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House Select Committee
on Assassinations
Investigation of the
Assassination of
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Volume
1, pp. 87-112
Testimony
of James Earl Ray,
Accompanied by
Mark Lane
, Counsel of Record
Mr. RAY.
Mr. Chairman --
Mr. PREYER. If so, you will be recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. RAY. Subsequent to making the original statement,
there has been two, three other things brought to my attention. I don't
think it would take any more than 3 or 4 minutes from the hour, if that
would be all right. That would be OK with the Chair?
Mr. PREYER. Mr. Ray is recognized.
Mr. RAY. The first matter is the statement by James E.
Ray dated August 16, 1978. I wish to make a very brief opening statement
which I will read before getting to the written statement which you have.
It deals with the information of the greatest importance, and information
which we just received yesterday.
My lawyer,
Mark Lane
, has just examined three FBI documents which provide further evidence of
possible FBI and Memphis Police complicity in the conspiracy to murder Dr.
King.
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An FBI document dated April 13, 1968 to J. Edgar Hoover, then the director
of the FBI from the Memphis special agent in charge of the FBI numbered
44-38861 and marked urgent, was titled: "Murkin, Civil Rights, 00:
Memphis," and began, "The following is a summary of
investigation conducted in the Memphis Division, April 12. Instant,
Lorraine Motel."
Page 4 of the document reads as follows: "Interview of Marrell
McCollough, male negro resident -- several words removed -- employed as
warehouseman and who had been doing volunteer work with the SCLC and
related sanitation strike support groups in Memphis advised and
interviewed night of April 11 last that he was standing in parking lot of
Lorraine Motel on the evening of April 14 last. He saw Dr. Martin Luther
King standing on balcony of the second floor of motel looking in a
westerly direction. McCollough heard an explosive sound or gunshot and saw
King falling backward. Immediately McCollough looked westward toward the
building in the 1400 block
West Main
. Saw no one with a gun in any of the buildings. Saw no one on the street
or ground area near motel with a gun and saw no one running from the area.
"McCollough ran up steps to balcony and was first to reach King. King
was flat on his back, with head pointed in a southeasterly direction, and
feet pointed in a northeasterly direction. He was obviously dead, and feet
pointed in a northeasterly direction. He was obviously dead. McCollough
applied pressure to the right cheek."
Page 5 continues, "bone and neck area of King. He was later relieved
in this effort by Rev. Ralph Abernathy. Based on position of body
directions of wound, McCollough feels that the shot that hit King had to
come from northwesterly elevated direction from vicinity of rear or at
near 422 1/2 South Main, and not from the ground floor. McCollough has
military police experience, manner and appearance excellent. Credibility
as witness should be basically sound as to fixing direction of gun."
McCollough insisted that the shot came from the bathroom window of the
roominghouse. While your expert witness, Dr. Baden, testified yesterday
that all the available evidence could not fix the origin of the shot, the
FBI more than 10 years ago established McCollough as an expert who could.
According to an FBI document sent to
Hoover
by SAC in
Memphis
, 157-8460, 157-1067, P, on August 26, 1969, regarding the Bureau's Airtel
of August 20, 1969, page 3, McCollough was an "Invaders Board of
Directors member." That memo then states that McCollough "was
actually a patrolman with the Memphis Police Department working undercover
from February 1968 until March 31, 1969. He is now assigned to the
intelligence unit of the Memphis Police Department."
Page 3. Therefore, FBI documents prove that the first person to reach Dr.
King after he was shot, the person to establish the point of origin of the
shot and the most militant of the Invaders was a Memphis undercover police
officer. McCollough's picture appeared in newspapers and magazines
throughout the world in that famous picture which shows Ambassador Young,
Reverend Jackson and others standing on the balcony with McCollough over
the fallen body of Dr. King. It is a most symbolic picture. [1]
[1] Photograph referred to above may be found in hearing of Nov. 20, 1978.
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Still another FBI document to Hoover from Memphis SAC number 157-109, P,
dated April 10, 1968, states that McCollough, spelled in this document
"Merril McCloughan," was in fact a "special agent" of
the FBI, and a man who, as a special agent, participated in the March 28,
1968 march led by Dr. King and Reverend Lawson. McCollough was one of the
Invaders who, as Reverend Abernathy testified on Monday, turned the
nonviolent march into a riot. Dr. Abernathy was correct in stating that
they were posing as Invaders, but even he did not know that the most
active of the right-wing radical activists, the man who reached Dr. King
before he did, was a police spy. [1]
On this other matter, there is an article in the Washington Post dated
August 10, 1978, saying a certain number -- well, the article quotes a
Congressman, Mendel Davis, saying a certain member of the committee is
intending to nail me to the cross.
What I am concerned about this, in one aspect of it, is I anticipate there
will be many FBI informers up here testifying. Most of them are paid
informers. And some of them even have, you might say, a license to kill. I
am referring to Raymond Curtis and Gary Thomas Rowe. So if it is possible
that at some time in the future if there are numerous people who testify
against me that are ex-convict informers, or some other type of similar
type, I would like to make some type of a sworn affidavit denying the
accusations.
Mr. PREYER. Mr. Ray, after you make your statement, under
the House rules you will be permitted to make a further statement at which
time you may bring out any such collateral matters or offer any sworn
documents.
Mr. RAY. All right, thank you.
I believe the committee has a copy of this statement. I have made no
changes in the statement, although I did type it fairly fast and it was
necessary for me to ad some punctuation marks. And in addition I think
there will be two or three instances where I will have to -- it would be
necessary for me to digress to explain a point.
Mr. PREYER. That will be perfectly acceptable.
Mr. RAY. Thank you.
The statement I am about to give to this committee is essentially the same
testimony I would have given the trial court in Memphis, Tenn. in 1969 if
that court would have had the fortitude to have ordered a public trial
into the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, rather than making an
in-chambers deal with the attorney who was allegedly representing me,
Percy Foreman, and capitulating to the wishes of the dominant commercial
publishing companies and the companies special relationships with the
intelligence communities.
In essence, I would have told the trial court and jury that I did not
shoot Martin Luther King, Jr., just as I am now telling this committee.
And if I would have had a lawyer to represent me I could have offered
conclusive proof in support of this denial.
