</s>Re: James Milton Curtis Oshel With Oshel's consent, officers of the Fremont Police Department searched Room 312 of the Magil Hotel where Oshel was registered April 22, 1968. This search disclosed only personal effects, including apparatus for printing the only personal objects, including spare parts for printing them Manual Alphabet cards from sale of which Osheil apparently yellow paper bearing the Southwritten name "Wilkeson In Oshell's billifford found a small pieces of Printing Company. 215 Southcooper, Memphis, which Osheil subsequently advised. Please place of employment of a brother. Subsequently advised. "I love Martin Luther King." osheil stated, in effect, relavazcy to the progress of the interview. Oshell'S description was furnished as follows: Sex Male Race Caucasian Birth Birth Burnt, Texas Weight 1.35 Weight Bryson Brown Bryon Selective Service # Local Board number # 10, Ardmore, Oklahoma, Oklahoma. Address 10, Street Northeast, Ardmora Oklahoma. This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail FBI and local law enforcement investigations in 1968 related to threats against Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) and James Earl Ray, a suspect in MLK’s assassination. On April 22, 1968, agents searched Room 312 of the Magil Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, where James Milton Curtis Oshel was registered. The search uncovered personal items, including printing equipment and a yellow paper with "Wilkeson" from Southcooper, Memphis. Oshel stated he admired MLK during an interview. His physical description included male, Caucasian, born in Burnt, Texas, weight 135 lbs.  

The FBI coordinated with agencies to investigate threats against MLK, including prior incidents and potential conspirators. Thermo-Seal laundry tape codes like "20R-3" were analyzed, linking them to laundries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Memphis. Eric Starvo Galt was identified as a suspect connected to a stolen white Mustang found in Atlanta, Georgia, and a 30.06 caliber rifle linked to the assassination. The FBI sought to trace the weapon and identify individuals associated with MLK’s murder.  

A shoe-shine boy named DOI BIRKE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, reported seeing a man resembling James Earl Ray at Sheheen's Tavern. BIRKE was described as mentally retarded and alcoholic, with no credible account of his sighting. The FBI also investigated Galt’s movements, noting he had ties to New Orleans, Memphis, and Alabama, and was charged in Tennessee for murder and conspiracy.  

The FBI requested assistance from local law enforcement and media to track James Earl Ray (JER), a fugitive linked to MLK’s assassination. Memos reference fingerprint comparisons with latent prints obtained since his escape from Missouri State Penitentiary in 1967, searches for Nebraska license plate numbers (e.g., 436-092), and interviews with individuals like Robert Dale Porter and John Stout, who had prior contact with Ray. The Bureau also sought information on Ray’s movements, employment history, and potential connections to the King assassination, including inquiries into his alleged girlfriend, Jerrie Durval, at Milwaukee hospitals.  

Reports from Omaha, Memphis, Oklahoma City, and other locations describe efforts to locate suspects, cross-reference records with laundries using Thermo-Seal marking machines, and assess potential connections to MLK’s assassination. The FBI coordinated with local law enforcement agencies, including the Rockford Police Department and Kansas City Credit Bureau, to gather information on individuals like Troy Herman Earls and Robert Dale Porter.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Fugitive linked to MLK’s assassination; subject of FBI investigations.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect connected to stolen car and rifle used in assassination.  
- **DOI BIRKE**: Shoe-shine boy who reported seeing a man resembling Ray.  
- **Robert Dale Porter**: Interviewed by agents; claimed no knowledge of Ray’s whereabouts.  
- **John Stout**: Ex-guard at Missouri State Penitentiary; allegedly provided amphetamines to Ray.  
- **Neal Abby**: Close friend of Ray, reportedly incarcerated with him in Missouri.  
- **Adeline Bauer**: Nebraska DMV official who confirmed Ray’s license number was invalid.  
- **Jerrie Durval**: Alleged girlfriend of Ray, checked at Milwaukee hospitals.  

Key Locations:  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Magil Hotel, Southcooper, Shelby County.  
- **Cedar Rapids, Iowa**: Laundries (e.g., Albert's Sanitone Dry Cleaning Company), Sheheen's Tavern.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Stolen Mustang found.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Rifle linked to assassination.  
- **Nebraska**: Omaha FBI office, license plate searches.  
- **Kansas City, Missouri**: Mentioned as location for Ray’s potential movements and prior arrests.  
- **Des Moines, Iowa**: Employment records and interviews with individuals connected to Ray.  
- **Milwaukee, Wisconsin**: Hospital where alleged girlfriend Jerrie Durval was checked.  
- **Rockford, Illinois**: Troy Herman Earls’ employment and residence records.  

Key Events:  
- **April 22–26, 1968**: FBI agents tracked JER’s movements via air travel records and reported sightings at Omaha Airport.  
- **April 22, 1968**: FBI search of Magil Hotel room in Memphis.  
- **April 26, 1968**: Investigation into Thermo-Seal marking machines to identify laundries linked to MLK’s assassination.  
- **April 29–30, 1968**: FBI coordinated fingerprint comparisons between JER and latent prints from the assassination case.  
- **May 3, 1968**: FBI Laboratory analyzed handwriting samples (Q302/Q303) and concluded they did not match JER’s writing.  
- **April–May 1968**: Efforts to verify JER’s employment history with railroads and other agencies to establish his whereabouts.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central agency conducting investigations, coordinating with local law enforcement, and analyzing forensic evidence.  
- **Memphis Police Department**: Involved in hotel search and case coordination.  
- **Cedar Rapids, Iowa, laundries** (e.g., Albert's Sanitone Dry Cleaning Company): Linked to Thermo-Seal tape codes.  
- **Secret Service**: Mentioned as target of threats in documents.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies** (e.g., Omaha, Kansas City, Des Moines): Assisted in tracking JER and verifying information.  
- **Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles**: Confirmed invalidity of Ray’s license number.  
- **Rockford Police Department**: Provided records on Troy Herman Earls’ criminal history and residence.  
- **Kansas City Credit Bureau**: Shared credit information on Troy Herman Earls.  
- **Omaha Field Office**: Involved in tracking JER’s movements and coordinating with other FBI divisions.

MLK Declassified Files

44-om-310_763633_15-04-part_4_of_7.pdf

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