkansas, Florida, and California; investigated for potential ties to violent acts.  
- **Frank Clifford Beebe**: Navy veteran suspected of resembling a suspect in a bus-related incident.  
- **Clarence Shackelford**: Retired landscape gardener who reported seeing a man matching a suspect’s description on a Greyhound bus.  
- **Harry Gault**: Brother of Ernest Sumpeter Galt; provided information about his brother’s movements and family ties.  
- **Nina Brewer (nee Walker)**: Spouse of Ernest Sumpeter Galt; denied marriage records but acknowledged prior relationship.  
- **R.T. Hodgens**: Greyhound bus driver in South Carolina; interacted with a passenger resembling an artist’s sketch of a suspect.  
- **C.J. Williams, George Radvansky, Leslie G. Ruben, Donald LaRue, Russell E. Whitcomb**: Individuals linked to MLK’s assassination through car registrations (e.g., white Mustangs or Ford vehicles) and travel patterns.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central location for FBI investigations; site of interviews with Stedman, Short, and others.  
- **Tennessee License Plate LD 5451**: Associated with a vehicle linked to the investigation.  
- **Richmond, Virginia**: James Calhoun Galt’s former residence; part of an inquiry into potential leads.  
- **Jackson, Mississippi**: Site of an encounter involving James Henry Short and Dick Collins.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Mentioned in connection with a group planning to disrupt MLK’s security.  
- **Little Rock, Arkansas**: Home to VA hospitals, addresses linked to Ernest Sumpeter Galt, and a country club where a birth certificate was reportedly mailed.  
- **Walterboro, South Carolina**: Bus stop where a passenger resembling a suspect was observed.  
- **Detroit, Michigan**: Location of military service records for Ernest Sumpeter Galt.  
- **San Francisco, California**: Mentioned in the context of a tomato tub order linked to Mrs. A.E. Galt.  
- **Siskiyou County, California**: Site of a logging company where Mrs. A.E. Galt was located.  

Key Events  
- **April 4–5, 1968**: FBI investigated movements of suspects around the time of MLK’s assassination, including Robert Lee Deal and James Henry Short.  
- **April 12, 1968**: FBI interviewed Stedman in Memphis, who denied knowledge of MLK’s killer but expressed frustration with agents.  
- **April 4–5, 1968**: James Henry Short described a group planning to create a disturbance near MLK’s motel in Memphis.  
- **March–April 1968**: Financial transactions of Robert Borsari were reviewed for potential ties to the assassination.  
- **FBI investigations into Ernest Sumpeter Galt’s whereabouts, military records, and potential ties to violent acts**; included fingerprint comparisons and interviews with relatives.  
- **Surveillance of a Greyhound bus passenger matching an artist’s sketch of a suspect**, involving interaction with the driver (R.T. Hodgens) and a blanket.  
- **Verification of car registrations, travel routes, and vehicle colors** for individuals linked to MLK’s assassination (e.g., white Mustangs or Ford vehicles).  
- **Coordination between FBI offices in Memphis, New York, Indianapolis, and Louisiana** to verify connections and gather evidence.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Conducted interviews, financial checks, handwriting comparisons, and inter-office coordination as part of the investigation.  
- **T.R. Waldrop Co.**: Employers of James Stedman, who was questioned about MLK’s murder.  
- **Navy Exchange Laundry**: Linked to Robert Lee Deal through laundry marks found at the site.  
- **Delta Airlines**: Mentioned in financial records tied to Robert Borsari’s travel activities.  
- **Veterans Administration (VA) Hospitals**: Used for locating Ernest Sumpeter Galt and verifying his medical records.  
- **U.S. Army**: Provided discharge records and service history for Ernest Sumpeter Galt.  
- **Greyhound Bus Lines**: Transportation details referenced in the investigation of a bus passenger resembling a suspect.  
- **Holiday Inn**: Registration references for individuals linked to MLK’s assassination.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_75-04-part_1_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search