I know several large publishing houses working with the FBI have offered
up varied motivational allegations which are referred to below in support
of the Government case against me. But it was not I who posted Martin
Luther King notes suggesting he kill himself. Rather,
[1] Mr. Ray is apparently referring to Mr. Merril McCollough, an
undercover officer with the Memphis Police Department. Mr. McCollough
testified before the committee on Nov. 20, 1978.
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it was the FBI. Nor was it the witness who celebrated upon hearing of his
death. That too was the FBI. And it was also not I who in the 1930's
infected Blacks with syphilis germs for experimental purposes, then
declined to treat them. That was the actions of a governmental body with
the acquiescence of the dominant press.
In respect to the guilty plea I made in the King case, it is not a
difficult matter for an attorney to maneuver his client into a guilty plea
to a criminal indictment, especially when the attorney has the active
co-operation of the judge and prosecutor. And I am sure every member of
this committee with legal experience knows this.
If I could digress just a minute here, Mr. Chairman. For references on
this last statement I would suggest "The Crime and Legal
Process" by William J. Shamus, copyright 1969 by McGraw Hill, Inc.
See part two, section 12, Donald J. Newman, "Pleading Guilty for
Consideration in the Study of Bargain-basement Justice." Section 13,
Abraham S. Bloomberg, The Practice of Law as a Confidence Game,
Organizational Cooperation of the Profession, Section 14, David Sudlow,
Normal Crimes, Sociological Features of the Penal Code and the Public
Defender's Office. I think this, along with Justice Berger's statement
that 30 percent of the attorneys are incompetent might suggest that all
guilty pleas are not made in heaven.
Continuing with the statement: But the public doesn't. They think of
guilty pleas as they used to think of the FBI, that the pleas are made in
heaven. Further, every judge who has laid hands on this case knows that
the plea was procured by fraud, and therefore know a trial should have
been ordered. But the courts have been more influenced by, say, editorials
embedded in Time Magazine articles about the case than they have in the
law books.
But maybe I should be in jail, although not for shooting anyone. Rather,
for being foolish enough to return to a legal snake-pit, even if the offer
was
Fort
Knox
and Charlies' Angels to spend it on once I had reached
Canada
in 1967.
I believe whatever this committee's ultimate findings are in this matter,
it will have performed a valuable service, if unintentionally in unmasking
the U.S. judicial system's operations, in league with the dominant
publishing companies, and railroading innocent defendants in controversial
criminal cases into prison and contributing to the savaging of the
defendants through solitary confinement, et cetera, after the defendants
are imprisoned. All of this merely because the defendants insisted on the
provisions guaranteed to them under the Federal Constitution and lacked
the political influence to claim it. That is, for class or other reasons,
they were out of favor with the dominant press. In this respect, the
syndicated columnist Carl Rowen has written, in effect, that "If any
group in the
United States
does not have influence with the dominant press they can expect to be
ground under."
Finally, it would appear that the final act performed by the intelligence
agencies/publishing empires when a public figure is murdered and the
alleged murderer is decided upon, is for the construction of a
psychological profile for the edification of the judiciary. In the instant
case the psychological profile as promoted by the FBI, Time Magazine,
Time's legman, George McMillan, and United Press International,
characterizes the witness as thus:
One, a narcotic addict, Time Magazine, January 26, 1976 issue. A narcotic
peddler, Time Magazine, January 26, 1976 issue. A sex devi-
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ate, type unexplained, Time Magazine, January 26, 1976 issue. Mainlined
drugs, FBI, United Press International Wireservice release, January 25,
1978. Sent obscene letters to post office, 1967-68 period, FBI, United
Press International Wireservice release, January 25, 1978. Involved in
drug traffic, FBI, United Press International Wireservice release, January
25, 1978. And lastly, cheated fellow prisoners in crooked card games.
In regard to the above-mentioned psychological profile I will accept the
profile as the type of person who would shoot Martin Luther King, Jr.
Further, as I did in a letter to Attorney General Griffin Bell, exhibit B,
if any one of the aforementioned accusations can be substantiated by the
record, prison records, military records, employment records, or any
responsible official conversant with said records, then I will appear
before this committee and take full responsibility for the King murder.
When I refer to records that does not include FBI-purchased information
from their informers.
While the Government and Government press was erecting and disseminating
the aforementioned psychological profile, the FBI was also harassing
various members of my family in order to maneuver them into a position
whereby they would have to perjure themselves against me in some manner
related to the King case in order to escape imprisonment themselves. For
instance, the FBI evidently burglarized my sister Carol Pepper's home in
1968 looking for incriminating evidence. See Jack Anderson column,
November 8, 1977.
Two. The FBI had my brother, John L. Ray, prosecuted and convicted for
aiding and abetting a bank robbery, and the trial judge, now FBI Director,
William H. Webster, sentenced him to 18 years, while the actual robber
later had his charge transferred to the eastern district of California,
where Federal Judge M.D. Crocker sentenced the robber to 18 months.
Three. And the wire-services reported on August 8, 1978 that the FBI had
paid an informer, Oliver Patterson, to steal letters, wiretap
conversations, et cetera, from another brother, Jerry W. Ray.
If I can digress just here a second, I think, sir, the FBI -- I believe
that was this committee -- yes, continuing the statement--
On April 23, 1967, I escaped from the Missouri State Penitentiary in a
bread box in the manner as follows: Several days prior to the escape I
fashioned a board approximately 3 by 4 feed, which would fit inside a box
used to transport break outside the prison. In addition, I made several
holes in the lower sides of the box with a hammer -- airholes. Thereafter,
on April 23, 1967, I entered the prison kitchen early -- I worked
afternoons -- at approximately 8 a.m. Later I entered the bread box where
bread from the bakery is loaded into the box to be trucked to a prison
farm. Some time after entering the bread box I got into the bread box and
covered myself with a 3- by 4-foot board. Thereafter, a prisoner filled
the box with bread, and then transferred the box downstairs by elevator
onto a platform used to load trucks transporting items outside the prison
compound.
