</s>44 1609 Volume Number I CLASSIFICATION NO. Serials 1-134 1-1343 1-23 Runa 7-10-68 of Juntine ON OR ADDED TO THIS FILED FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER of NY - NEW YORK CITY NY - New York CITY Sub Vol. Serial # 0444 1609 1 1 134 INVESTIGATION Bureau File Number 4-3386.7 12/13/11463334 Bureau Fie Number 12/3/11463334 RRP03SAMYH 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178 See the No. 1.

Summary  
The documents detail an FBI investigation into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on a laundry mark found on clothing recovered from the scene. A suitcase containing King’s shirt and undershorts was discovered, bearing a red thermo-seal tape with black lettering manufactured by Textile Marking Machine Co., Syracuse, NY. The tape features codes such as "D TWO B DASH SIX" or "ZERO TWO B DARH SIX," which were deemed unusual for laundry items, typically used for dry cleaning. The FBI sought to identify the machine producing this tape, contacting sales representatives of Textile Marking Machine Co. and distributors in cities including Boston, Newark, New York, Memphis, and Birmingham. The investigation included requests for color photos of the tape and an artist’s conception to aid identification. Specific cleaners associated with potential use of the coding system were listed, including locations in Far Rockaway, Brooklyn, Westbury, Ulster, and Corona. The FBI also referenced file numbers, dates, and descriptions of photographs related to James Earl Ray, a suspect in the assassination, along with physical descriptions of subjects from Memphis and Birmingham. Some documents noted destruction dates and administrative actions such as searching, serializing, and filing records. Additional records include administrative files, telegrams, and file entries related to FBI investigations in the 1960s, referencing James Earl Ray, Walter T. Rife, and other individuals connected to the MLK assassination. A Spanish-language telegram referenced "PRESUNTO RESPONSABLE ASESINATO MARTIN LUTHER KING" (Presumed Responsible for the Assassination of Martin Luther King). Entries mention FBI New York offices, dates ranging from 1963 to 1968, and locations such as Kansas City, Missouri. Some records note the destruction or retention of materials, including a 1960 photograph of JER destroyed on June 10, 1968.  

Key People  
- Textile Marking Machine Co. (manufacturer of thermo-seal tape)  
- James Earl Ray (suspect in MLK’s assassination)  
- Fred Weber (sales representative for Textile Marking Machine Co.)  
- Walter T. Rife  
- Alejandor Rivera  
- John Willard  
- Harvey Lohmyer  

Key Locations  
- Syracuse, NY (location of Textile Marking Machine Co.)  
- Boston, Newark, New York, Memphis, Birmingham (cities referenced in distributor contacts and suspect descriptions)  
- Far Rockaway, Brooklyn, Westbury, Ulster, Corona (locations of cleaners associated with the tape coding system)  
- Kansas City, MO (Sheriff’s Office, related to Walter T. Rife)  
- Mexico (references to "Hermosillo, Son" in telegrams)  

Key Events  
- Search of premises believed occupied by the unsub who assassinated MLK  
- Recovery of clothing bearing a unique laundry mark on thermo-seal tape  
- FBI efforts to trace the origin of the tape and identify the machine producing it  
- Contact with sales representatives and distributors of Textile Marking Machine Co.  
- Request for color photos of the tape and artist’s conception to aid identification  
- Documentation of physical descriptions of suspects from Memphis and Birmingham  
- Search, indexing, serialization, and filing of photographs and telegrams related to the MLK assassination investigation  
- Destruction of a 1960 photograph of JER on June 10, 1968  
- Spanish-language telegram referencing JER as "presumed responsible" for MLK’s assassination  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Textile Marking Machine Co., Inc. (manufacturer of thermo-seal tape)  
- Missouri Department of Corrections (mentions of JER’s incarceration)  
- Western Union (telegrams related to the investigation)

MLK Declassified Files

44-ny-1609_sec_001_ser_1-134-part_1_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search