</s>6-15-68 CODE CABLEGRAM URGENT TO LEGAT LONDON FROM DIRECTOR FBI (44-38861) MURKIN. PRESS ACCOUNTS JUNE FITTEREN, INSTANT, INDICATE SUBJECT'S BROTHER, JOHN LARRY RAY, IS PLANNING TO TRAVEL TO ENGLAND BROTHER. JOHN LARREY RAY. PRESS ACCOUNDS INDICATIE HE INTENDS TO VISIT HIS BROTHER, PRESS ACCOUNTNS INDICATES HE INTENDENS TO APPLY FOR PASSPORT ON MONDAY, JUNE SENTENTEN, NEXT. JOHN LARRY RAY IS WHITE MALE, BORN ALTON, ILLINOIS, HEIGHT FIVE FEET TEN TO FIVE FIVE ELEVEN INCHES, WEIGHT ONE HUNDRED SIXTY TO ONE HUNDRE SEVENTY POUNDS, BROWN HAIR, BROWEN EYES, MEDIUM COMPLEXION, HAS SLIGHT SPEECH IMPEDIMENT. MARITAL STATUS, SINGLE. INVESTIGATION HAS INDICATED HE VISITED HIS BROTHER, THE SUBJECT, WHILE BROTHER IN PRISON ON AT LEAST NINE OCCASIONS, THE LAST OF WHILE WAS APRIL TWENTY TWO, NINETEEN SIXTEEN SEVEN, THE DAY BEFORE THE SUBJECT ESCAPED. HE HAS SENT HIS BROTTER MONEY WHILE IN PRISION. DENIES ANY KNOWLEDGE OF BROTHER'S ESCAPE OR KNOWLEDGEOF HIS WHERABOUTS FOLLOWING ESCAPE. - MEMPHIS (44-(1987) - St. Louis (44)-775) 14-1987-Sul-9-7711 SEARCHED: INDEXED. SEARCHEO: SEARCH-D. SEMPTED. -VEMPHISHES 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains FBI records detailing investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities in 1968, including his alleged involvement in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., connections to the 1967 Alton, Illinois bank robbery, and movements across multiple states. The FBI tracked Ray’s travel plans to England, his criminal history (including burglary convictions), and visits to his brother John Larry Ray while incarcerated. Ray ordered photographic equipment under an alias, Eric E. Galt, from a Chicago-based company. Investigations also focused on financial transactions, airline records, and potential links between Ray and other suspects in the Alton robbery, including Harold Richard Covington and Beverly Vogan. The FBI coordinated with local law enforcement agencies to verify witness accounts, trace laundry/dry cleaning marks associated with the robbery, and investigate rental records tied to Ray’s associates.  

Key People  
- **John Larry Ray**: Brother of James Earl Ray; planned travel to England, had burglary convictions, and visited his brother in prison multiple times.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination and linked to the 1967 Alton bank robbery; ordered photographic equipment under alias Eric E. Galt.  
- **Eric E. Galt**: Alias used by James Earl Ray to order camera equipment from Superior Bulk Film Company.  
- **Beverly Vogan**: Incarcerated at Kansas State Penitentiary; interviewed about potential ties to Ray and MLK-related activities.  
- **Harold Richard Covington**: Suspected in the 1967 Alton bank robbery; no arrest made at the time of the documents.  
- **Mrs. Stanley Whitney Olson (Margaret Stella Olson)**: Sought for information about her daughter Katherine Williams, connected to the Alton robbery investigation.  
- **Robert L. Jenks / Robert J. Jackins**: Individuals linked to rental records and financial transactions under investigation for potential ties to Ray or MLK-related activities.  
- **Beverly Hill/Lacladen Linden**: Individual linked to Ray through a false identity; later identified as a convicted burglar with no direct connection to MLK’s case.  

Key Locations  
- **Alton, Illinois**: Site of the 1967 bank robbery and birthplace of John Larry Ray.  
- **Buffalo, New York**: Location of investigations into Ray’s movements and connections.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Hotel where James Earl Ray was registered in December 1967.  
- **Chicago, Illinois**: Location of Superior Bulk Film Company where Ray ordered photographic equipment; also linked to laundry/dry cleaning mark investigation.  
- **Kansas City, Missouri** (Kansas State Penitentiary): Site of Beverly Vogan’s incarceration.  
- **Pocomoke City, Maryland**: Residence of Mrs. Stanley Whitney Olson.  
- **North Augusta, South Carolina**: Location of rental records and tenant history investigations.  
- **Springfield, Missouri**: FBI coordination hub for multiple investigations.  

Key Events  
- **June 15–19, 1968**: FBI tracked John Larry Ray’s travel plans to England and James Earl Ray’s movements.  
- **December 17–19, 1967**: Investigation into James Earl Ray’s stay at the Provincial Motel in New Orleans.  
- **April–May 1968**: FBI efforts to locate Ray via credit bureau records, airline checks, and photographic identification.  
- **May 20, 1968**: FBI notice seeking information on James Earl Ray, emphasizing his alleged criminal activities and danger.  
- **1967 Alton Bank Robbery**: Two suspects wearing nylon masks used a sawed-off shotgun to steal $27,230; linked to James Earl Ray’s potential involvement.  
- **Laundry Mark Investigation**: Efforts to identify National Marking Machine Company equipment used to create clothing identifiers found at the Alton robbery scene.  
- **FBI Coordination**: Multiple agencies (Memphis, Chicago, St. Louis) collaborated to verify witness statements and track suspects.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into MLK’s assassination, Ray’s activities, and related crimes.  
- **Eastman Kodak Company (EKCO)**: Provided details on photographic equipment ordered by Ray under an alias.  
- **National Marking Machine Company**: Manufacturer of equipment potentially used to create laundry/dry cleaning marks found at the Alton robbery scene.  
- **Local Law Enforcement Agencies**: Including sheriffs’ offices in Missouri, Illinois, and South Carolina, assisted with witness interviews and record checks.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_83-02-part_9_of_9.pdf

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