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Shortly thereafter, the box, with me enclosed, was placed on a waiting
truck. The truck then proceeded through a prison security gate, where a
guard searched the box by raising the lid and viewing inside. After
passing through the prison gate, I got out of the box. After the truck
crossed the
Missouri River
Bridge
, nearby the prison farm, it stopped before turning into the road leading
to the farm. When the truck stopped, I disembarked.
I then crossed the highway, turned right, and followed the dirt road until
I came upon several junked automobiles. I stayed in one of the vehicles up
until dark, then left the vehicle, crossed under the bridge that I had
previously crossed in the bread truck. I then made my way to a nearby
railroad track.
I had departed the prison with several candy bars, and in addition had
taken some bread from the bread truck. I also had taken from the prison,
on my person, approximately $250, and a radio, along with a social
security card number under the name of John L. Rayns, and two phone
numbers.
After a period of walking the railroad tracks, I crossed via a switch onto
another set of tracks. After walking two or three nights on the tracks,
and sleeping days, and having run out of food, I came upon a trailer.
Apparently the trailer was intended as a fishing cabin, as I believe it
was located near a river. I entered the trailer and found a bottle
containing wine, and several items of food.
Upon leaving the trailer, I had the wine and food with me. It is my
recollection that during this approximate period I again crossed a switch
onto another track. However, during all the walking I was moving in the
general direction of
Kansas City
,
Mo.
On the 4th or 5th day out I was also traveling by day. On one of these
days it commenced raining, and I moved underneath a trestle and started a
fire. Shortly thereafter a handcar stopped over the trestle. The two
operators of the car disembarked and inquired of me about the smoke. I
explained that I had been caught in the rain and had started the fire to
dry out. They said all right, and left.
During this period my shoes had fell off, and consequently I had to make a
forcible entry into a store to obtain another pair.
On the 6th day I observed a small town. That evening I entered the town,
purchased food and drink, and then returned to the railroad tracks. Later
that evening I caught a freight train traveling in the directon of
St. Louis
,
Mo.
I arrived in
St. Louis
while it was still dark. After a period of waiting in the railroad yards,
and when it commenced to lighten, I made my way to
South St. Louis
to the residence of an individual who called himself the "Catman."
His apparent given name was Jack Gawron. I intended for Mr. Gawron to
arrange for my transportation to
Edwardsville
,
Ill.
, however, Gawron was not home. Therefore, I caught a taxi to
East St. Louis
.
Thereafter, I caught another taxi to
Edwardsville
,
Ill.
, then to the bus station, wherein I boarded the bus bound for
Chicago
,
Ill.
Although I am not certain, I believe I paid the bus driver the fare rather
than purchasing the ticket in the station.
Upon arriving in
Chicago
, on April 30, 1967, I made my way to 2731
North Sheffield
and rented a room. On May 3, 1967 I applied for a job as a dishwasher at
the Indian Trail Restaurant in
Winnetka
,
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Ill.
, a
Chicago
suburb. I learned of the job from an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune
newspaper.
I received the job, and shortly thereafter I purchased a 1960 Chrysler for
$100. I purchased the Chrysler in order to accumulate identification and
commute to and from work. I also took a drivers test and passed. However,
although I received a temporary driving permit, I never received the
permanent license. I used the name John L. Rayne during this period.
While I was employed by the aforementioned restaurant, I wrote the
Canadian consul in
Chicago
inquiring about Canadian immigration procedures. In reply the consul
mailed me several brochures.
On or about June 27, 1967, I terminated employment at the Indian Trail
Restaurant. Thereafter I drove to
Quincy
,
Ill.
, to wait for the last check to clear from said restaurant employment. It
was also my intention to visit while in Quincy an aunt, Mrs. Frank Fuller,
and to see one or two acquaintances.
I stayed in
Quincy
approximately 12 days, although I did not see my aunt.
During the period in
Quincy
I stayed alternatively in two hotels, one being located on the corner of
Second and Oak Streets, and the other on the corner of Third and Oak
Streets. The only individual that I saw and was familiar with in
Quincy
was Ted Crowley, a proprietor of a local club. I may have told Mr. Crowley
something to the effect that I had recently been released on parole from
prison.
After staying in
Quincy
,
Ill.
, for the above-mentioned period, I returned to
Winnetka
,
Ill.
, to pick up the check I had coming from the Indian Trail Restaurant. It
is also my recollection that I checked into a hotel located at
1648 West Lunt Street
for a couple of days.
If I may digress just a minute here, Mr. Chairman, I think I also stayed
at this
Lunt Street
-- in fact, I know I did, while I was working at the restaurant, because
it was 4 or 5 miles closer to employment.
Continuing with the statement: After picking up the check, I decided to
drive to
East St. Louis
,
Ill.
, and possibly see family members before moving to
Canada
. On the road to
East St. Louis
I developed car trouble. I recall sleeping in the Chrysler one night, and
a highway patrolman waking me and asking me if I had any problems.
In
East St. Louis
I stayed one night in a rundown hotel near downtown. The next day I sold
the Chrysler to a service station operator for approximately $50. I then
purchased in
East St. Louis
on July 15, 1967, a red
Plymouth
for $200. I had a problem making the purchase, although I don't recall
what the problem was.
I phoned Jack "The Catman" Gawron during this period, met him in
East St. Louis, and had him purchase me a pistol from a fence he knew, and
that he cod pay for pension day. I told Gawron to tell my family members
that I was leaving the country and would try to contact them later, and
for him not to mention to the police that he had seen me, unless he wanted
to go to jail.
Later that day I drove to
Indianapolis
,
Ind.
, staying in a hotel that night. The next day I crossed into
Canada
via the Windsor Tunnel in
Detroit
,
Mich.
I slept along the road the night of July 16, 1967, and the next day I
entered the environs of
Montreal
,
Canada
, staying in a motel part of the day.
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The next day I entered Montreal proper and one of the first things I did
was inquire of a travel agency via telephone, the procedure for a Canadian
to acquire a Canadian passport. I was informed that I must have a
guarantor who would testify that he/she had known me for 2 years. That
evening in
Montreal
, on
St. Catherine Street East
, in a nightclub, I was accosted by a prostitute. Subsequently I agreed to
go to her place via taxicab.
