</s>FBI Date: 4/15/68 Transmit the following in (Type in plainstor or code) TELETYPE URGENT Via (Priority) TO: CHICAGO FROM: MEMPHIS (44-1987) (1P) MURKIN 10 ON APRIL FIFTEEN, INSTANT, MR. FRANCIS J. RUGRAFF, MANAGER, DELTA WAREHOUSE, MEMPHISS, MEMPHIS, ADVISED HE IS EQUALINATED WITH JOHN E. GALT, A COTTON AND LINEN SALESMAN AND BROKER, WITH JORN E. GAIT, A CITY AND LINER SALESman AND BROOKER, WITH OFFICE AT EIGHT HUNDRED N. CLARK, CHICACO. CHIGAGO. RUGRAFF DESCRIBED GALT AS WM, AGE IN SIXTIES, DOB FIVE FT. NINE INCHES, ONE HUNDRed SIXTY - ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY LBS ., GRAY HAIR, BALDING, BLUE OR BLUE GRAY EYES, FAIR COMPLEXION, RUGRAPH LAST MET GALT AT A DELTA CONVENTION AT CONRAD HILTON HOTEL, CHICAO, MARCH NINE - TWELVE, LAST. ADVISED DID NOT BELIEVE GALT MARRIED OR HAD ANY CHILDREN BUT DID BELIEVED GALT BAD SISTER RESIDENCE SOMETHERE IN GA ., POSSIBLE ATLANTA AREA. CHICAGOO WILL ATTEMPT TO LOCATE AND INTERVIEW GALT. Aitel DEVELOP BACKGROUND INFO AND POSSIBLE RELATIVES IN ATLANZA TELEtypo AREA, INCLUDING SISTER, AND SET OUT APPROPRIATE LEADS IN A.M. EFFORT TO INTERVIEW SAME RE SUBJECT. P. J. UITD. 44-19/11/12/12-Dute A. M.S.D .- S.D. END. E BAM-cJ89 Spec. Del.1. Reg. Ma-1 Reg. Approved: R.W Reg. A.M-1.1 Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent 12/10 PM Per. Reg.A.1-1/2/2.0/2-1-2/4/4-2-2.2/3/4.0-1 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains FBI internal records from April 1968 related to the investigation into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) in Memphis, Tennessee. It includes coded entries, suspect descriptions, logistical details about car rentals, and references to potential connections with extremist groups such as the Black Panther Party or Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Key suspects mentioned include John Woolard, Marcus Neil Parris, Alfred H. Harley, and Lester Forsythe. The text also notes fragmented information, transcription errors, and unclear codes like "CFW-IrF" and "SERIALIZED," which may relate to case file numbers or internal classifications. Vehicle tracking is emphasized, particularly a 1968 Ford Mustang rented by Alfred H. Harley, who had ties to aviation. Physical descriptions of suspects are included but lack conclusive evidence linking them to the assassination. The document highlights challenges in interpreting the records due to incomplete data and coded language.  

Key People  
- **John Woolard**: Described as a white man in his mid-20s with a Remington rifle, linked to MLK’s assassination via a patrolman’s claim of responsibility.  
- **Marcus Neil Parris**: Mentioned as someone potentially present in Memphis around the time of the assassination; had financial dealings and was contacted by FBI agents in North Carolina.  
- **Alfred H. Harley**: A pilot who rented a car from National Car Rental Systems, with movements scrutinized for travel or escape routes.  
- **Lester Forsythe**: A fugitive associated with KKK or other groups, though no direct connection to MLK’s assassination is established.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination on April 4, 1968.  
- **Virginia**: Mentioned in relation to John Woolard’s alleged involvement.  
- **Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, California**: Geographic scope of FBI records and investigations.  

Key Events  
- **Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (April 4, 1968)**: Central event under investigation; details about suspects, vehicles, and extremist group connections are explored.  
- **Vehicle Tracking**: Focus on car rentals, including a white Ford Mustang linked to suspect activities.  
- **FBI Surveillance and Investigations**: Efforts to identify suspects through physical descriptions, logistical data, and coded references.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted the investigation into MLK’s assassination, with internal records referencing case files, suspect tracking, and coded communications.  
- **Black Panther Party/Ku Klux Klan (KKK)**: Potential extremist groups mentioned as possible connections to suspects.  

Additional Notes  
- The document contains fragmented information, transcription errors (e.g., dates like "4/9/68" and "4/9/88"), and unclear codes that hinder definitive conclusions.  
- No conclusive evidence links the named suspects to MLK’s assassination, though their movements and associations were scrutinized.  
- The text includes unrelated FBI records from the 1960s–1970s involving criminal investigations, fingerprint data, and case files, which are not directly tied to MLK’s assassination.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_76-01-part_2_of_4.pdf

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