</s>Laboratory Transmittal Form 42/2 LABORATORY FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20535 To: FBI, Memphis (44-1987) Date: January 21, 1970 Re: MURKIN John Edgar Hoover, Director FBI File No. 44-38861 Lab. No. D-700109058 LF Examination requested by: Memphis Letter 1-5-70 Reference: Examination required: Document Remarks: Enclosures (8) (Q413 - Q417, ALSO SUBMITTED, 2 Lab report) 1- Philadelphia Enclosiyre (Lab report) 44/368-512 SEARCHED (2.5-MANDEDED SEARCHING (2-MADDEDED) SENALIZED (4-FILLED) A.P.A. 1970 FBI-PHILADELPHIA 2/2/C ADMINISTRATIVE PAGE 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into anonymous communications received by U.S. District Court Judge Robert M. McRae Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee, following his 1969 ruling on a case involving James Earl Ray and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These materials include handwritten letters, envelopes, and a Christmas card addressed to Judge McRae, analyzed for potential threats or subversive connections. The FBI compared handwriting samples from these items with Victoria Craig’s known correspondence to identify possible sources. Motel registration records from Corinth, Mississippi (March 29–April 3, 1968), were reviewed as part of broader efforts to track individuals linked to anti-government activities or MLK-related investigations. Additional records reference FBI inquiries into Reverend James Bevel’s movements and associations with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), including his alleged involvement in an assassination plot against MLK. A separate section includes administrative forms from Pennsylvania’s Department of Revenue/Bureau of Motor Vehicles, detailing vehicle registration inquiries unrelated to MLK but referencing locations such as Corinth, Mississippi, and Philadelphia. FBI communications dated May 13–15, 1969, sought information on Bevel’s whereabouts for potential interviews regarding his statements about the assassination. A document also references William Bradford Huile’s article alleging James Earl Ray’s movements near Corinth, Mississippi, on April 4, 1968, with requests to review motel records for individuals registered during that period.  

Key People  
- **Robert M. McRae Jr.**: U.S. District Court Judge in Memphis, Tennessee, who received anonymous communications related to the MLK assassination case.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Accused of assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., referenced in judicial rulings and investigative records.  
- **Victoria Craig**: Suspected letter writer with ties to subversive groups; her handwriting was compared to anonymous communications.  
- **Reverend James Bevel**: Civil rights activist and SCLC leader monitored by the FBI for potential connections to MLK-related activities.  
- **Rev. Ralph Abernathy**: Director of SCLC, mentioned in context of James Bevel’s movements.  
- **George A. Myers**: Name appears in motel registration records; investigated for potential ties to the case.  
- **Walter Shipleys**: Mentioned as individuals who stayed at motels during relevant periods; no direct link to MLK’s assassination found.  
- **Stanley Levison**: SCLC New York operations supervisor referenced in tracking Bevel and fund-raising activities.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Judge McRae’s court and primary focus of anonymous communications.  
- **Corinth, Mississippi**: Motel registration records reviewed for individuals linked to subversive activities or MLK-related investigations (March 29–April 3, 1968).  
- **Philadelphia, Pennsylvania**: FBI office involved in case closure discussions and tracking James Bevel.  
- **Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, Canada**: References to individuals staying at motels in these regions during the relevant period.  

Key Events  
- **Judge McRae’s 1969 ruling**: Addressed contracts between James Earl Ray and his former attorneys, impacting MLK assassination case proceedings.  
- **Handwriting analysis**: FBI requested comparison of anonymous letters to Victoria Craig’s handwriting to identify potential sources.  
- **Motel records review**: Examination of March–April 1968 registrations at Corinth, Mississippi, motels for individuals linked to subversive activities or MLK-related investigations.  
- **FBI inquiries into James Bevel**: Requests for information on his location and hospitalization status (May 13–15, 1969) to interview him regarding his statements about the assassination.  
- **Investigation into James Earl Ray’s movements**: Review of motel records near Corinth, Mississippi, on April 4, 1968, based on William Bradford Huile’s article alleging Ray’s presence there.  
- **Case closure recommendations**: FBI Philadelphia office cited lack of further investigative warrants to close the case.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into anonymous communications, motel records, and James Bevel’s movements; issued case closure recommendations.  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)**: Linked to James Bevel, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, and Stanley Levison; referenced in context of MLK’s assassination and related activities.  
- **Pennsylvania Department of Revenue/Bureau of Motor Vehicles**: Processed vehicle registration inquiries unrelated to MLK but referencing locations such as Corinth, Mississippi, and Philadelphia.  
- **Local Police Departments**: Involved in reviewing motel registrations and conducting criminal checks on individuals.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ph-1368_sec_009_ser_549-part_3_of_3.pdf

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