After we got located in her apartment I gave her the requested $25 fee,
and she carried the money to an office. When I left I wrote down the
address of the building. The next day I rented an apartment in the Har-K
Apartments, located at 2589 Notre Dame East. Then later, I parked my
automobile close to the building where I had the night before been with
the prostitute. That evening I returned to the aforementioned nightclub
and, meeting the same girl, again accompanied her via taxi to her
apartment. Inside her apartment I gave her another $25, but this time
showed her I would go with her to wherever she was taking the money. When
she aroused the manager into opening the office I put the pistol on him.
We moved back into the office wherein I asked him for the money. Taking
out his wallet, he offered me the small amount in it, approximately $5 or
$10. When I told him I wanted the rest of the money he spoke about a
cabinet nearby, and motioned to a container. Before leaving the office I
had the manager lie on a bed and the girl remove her stockings and tie his
hands and legs. I then had her get under the bed before departing. Later I
found that I had taken approximately $1,700 in mixed currency from the
manager's office.
During the next few days I purchased clothing and decided that the only
way I could come by travel documents in order to travel to -- leave
Canada
, would be to either persuade someone to act as my guarantor, or perhaps
roll a drunken seaman for his seaman's papers.
During the next couple of weeks I did spend considerable time near the
Montreal
dock area frequenting bars. I was never able to come by merchant seaman's
papers, although I did contact an individual who introduced himself as
Roual [1] I first met him at the Neptune Tavern,
121 West Commissioner Street
. He was approximately 35 to 40 years old, 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with
dark hair and a red tint in it. He spoke with a slight Spanish accent.
I assumed from his demeanor and conversation that our interests could be
compatible, and after a couple of meetings it was established that I was
interested in some type travel documents, while his interest was in
locating someone who would, for a price, help him move some type
contraband through U.S. Customs at the Canadian border. During the initial
meeting with Roual, perhaps three or four times, nothing was decided
definitely mainly because I had decided to make a vacation in a Laurentian
Mountain resort and while there enlist the assistance of someone,
preferably female, in procuring a Canadian passport, that is, attempting
to find someone who would act as my guarantor in making application for a
passport.
Subsequently I did drive to the Gray Rocks Inn in the Laurentian Mountains
and met a woman, and later I saw her again in the Ca-
[1] The name "Roual" as spelled by Mr. James Earl Ray, as
compared to the generally acceptable way of spelling that the committee
uses "Raoul."
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nadian capital of
Ottawa
. However, I learned she was employed by the Canadian Government and thus
considered it ill-advised to discuss the guarantor question with her.
Therefore, in returning to
Montreal
from the
Laurentian Mountains
, I decided to accept any reasonable proposition Roual might offer in
return for travel documents. After I returned to
Montreal
I did meet with Roual several more times. His proposals and my acceptance
were in essence that I would meet him in
Windsor
,
Canada
at approximately 3:30 p.m., August 21, 1967, near the railroad station in
my automobile; that he would then provide me certain packages to transport
across the border into the
United States
, be provided with travel documents and an unspecified amount of money.
That thereafter I would sell the
Plymouth
automobile and travel to
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, wherein I would again meet Roual for some similar type smuggling
operations, apparently in
Mexico
. Roual had initially suggested that I go to
Mobile
,
Ala.
I accepted the above-mentioned proposals, although it was my intention
that once I laid hands on the travel documents to return to
Canada
. On August 21, 1967, at approximately 3 p.m., I was parked near the
Windsor
,
Canada
railroad station, and after waiting a half-hour or less, Roual came to the
Plymouth
with an attaché case, entered the automobile, and said, "Let's
go."
Starting the automobile, he directed me toward a side street wherein he
moved into the back seat after stopping and placed three packages under
the backrest. Then returning to the front seat, he directed me toward the
tunnel that connected
Windsor
with
Detroit
,
Mich.
Before we arrived at the tunnel entrance, he asked me to let him out,
saying that he would cross separately, and for me to pick him up on the
U.S.
side. He said he would cross in a cab and to give him a few minutes before
I crossed.
I cleared the customs with no difficulty and picked up Roual on the
U.S.
side of the tunnel. He then directed me to another side street where he
removed the packages. I then drove him to the
Detroit
bus station. Letting him out, he told me to return to
Windsor
and wait at the same place as before.
I then returned to the
Windsor
railroad station, and after about 10 or 15 minutes Roual appeared again
and we repeated the procedure, except that this time we traveled over the
bridge connecting the two countries. However, when waiting in line to
cross the bridge, I noticed customs officers were searching several of the
automobiles ahead of me.
Recalling I had a television set in the
Plymouth
, which I was required to declare at customs, and wishing to avoid a
search of the
Plymouth
, I declared the television set. The customs officer then directed me to a
special lane and was in the process of searching the
Plymouth
when another customs officer appeared and, apparently ordering the first
customs officer to other duties, told me to pay the television tax in the
customs office and leave.
When I later met Roual on the
U.S.
side of the bridge, he appeared somewhat nervous and I informed him that I
had been held up in customs and showed him the television tax receipt
provided by customs.
Now, if I can digress here 1 minute, please, I was back using at that time
the Rayns name again, and the receipt customs gave me was made
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out to John L. Rayns, and after I got across the bridge I was using the
Galt name again.
Anyway, to continue with the statement, we then drove to a side street in
Detroit
, and moving to the back of the
Plymouth
, he removed the three packages from behind the back seat backrest. Moving
into the front seat of the
Plymouth
, Roual gave me approximately $1,500 in mixed currency; however, offering
some excuse, he said he was unable to obtain the travel documents,
although he did assure me he would be able to come by the papers at a
later date. He also suggested I dispose of the old
Plymouth
and then we could purchase a later model automobile when we met in
Birmingham
,
Ala.
He told me he would write me in care of general delivery,
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, under the Galt name. Also, he gave me a
New Orleans
,
La.
, telephone number if I needed to contact him.
Thereafter I left him at the bus station and drove to
Chicago
,
Ill.
, wherein I gave my brother, Jerry W. Ray, the
Plymouth
and caught a train to
Birmingham
,
Ala.
I arrived in
Birmingham
, August 25, 1967. The next day I rented a room at
2608 Highland Avenue
under the name of Eric S. Galt.
