</s>FD-36 (Rev. 5-22-64) F.B.I Date: Transmit the following in (Type in plaintext or code) Via (Priority) PAGE THREE SI 44-561 DID NOT RESEMBLE: RAYS HOWEVER HIS VIEW WAS OBSTRUCTED BECAUSE OF DARKNESS. REVEREND STEWART MENTIONED THAT LAWRENCE REH, A LOCALNEWS PAPER REPORTER IS A MEMBER OF HIS CHURCH AND ALSO A SUPERVISOR AT: TEEN ON TER HOWEBER-REH WAS NOT PRESENT ON MAY TWENTYTEIGHT SIXTEIGHT BUT OBTAINED THE INFORMATION AND WROTE STORY THIS DATE WHICH WAS ALSO RELEASED TO A.P. BECAUSED HE THOUGHT IT NEWS WORTHY ITEM. REVERED STEWANT AND GADDIS WERE THOROUGHLY INTERVIEWED AND NUMEROUS DISCREPANCIES NOTED. ABOVE FOR INFORMATION BUREAU IN VIEW OF CURRENT AP ITEM THIS MATTER. END Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent M Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail multiple FBI investigations into James Earl Ray (JER) in 1968, focusing on sightings, witness accounts, and administrative records related to his alleged connection to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. On May 28, 1968, an individual was observed at a teen center in Decatur, Illinois, by staff including Reverend Gordon Stewart and Norman Gaddis. Witnesses described the man as possibly intoxicated with unclear features, noting discrepancies between his appearance and JER’s photographs. The FBI concluded no further action was warranted due to conflicting accounts. In April 1968, the FBI conducted interviews in Illinois cities such as Mascoutah, Belleville, Quincy, and Bloomington, verifying identities, checking phone records, and assessing potential links to JER or Eric Staro Galt. Fingerprint checks for JER were performed at local police departments, and long-distance calls linked to his movements were tracked. On May 31, 1968, SAC Raymond F. Berneking reported that Rev. Stewart observed an individual resembling JER at a Presbyterian Church street dance in Decatur. Media inquiries and sightings of a man matching JER’s description were noted but found inconsistent. Additional records from June 3–4, 1968, included unrelated cases involving William Maher (JER’s uncle), Iris Stuart’s sighting of two men in Alton, Illinois, and Paul Bridgeman’s criminal history, including his wife’s murder in 1962.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Suspect linked to MLK Jr.’s assassination; investigated through witness accounts, phone records, and fingerprint checks.  
- **Reverend Gordon Stewart**: Presbyterian minister who reported observing an individual resembling JER at a Decatur street dance.  
- **Norman Gaddis**: Teen center supervisor who described the man as possibly intoxicated with unclear features.  
- **SAC Raymond F. Berneking**: FBI special agent in charge of the Decatur field office, coordinating investigations into JER.  
- **Eric Staro Galt**: Name associated with JER in some documents, though not directly confirmed.  
- **William Maher**: Uncle of James Earl Ray; contacted regarding family ties.  
- **Iris Stuart**: Witness in Alton, Illinois, who reported seeing two men after a robbery.  
- **Paul Bridgeman**: Individual whose criminal history and family details were investigated by the FBI.  

Key Locations  
- **Decatur, Illinois**: Site of the teen center and Presbyterian Church street dance where JER was allegedly observed.  
- **Mascoutah, Belleville, Quincy, Bloomington, and St. Louis, Illinois**: Cities where interviews with bank clerks, officials, and witnesses occurred.  
- **Alton, Illinois**: Location of a robbery incident involving two men reportedly seen by Iris Stuart.  
- **Scott Air Force Base, Illinois**: Mentioned for phone number checks related to long-distance calls.  
- **Beaumont, Texas**: Linked to a long-distance call to Normal, Illinois, on December 16, 1967.  

Key Events  
- **May 28, 1968**: An individual was observed at a teen center in Decatur; witnesses noted discrepancies between his appearance and JER’s photographs.  
- **April 1968**: FBI interviews with bank clerks, bookkeepers, and local officials in Illinois to verify identities and check for ties to JER or Eric Staro Galt.  
- **May 31, 1968**: Rev. Stewart reported an individual resembling JER at a Decatur street dance; FBI investigated media inquiries and sightings.  
- **June 3–4, 1968**: Records note attempts to verify leads about JER’s presence in Decatur, including contact with local newspapers and law enforcement. Additional records detail unrelated investigations into William Maher, Iris Stuart’s sighting, and Paul Bridgeman’s criminal history.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Conducted interviews, fingerprint comparisons, phone record checks, and administrative tracking of case costs.  
- **Decatur Police Department**: Involved in local inquiries regarding JER sightings.  
- **Alton Police Department**: Provided information on criminal activity linked to Iris Stuart’s sighting.  
- **Bloomington Police Department**: Assisted in investigating Paul Bridgeman’s past.  
- **Illinois State Police Departments** (e.g., Quincy, Belleville): Referenced in interviews and administrative records.  
- **Local banks and savings associations** in Illinois (e.g., First National Bank of Mascoutah, Equity Savings Association): Involved in identity verification and financial record checks.

MLK Declassified Files

44-si-561_sec_015_ser_577-649-part_3_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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