</s>LABORATORY Lobopat Lagrattel Form LABORATORATORY FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20535 To: FBI, Memphis (44-1987) Date: April 12, 1968 To: MURKIN CR 00: Memphis John Edgar Hoover, Director FBI File No. 44-38861 * Examination requested by: Memphis, Birmingham, Lab. No. Mobile D-56041 JK D-560412 JK Mobile: Airtels, 4/9/68 D-5601413 JK Reference: Examination requested: Document - Fingerprint Remarks: For information, general overall appearance of the known writings of GALA's addition to some handwriting similarities indicate he is a good suspect. The very limited nature of comparable writings precedes a stronger "leaning." You will be advised separately regarding the results of the fingerprint examination. DO NOT INCLUDE ADMINISTRATIVE PAGES/ INFORMATION IN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT Enclosures (2) (2 Lab report) 2 - Birmingham (44-(1740) Enclosures(2) [2 Lab Report) 2 - Mobile (157-2627) Enclosure(2 ) (2. Lab report] SEARCHED. (2-2) INXED. SERIAL REPATED. (1-FILLED. APR1 5 1968 FBI-MEMPHIS ADMINISSTRATIVE PAGE 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
FBI laboratory reports from April 12–17, 1968, detail forensic analyses of physical evidence linked to investigations in Memphis, Birmingham, and Atlanta. Key activities include fingerprint comparisons on hotel registration cards (e.g., Rebel Motor Hotel, dated 4/10/68), safe deposit box records, ammunition boxes, and tape samples from Thermo-Seal machines. Handwriting analysis was conducted on documents with notes, maps, and laundry items, including those recovered from Eric S. Galt’s storage room in Atlanta. Forensic comparisons of marking tapes, fibers, and hairs were performed to identify potential connections to a case involving Martin Luther King Jr. (referred to as "MURKIN"). While similarities were noted in handwriting and fingerprints, no definitive matches were established. The FBI sought to link items to suspects such as Charles T. Smith, GALT, and others through latent prints and document analysis.  

Key People  
- Charles T. Smith (bank auditor, identified via latent fingerprints)  
- John W. Bauer (FBI special agent, matched to a latent print on a hotel registration card)  
- Daniel Niel Jellison (suspect with fingerprint match to a latent print)  
- Eric S. Galt (associated with storage room search in Atlanta)  
- James D. Garner (manager of a rooming house in Atlanta)  
- Thomas M. Flickid (signature found on rental agreements and documents)  
- John Edgar Hoover (FBI Director)  
- SACs (Special Agents in Charge: Chicago, Atlanta, Memphis)  
- Alden F. Miller (delivered evidence to FBI laboratory)  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (central hub for FBI investigations; Rebel Motor Hotel, Thermo-Seal machine samples from Salisbury, Maryland)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (linked to safe deposit box records and fingerprint comparisons)  
- Atlanta, Georgia (storage room search; hotel rooms with bed linens, cigarette butts, newspaper fragments)  
- Los Angeles, California (laundry items and Thermo-Seal markings)  
- Las Vegas, Nevada (reference in fiber analysis)  
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (reference in fiber analysis)  
- Washington, D.C. (reference in laboratory reports)  

Key Events  
- Fingerprint analysis of hotel registration cards, safe deposit boxes, and ammunition boxes (April 12–17, 1968)  
- Search of Eric S. Galt’s storage room in Atlanta (April 15, 1968), yielding maps with location markings and laundry items  
- Forensic comparison of Thermo-Seal tape samples from Salisbury, Maryland, to determine origin  
- Handwriting analysis of documents attributed to Galt, Garner, Flickid, and others; discrepancies noted in matches  
- Examination of fibers, hairs, and marking tapes for connections to "MURKIN" case  
- Laboratory reports confirming differences in tape construction, color, and printing characteristics between sources  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including Memphis, Birmingham, and Atlanta field offices  
- FBI Laboratory (conducted fingerprint, handwriting, and material analysis)  
- Textile Marking Company (manufacturer of Thermo-Seal machines)  
- Monarch Laundry (Las Vegas, Nevada)  
- Star Laundry (source of Thermo-Seal machine samples)  
- Superior French Laundry, Highland Cleaners (laundries in California)

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_84-01-part_2_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search