The following Monday, August 28, 1967, I checked at the general delivery
window in the main post office inquiring about mail addressed to Eric
Galt. The postal clerk asked me for my middle initial, and when I supplied
the letter "S," he gave me a letter from Roual.
In the letter, Roual asked me to meet him at the Starlite Cafe located
directly across the street from the post office that evening. Later I met
him in the Starlite and he asked me try to locate for sale a late model
automobile. The next day I found through a newspaper ad a 1966 Mustang.
That evening I again met Roual in the Starlite and described the Mustang
to him. He said it sounded all right and the next morning he gave me
$2,000 with instructions to buy the Mustang.
Later in the morning I took a taxi to
701 South 48th Street
and purchased the Mustang from its owner, Mr. William D. Paisley. After
purchasing the automobile, I drove to the Starlite Cafe, picked up Roual,
and from the Starlite on to the residence that I was staying at on
Highland Avenue
, parking on a mall in front of the residence.
Before departing, Roual asked me and I gave him a set of keys to the
Mustang. He also wrote down my address and phone number. He then gave me
$500 for living expenses and another $500 for a list of camera equipment.
Last, he gave me another telephone number in
Baton Rouge
,
La.
, as a backup number and suggested I lay low for a month or so and he
would contact me about the business at hand and the matter of travel
documents for me.
During my stay in
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, I rented a bank vault, accumulated identification under the Galt name,
and made the camera purchase as Roual requested. I also contracted a
lingering virus, apparently in
Canada
, and was treated for the ailment by a Dr. Schwartz in
Birmingham
.
Subsequently I was contacted by Roual's apparent representative asking me
to meet Roual in
New Orleans
,
La.
, in April 1968. [sic]. If I may digress here, it is possible I contacted
him rather than he contacted me, because I was having trouble purchasing
the camera equipment.
-97-
On or about October 6, 1967, I departed
Birmingham
,
Ala.
en route to
New Orleans
,
La.
, intending to meet Roual in
New Orleans
. The next day or day after, upon arriving in
Baton Rouge
,
La.
, I phoned the
Baton Rouge
number Roual had given me. Unable to reach the party, I then phoned the
New Orleans
number and did not reach this party.
I was told to proceed on to
Nuevo Laredo
,
Mexico
, and was given the name and address of a motel to check into after
arriving in
Nuevo Laredo
. Before leaving
Baton Rouge
, I mailed back to the Birmingham bank the safety deposit vault key,
assuming I would not be returning to
Birmingham
,
Ala.
Upon leaving
Baton Rouge
for
Mexico
, on or about October 7, 1967 in the evening. Upon inquiry from a
policeman or a cab driver, I located the motel I was earlier instructed to
check into. After I had signed into the motel and waited a couple of
hours, Roual appeared and asked me how I was getting along and if I was
ready for business.
He asked me if I had a visa and I replied no. He then said he would cross
the border into
Mexico
. Leaving the motel we drove down to a local square where I let him out.
He said to give him a few minutes to catch a taxi and then to meet him on
the other side of the border.
Picking him up on the other side, he directed me north for maybe seven or
eight blocks, and then westward a couple of miles, ending on the side
street behind another automobile and beside a frame house. He then removed
a tire from the other automobile, placed it in the trunk of our Mustang,
and directed me back toward
Mexico
.
On the way to the Mexican customs, he told me to apply for a visa, and
when customs officials commenced searching the Mustang, give them each a
dollar and they would only make a perfunctory search. When we neared the
Mexican customshouse, Roual got out of the Mustang saying to pick him up
either beside or in front of the customshouse after I had got the visa.
I then applied for the visa. The person who issued the visa asked for a
voter registration slip for identification but accepted a driver's license
and pink slip title in lieu. When the customs officers commenced searching
the Mustang and placing a customs mark on the enclosed items, I have them
each a dollar and they waved me through.
After leaving customs, I picked up Roual beside the building and we
returned to the motel by a circuitous route. I pulled into the motel
driveway and the tire was removed and placed in the automobile it was
originally removed from earlier on. Roual told me he would see me again in
the morning, and as I backed out of the driveway I briefly saw the profile
of the person driving the other automobile.
The next morning Roual showed up and asked me if I were ready, and upon an
affirmative reply, I checked out of the motel. Upon leaving, he rode with
me for about six blocks and then he got into another automobile after
telling me to follow the other car.
-98-
Once outside the city, we stopped again and the tire was placed in my
automobile, with Roual telling me to follow him until we had cleared the
interior customs house. About 50 kilometers further on, we entered the
customs check. Roual's car was held up. However, after checking my bag
tag, I was waved on through by the inspector.
Later a couple of kilometers down the road, Roual passed me and stopped in
front of me, in front of the Mustang. Roual got into the Mustang and
offered some type of apology about still not being able to come by travel
documents for me. However, he gave me $2,000. He then asked me if and
where he could meet me in the future.
I told him I most likely would travel to
Los Angeles
,
Calif.
He said then he would contact me there through post by general delivery.
He also gave me another
New Orleans
,
La.
, telephone number and asked if I had the old telephone number. I think I
gave him the old telephone number.
Traveling through
Mexico
, I ultimately ended up in Puerto Vallerta. During my stay in Puerto
Vallerta, I attempted to trade the Mustang for a piece of real estate and
thus stay in
Mexico
. I also saw an advertisement in the U.S. News & World Report magazine
asking for persons interested to make application for immigration to
Rhodesia
.
I wrote to the address listed for information about the matter but never
received a reply while in
Mexico
. I departed
Puerto Vallarta
,
Mexico
, on or about November 15, 1967, traveling north toward the
United States
. On the way I gave a hitchhiker a ride to the border.
After arriving near the border separating
Mexico
from the
United States
, I stayed overnight in a motel at
Tijuana
. The next day in preparing to leave the motel for the
United States
, as was my practice I searched the Mustang. Down between the front seat
and the gear box I found a cigarette case with a pack of cigarettes in the
case. Inside, between the case and the pack, was a business card. The name
and most of the accompanying information had been inked out. What I could
see that was still partly visible was the name "
New Orleans
" and the letters "LEAA."
On the back side of the card was the handwritten name of Randolph Erwin
Rosen. Retaining the card, I crossed the border into the
United States
.
