</s>OPTIONAL FORM NO. M GRA PRINCE (C.P.O.) (1914-16) UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum TO : SAC, SEATTLE (44-371) (P) DATE: 4/19/68 FROM : SA THOMAS J. MANNING SUBJECT: MURKIN CIVIL RIGHTS 00: Memphis RE: ERIC STARVO GALT Investigation in the Longview Resident Agency territory re dancing schools reflected the existence of one dancing school at Chehalis, Washington on a one day a week basis. This is the Olympic Academy of Theatre Arts and all records for this school are maintained at its Olympic, Washington office. The Tugau School of Dancing, Colonial Building, Longview, Washington does not conduct adult classes in ballroom dancing, Their clienteleists of young people in ballet and tap dancing. No other dancing schools operate in the longview RA area. 14-371-144 SEARCHED -INDEXED. SERIALIZED - FIELD. TJM/ APR 2 1966 (1) FBI-SEATTLE Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail FBI investigations into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on James Earl Ray as the primary suspect. On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, with a bullet fired from a bathroom window of a rooming house at 422 South Main Street. The FBI linked Ray to a white 1966 Mustang found abandoned in Atlanta on April 11, 1968, and identified him as the individual whose fingerprints matched those recovered at the assassination scene. Ray was charged with conspiracy under Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 241 on April 17, 1968. The FBI also investigated Eric Starvo Galt, a fugitive associated with the Rebel Hotel in Memphis and the Mustang, as well as individuals like John Willard (who fled the scene carrying a package) and Harvey Lawyer (connected to the rooming house). Additional records mention Walter Terry Rife, whose fingerprints were compared to those found at the assassination site, and Maurice Joseph GALT, a Canadian with an arrest history for theft and fraud. The FBI coordinated efforts across Seattle, Kansas City, and Missouri to track Ray’s movements, noting his criminal past including armed robbery, burglary, and forgery convictions. Administrative tasks such as inquiries into Washington state dancing schools and U.S. Savings Bonds requests are also referenced in the documents.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of Dr. King; convicted of armed robbery, escaped from Missouri State Penitentiary in April 1967, identified via fingerprint matches at the assassination scene.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Alias for James Earl Ray; fugitive linked to the white Mustang and Rebel Hotel in Memphis.  
- **Walter Terry Rife**: Individual whose fingerprints were compared to those found at the King assassination site; accused of a 1955 burglary with Ray.  
- **John Willard**: Fled the scene carrying a package after the assassination; investigated as a potential suspect.  
- **Harvey Lawyer**: Occupant of the rooming house at 422 South Main Street in Memphis, connected to the investigation.  
- **Maurice Joseph GALT**: Mentioned in Canadian records with an arrest history for theft and fraud; no direct link established to MLK’s case.  

Key Locations  
- **Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Dr. King’s assassination on April 4, 1968.  
- **422 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee**: Rooming house from which the fatal shot was fired.  
- **Rebel Hotel, Memphis, Tennessee**: Linked to Eric Starvo Galt.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Location of the abandoned white Mustang found on April 11, 1968.  
- **Seattle, Washington**: Central to FBI investigations involving Robert Richardson and fingerprint comparisons.  
- **Vancouver, British Columbia**: Mentioned as the birthplace of Maurice Joseph GALT.  
- **Jefferson City, Missouri**: Site of James Earl Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary in April 1967.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel; bullet fired from a bathroom window of a rooming house.  
- **April 11, 1968**: Recovery of a white Mustang in Atlanta linked to Eric Starvo Galt.  
- **April 17, 1968**: Federal warrant issued for James Earl Ray on conspiracy charges under Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 241.  
- **April 19–21, 1968**: FBI coordinated efforts between Seattle and Kansas City to track Ray’s movements and verify his connection to the assassination.  
- **March 1955**: Walter Terry Rife and James Earl Ray burglarized a U.S. Post Office in Kellerville, Illinois, stealing postal money orders.  
- **April 1967**: James Earl Ray escaped from Missouri State Penitentiary, leading to his designation as a federal fugitive.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Led the investigation into James Earl Ray’s activities, including fingerprint comparisons, press releases, and coordination with local agencies.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Institution where James Earl Ray was incarcerated prior to his 1967 escape.  
- **Seattle Police Department**: Assisted in tracking suspects and monitoring bus stations.  
- **Kansas City, Missouri Police Department**: Involved in Ray’s prison records and post-escape investigations.  
- **Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)**: Checked records for Maurice Joseph GALT’s presence in the U.S.

MLK Declassified Files

44-se-371_767164_02-01-part_2_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search