</s>CEFB1 MEMPHIS FBI NEW YORK U 12:00AM URGENT 4-20-68 RPD TO DIRECTOR, MEMPHis, CLEVELAND AND CINCINNATI. FROM NEW YORK 44-1609 2P MURKIN RE CINCINCINNATI RELIEYPE TO BUREAU FOUR NINETEEN LAST, RE UNKNOWN MALE AT PORT COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. LEONARD DRIBINSKY, ONE THREE ZERO PELHAM ROAD, NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, FURNISHED FOLLOWING: HE IS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE, HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, WAS VISITING FRIENDS ATHENS COLLEGE OHIO AND EARLY AM FOUR NINTEEN LAST MET GARY GOODMAN AND RONALD WEISS COLUMBIUS OHIO AIRPORT .. STATED HE FELL SLEEP WAITING ROOM, AWOKE AROUND FOUR AM, OBSERVED UNKNOWN MALE TALKING TO RONDAL AND GARY, UNKNOWN MALESKED TO BUY SHIRT AND RANDALD SOLD SHIRT FOR ONE DOLLAR, UNKNOWN MALE TOOK BIG ROLL BILLS FROM POCKET TO PAY. MALE THEN ASKED FOR DIME TO MAKE PHONE CALL AND THEN STATED "WHAT AM I DOING" WHERE UPON REMOVED ROLL OF DIMES FROM POCET. MALE WENT TO PHONE BOOTH AND MADE PHONE CALLL. END PAGE ONE SEARCHED. HIDEXELA. I-3594 SCARALIDAY-FILLS.O. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O . 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into individuals linked to the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK), focusing on tracking an unknown male observed in Columbus, Ohio, following MLK’s death. On April 4–5, 1968, agents monitored a man resembling James Earl Ray, described as white, approximately 30 years old, stocky, with light brown hair, a mustache, and a ragged appearance. The individual purchased a shirt from Ronald Weiss at Port Columbus International Airport, made phone calls about travel to Los Angeles or San Francisco, and left the airport around 4:10 AM. Witnesses like Leonard Dribinsky and Gary S. Goodman provided physical descriptions and behavioral details, including clothing and possession of currency. FBI agents compared the subject to photos of Eric Starvo Galt and James Earl Ray, seeking matches via witness statements and photographic analysis. Travel records were examined for Charles Moats in Cleveland, with comparisons to Ray’s profile. Other unrelated cases, such as a 1945 murder in Louisiana and inquiries into Gerald Hultgren and Russell Galt, were referenced but not directly tied to MLK’s assassination.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of MLK; described as resembling the unknown male observed in Columbus.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: A name linked to flight records and investigations, though no direct connection to MLK’s case is established in the text.  
- **Leonard Dribinsky**: Witness in Columbus, Ohio, who reported sightings of an unknown man resembling Eric Starvo Galt.  
- **Ronald Weiss**: Sold a shirt to the unknown male at Columbus Airport.  
- **Gary S. Goodman**: Witness in Newark, New Jersey, who described the unknown man’s actions and physical traits.  
- **Charles Moats**: Identified as possibly James Earl Ray based on travel records and physical descriptions.  
- **Vernon Paynell**: Provided information on Ray’s family connections in Ohio and Kentucky.  
- **Frank W. White**: Louisville resident with a Pontiac car and gambling history, noted but not directly linked to MLK.  
- **R. Curry**: Ohio contact potentially with case information.  
- **John Kesinger**: Described as resembling James Earl Ray and linked to Memphis.  
- **Ernest S. Gault**: Hotel registrant in Atlanta whose handwriting was analyzed for comparison to James Earl Ray’s.  

Key Locations  
- **Port Columbus International Airport (Columbus, Ohio)**: Site of the unknown male’s interactions with clerks and cab drivers.  
- **Cleveland, Ohio**: Travel records and witness accounts involving Charles Moats.  
- **Toledo, Ohio**: Linked to James Earl Ray’s alleged past residence and family ties.  
- **Louisville, Kentucky**: Information on Frank W. White.  
- **Newark, New Jersey**: Witness Gary S. Goodman’s report.  
- **Austin, Texas**: Hotel registration records for Donald D. Tanner.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: FBI offices and witness reports.  
- **Little Rock, Arkansas**: Investigation into Ernest S. Gault.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Gordon Hotel registration records for Ernest S. Gault.  

Key Events  
- **April 4–5, 1968**: FBI agents monitored an unknown male in Columbus, Ohio, who matched James Earl Ray’s description and discussed flight schedules.  
- **Flight manifest checks**: FBI offices reviewed airline records to trace potential connections between suspects and MLK’s assassination.  
- **Witness interviews**: Cab drivers, clerks, and others provided descriptions of the subject and his movements.  
- **Photographic comparisons**: Agents compared the unknown male to James Earl Ray’s photographs and other individuals like Eric Starvo Galt.  
- **Handwriting analysis**: FBI requested comparison of Ernest S. Gault’s handwriting to James Earl Ray’s known handwriting.  
- **Hotel registration reviews**: Examination of Ernest S. Gault’s records in Atlanta for potential links to MLK’s case.  
- **Unrelated inquiries**: Investigations into Gerald Hultgren, Russell Galt, and a 1945 murder in Louisiana were referenced but not directly tied to MLK’s assassination.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations across multiple locations, including Memphis, Cincinnati, San Antonio, and Little Rock, to track suspects and verify identities.  
- **FBI Laboratory**: Requested handwriting analysis for Ernest S. Gault’s records.  
- **Eastern Airlines**: Flight records reviewed as part of the investigation into the unknown male’s travel plans.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies**: Cooperated with FBI in tracking individuals like Edward C. Treich and Russell Galt.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_84-04-part_3_of_3.pdf

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