If I can digress here just a second, in the September 1977 -- I am still
on the statement -- in the September 1977 issue of Playboy magazine,
Playboy reported that in 1967, LEAA was not in existence. However, upon
inquiry by a party representing me, LEAA offices in
Washington
,
D.C.
, stated that prior to 1968, a forerunner to LEAA, which I believe was
OEAA, was in existence and operated in
New Orleans
.
Further, upon request, the late Mr. Clyde Watts, an attorney with offices
in
Oklahoma City
,
Okla.
, investigated in 1964 [sic] and reported thereafter that Randolph Erwin
Rosen was in fact Randolph Erwin Rosenson.
On November 19, 1967, I arrived in
Los Angeles
,
Calif.
and rented an apartment located at
1535 North Serrano Avenue
. Then later on January 19, 1968, I moved to
5533 Hollywood Boulevard
, residing there until March 17, 1968.
During my stay in
Los Angeles
,
Calif.
, I made the following attempts to find employment. I placed an ad in the
"Help Wanted" sec-
-99-
tion of the Los Angeles Times newspaper, contacted the Big Bear Resort in
the interior of California, took a bartending course, applied at two
hotels for employment, filled out an application for employment with the
Internal Revenue Service.
I made the following inquiries and acts in an attempt to leave the
United States
. After reading in the local newspaper that
U.S.
citizens could travel to
Colombia
,
South America
, without a passport, I checked into this matter. I contacted several
organizations about information pertaining to Rhodesian immigration.
I phoned the U.S. Coast Guard several times about the procedures to follow
in order to gain merchant seaman's papers. In this respect, I had minor
plastic surgery on my nose in March 1968 by Dr. Russell Hadley in order
that I might change my appearance enough to avoid identification if I
needed a picture for the merchant seaman's papers.
In early December 1967, I checked at the general delivery section, main
post office, to see if Roual had posted any messages. Finding that he had
not sent a communication, I phoned
New Orleans
under the number he had given me in
Mexico
.
The person that answered inquired if I could travel to
New Orleans
in late December. I replied in the positive and thereafter made
arrangements with a Charley Stein, whom I had met in a local bar, to help
with the driving to
New Orleans
. When Mr. Stein, who was habitually short of money, and I were ready to
leave for New Orleans, about December 5, 1967 [sic], he asked to use my
telephone in order to notify his family in New Orleans of his pending
visit.
During the trip I phoned my brother Jerry Ray one time. Other than Mr.
Stein's busying himself looking for flying saucers, nothing else of
interest had transpired on the trip until we reached
New Orleans
.
Upon reaching the city I dialed the phone number Roual had provided me
with in
Mexico
. I arranged a meeting with him in the Le Bunny Lounge on
Canal Street
, and during the subsequent meeting in the lounge, Roual told me that in
early May he wanted to transport some rifles into
Mexico
and for me to help him.
He said that there would be about $12,000 in it for me in addition to the
usual promise of travel documents. I agreed to his proposition but told
him I was low on funds. Subsequently he gave me $500 in $20 notes.
Returning to
New Orleans
, I moved to the aforementioned
Hollywood Boulevard
address, residing there when in February 1967 (sic) I received a written
communication from Roual asking me to meet him in
New Orleans
,
La.
, on a certain day in March for a trip to
Atlanta
,
Ga.
, and to acknowledge the communication. I acknowledged by the telephone
that I would be in
New Orleans
on that date.
If I may digress just here, Mr. Chairman, I am not certain this
Georgia
address is mentioned in this letter. I was taking a locksmith course at
this time by correspondence course and I was interested in completing the
course. I didn't make out any change of address cards so I am not really
positive about this, but I am inclined to think that I probably mentioned
this on the telephone and they might have told me we would be briefly in
Georgia, or not briefly, but just in Georgia.
Returning to the statement. Of other possible interest to the committee,
during my stay in the
Los Angeles
area I was robbed of a watch
-100-
and the keys to the Mustang outside of a bar on
Hollywood Boulevard
. Consequently, I had to hire a locksmith to make me another set of keys.
I did come by some addresses, although through underground publications
advertising unattached females. Later I did use, one of these addresses.
See below.
I never attempted to contact any of the persons listed under the
advertisements, except one who listed herself as a nympho-something. Of
course, I had been in jail for about 6 years.
On or about March 17, 19681 1 departed
Los Angeles
for
New Orleans
, La. Apparently I was late in arriving in
New Orleans
. In calling the party under the aforementioned number, I was told to
drive to
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, and meet Roual in the Starlite Cafe. Arriving in
Birmingham
and entering the Starlite, again somewhat late, I met Roual and we
proceeded to
Atlanta
,
Ga.
Arriving in
Atlanta
, we commenced searching for an apartment, finally locating a room for
rent at
113- 14th Street Northeast
. However, because of the intoxicated condition of the proprietor, I had a
problem renting a room. Because of the delay, Roual briefly entered the
office. After the rental, we went to a restaurant on
Peachtree Street
for a meal, and while in the restaurant made several arrangements for
Roual to meet me at the recently rented room the next day.
The, next day, Roual came to the room I had rented next door to the
proprietor's office, and the conversation was a rerun of the previous
evening's conversation in the
Peachtree Street
restaurant. In essence, I was to purchase rifles in Atlanta to be later
shown to prospective buyers, but because of an identification problem, all
of my identification was listed under the State of Alabama, I suggested we
purchase rifles in Alabama, which Roual agreed to do.
Upon leaving, Roual suggested I stay close to the room since he would
return in a couple days, and then wanted me to drive him to
Miami
,
Fla.
However, he never did appear for the
Miami
trip.
If I may digress here for just a second, Mr. Chairman, in respect to
Miami
,
Fla.
, I discussed this matter with Arthur Hanes, the first attorney who
represented me in
Memphis
, but I don't know just how much I talked to him about it. I was giving
information to my attorney at that time, Mr. Hanes, and he was giving it
to William Bradford Huie, the
Alabama
novelist, and Mr. Huie was giving it to the FBI, so I was kind of hesitant
on giving certain information to the attorney.
However, I did write, to Mr. Hanes one time, if my recollection is
correct, and told him not to discuss this
Miami
business with Mr. Huie. I assume Mr. Hanes still has the letters on this
and I believe I have given this committee a waiver on Mr. Hanes.
Returning to the statement. After about a week, Roual did appear and we
drove to
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, to implement what we had previously agreed to do. I checked into the
Travellodge in
Birmingham
. We then checked through the yellow pages of the phone book, and perhaps
newspapers, for an establishment that sold rifles, deciding on the
Aeromarine Supply Co.
Subsequently, I did purchase a rifle with military specifications at
Aeromarine. After the purchase Roual gave me the name of a motel, New
Rebel, in
Memphis
,
Tenn.
, telling me to transport the rifle to the motel and meet him there at a
certain date, April 3, 1968, and time,
-101-
saying he in the interval had to make a business trip to
New Orleans
,
La.
Thereafter, commencing on March 29, 1968, the day I picked up the rifle, I
traveled in the direction of
Memphis
,
Tenn.
Subsequently, I rented a room in
Florence
,
Ala.
;
Corinth
,
Miss.
:
De Soto
,
Miss.
, and other motel addresses that I cannot recall, although I assume the
F.B.I. has the addresses.
I did not at any time deviate from the aforementioned route, and
specifically I did not return to
Atlanta
,
Ga.
, after departing
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, on March 29, 1968, until April 5, 1968. I arrived in the suburbs of
Memphis
,
Tenn.
on April 2, 1968, and checked into the New Rebel Motel in
Memphis
proper on April 3, 1968. It commenced raining that evening, and at
approximately 9 p.m. Roual appeared at the room I was occupying.
Roual told me that it would be necessary to take a room for a few days in
Memphis
. He also informed me he had a place located near the waterfront and that
he or I or both would rent a room at the location in my name. I told Roual
that I did not care to have my name used if there were going to be any
guns in the place or if we were involved in something we could possibly
get arrested for.
I then suggested the name John Willard, that I had used indirectly once
before, thus a name I could easily remember that we could use to let a
room under. Roual agreed to use the Willard name. He then commented that
if everything progressed all right, that he and I would return to
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, and purchase 10 or more of the scope rifles in addition to a large
supply of the foreign brand rifles that I had looked over in the gun store
in
Birmingham
.
He implied that after we had purchased the firearms they would be shipped
to
New Orleans
,
La.
, by boat. Before departing, Roual told me to meet him at the
422 1/2 South Main Street
address at 3 or 4 p.m. the next day. He, then wrote down the address on a
slip of paper and I wrote down for him the Willard name to use if he
should rent a room for me or himself.
He mentioned that if he were not in a room at the
South Main Street
address when I arrived, he would be in a bar and grill located on the
ground floor of the building. He then took the rifle and departed, and
that was the last I saw of the weapon.
The. next day I did not check out of the motel until late morning. After
having breakfast at a nearby restaurant, I drove to the south part of
Mississippi or the south part of Tennessee -- I may have been in
Mississippi -- and waited a period of time in the beer house and generally
stalled around for the rendezvous with Roual at 422 South Main Street. Now
if I may digress here, while I was traveling around during this period, I
had a flat tire. It wasn't completely flat, but a slow leak. I did change
tires.
Finally I drove to a commercial parking lot. After checking the Mustang
into the lot and receiving directions from the parking lot attendant to
the location of
Main Street
, I commenced walking in a general direction toward what appeared to be
the main section of
Memphis
. Further on with the assistance of a policeman, I located
Main Street
, and traveling south on
Main
I made at least one inquiry in bars concerning the
422 1/2 South Main Street
address.
-102-
One of the places of inquiry may have been a Jim's bar. After I had
located that apparent address of the
South Main Street
building I had been. searching for, and which had a Jim's grill on the
ground floor I entered the bar and grill looking for Roual. He was not in
the, establishment. However, I did notice two white males that I had
previously seen in one of the bars I had just recently been in making
inquiries concerning the address I was searching for.
One of the two individuals appeared to be noticing me more than was
necessary. I am certain that I did not meet Roual in Jim's grill the first
time I entered the establishment because of the crowded conditions, unlike
the second, and the two individuals in the bar who were not present when I
did meet Roual.
I ordered a beer and shortly thereafter departed the tavern, going
upstairs to inquire about renting a room. Upon inquiry, the proprietress,
informed me she had two rooms to let and showed me both of them. Since the
second was only a sleeping room, I rented it, paying with a $20 bill.
After signing the registry under the name of John Willard, the only other
person I saw or ever saw except Roual in the establishment was an elderly
white male who was in the proprietress' office when I first inquired about
the room.
Immediately upon retaining a room, I left the building to return to the
parking lot to pick up the Mustang. It was now approximately 4 p.m.
because of my delay in locating the
South Main Street
address. Returning to the parking lot, which I estimate was 1 mile from
the
422 1/2 South Main Street
address, I picked up the Mustang and subsequently parked the automobile
almost directly in line with the front of Jim's grill and immediately
behind another automobile.
Now, if I may digress here just a second, Mr. Chairman, since I made this
statement I found an FBI document, and this might clear up where I was
parked -- at or where I wasn't. This document is from the Federal Bureau
of Investigation Offices, dated April 7, 1968, and I will read it.
"Lloyd Jowers, owner of Jim's Grill" -- this is where I was
parked at -- "
418 South Main Street
, advised that at approximately 3:55 p.m. on April 4, 1968, he arrived at
the grill and parked directly in back of a white Mustang that was parked
in the street directly in front of his grill. He stated that he believed
that the car had
Mississippi
license plates on it because they were an orangish-yellow color. He stated
that upon parking the car, he went into the grill, where he saw a stranger
sitting at the bar having a meal. He stated that it was unusual to get any
strange customers in the grill since most of the customers were local
people of a steady nature.
"Mr. Jowers described the stranger as follows: Race, white; sex,
male; height, 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 9; weight, 160 pounds; build, heavy; age,
27 to 30; hair, sandy; complexion, ruddy; dress, wearing a dark suit. He
stated the man finished his meal and left the grill, not noticing in which
direction he walked, but he did not get into the white Mustang which was
parked in front of the grill.
"Mr. Jowers stated that this same individual returned to the grill at
approximately 8 p.m. on April 5, 1968, and ordered breakfast. Mr. Jowers
stated in his estimation this individual acted strangely because he seemed
very calm when everyone else in the grill in the area was excited over the
shooting.
-103-
"In view of the fact that he felt the individual was acting strange
and also because he was a stranger in the area, Mr. Jowers called the
police and was told that he had a man of suspicious nature in the grill.
He said that when the stranger finished his breakfast he left the grill
and was arrested on the sidewalk in front of the grill by the Memphis
Police Department."
Then there are several words blanked out.
"The Homicide Bureau of the Memphis Police Department later
identified this arrested individual as Gene Pearson Crawford," and
there are several more words blocked out, "
Jackson
,
Tennessee
, who was determined to have no part in the murder of Dr. Martin Luther
King."
The only reason I mentioned this document was that I am certain that I
parked in this area where this car was, and if it could be established
when the car was moved, it may be established where I was parked. .
Mr. PREYER. Mr. Ray, if you wish to make that document a
part of the record at this point, if there is no objection the Chair will
make it a part of the record.
Mr. RAY. I have several other documents that I will get
--
Mr. PREYER. We will also arrange to get one without the
deletions.
Mr. RAY. Well, I just got this, and I didn't have time to
Xerox it, but I will give the committee a copy of everything I have.
Mr. PREYER. Without objection, it will be admitted into
the record at this point.
[The FBI document dated April 7, 1968, was admitted into the record and is
also part of MLK exhibit No. F-14.]
MLK EXHIBIT F-14 (ATTACHMENT)
-104-
-
105-
Mr. LANE
. Is there an exhibit number for this document Mr. Chairman?
Mr. PREYER. I think if you want to put your own -- do you
have an exhibit number at this stage?
The exhibit number would be MLK F-14.
Mr. RAY. I believe I left off at the bottom of page 23,
second line.
I did not move the Mustang again until approximately 5:40 p.m. the same
day. I later noticed upon leaving the roominghouse on one of several
occasions that there were several other automobiles parked nearby the same
color as the Mustang; a whitish color.
Upon entering Jim's Grill for the second time, I found the individual
calling himself Roual was present. This time the bar was not so crowded
and Roual was sitting in the lunch-counter section drinking coffee. After
the amenities I told him I had some difficulty locating the roominghouse
upstairs. We departed almost immediately when he suggested we go upstairs
to the room I had rented. On the way out of the grill, he asked me if I
had the Mustang with me. I pointed to it, saying, "There it is."
Once upstairs in the room I had rented, Roual suggested I put whatever
items I have in the Mustang up to the room saying we may have to stay
here, 3 or 4 days. He also asked me to purchase a pair of binoculars with
infrared attachments saying the "people" also wanted to examine
some glasses. Roual gave me directions to a nearby sporting goods store
wherein I could purchase the glasses.
Leaving the roominghouse, I was unable to locate the sporting goods store
the first trip. Returning to Roual again, he explained to me the location
of the sporting goods store. Upon returning to the room after the first
trip looking for the sporting goods store, I removed a small traveling
case from the Mustang containing personal items and deposited the case in
the room. However, because I was somewhat conversant with the type of
establishment I was in, what with no locks on the doors or even door
knobs, just a strap to pull the door to, and the place an apparent habitat
for winos where anyone could enter anyone else's rental at will, I did not
carry any of the personal items into the room other than the
aforementioned case and its contents except a cover which I used to cover
the covering already on the bed. I placed the case under the bed.
On the second trip, seeking the sporting goods store, I located it. Upon
inquiring, the salesman informed me the store did not carry infrared
attachments for binoculars. I would have to purchase them in an army
surplus store. However, the salesman did sell me the binoculars. On the
way back to the roominghouse, I stopped at a drug store on the ground
floor of the Chisca Hotel and ordered ice cream. While waiting on the
order I sat, as customary, directly across from the cash register and
distinctly recall the apparent manager, who was a white male, instructing
a young black woman on the intricacies of using a cash register; thus, I
assumed she had just started working in the store that day.
The attorneys representing me in the King case in 1968-69 were unable to
locate the drug store in question. However. in February 1969, I described
to a policeman who was guarding me in the
Memphis
jail the approximate location of the store and he informed me the name of
the store.
-106-
Mr. PREYER. Mr. Ray, excuse me. Your hour is up, but
without objection, you will be permitted to finish your statement.
Mr. RAY. All right, sir.
Mr. PREYER. You may proceed.
Mr. RAY. Thank you.
After returning to the
Main Street
roominghouse, I told Roual we would have to purchase the infrared
attachments at an army surplus store. I also informed him I had not eaten
since breakfast. He said to go out and have a meal and take in a movie
since he wanted to see some people in private that evening, but to leave
the Mustang out in the front, as he would most likely need that that
evening or night.
I then went downstairs into Jim's Grill and ordered a beer, although I did
not drink it. I say this: because I recall seeing a white waitress on one
occasion while I was in the establishment and on a next occasion there was
a black waitress on duty.
If I can digress here. The point I am try to make here, I was in the grill
on two different occasions at least. On leaving the grill, I sat in the
Mustang 10 or 15 minutes before traveling north on
Main Street
and entering a bar and restaurant located on the left-hand side of the
street and fairly near a movie house across the street. I ordered a
sandwich and while sitting there, I recalled I had changed the back rear
tire on the right side, one facing, the front of the Mustang, the day
before after the tire developed a slow leak. Thinking the damaged tire
could be fixed, if the Mustang should be used at night, I returned to the
Mustang and drove it north on Main Street for maybe three or four blocks
before turning right and traveling four or five more blocks to a service
station. There were two or three service stations at the intersection.
I inquired of one if they could fix the spare tire while I waited, and I
was informed I would have to wait awhile because of the business volume.
Moving to the other station, I do not recall asking for the tire to be
repaired, although I did have the Mustang serviced.
Upon leaving the station I circled around in a manner that would return me
to the original parking space in front of Jim's Grill. However, when
driving on through
Main Street
, I saw a police car parked blocking off the street that I would have had
to drive through in order to. return to my original parking space.
In addition, I saw what appeared to be two or three people walking rather
fast opposite the police car. I then veered off to the left toward
South Memphis
, traveling through what appeared to be a predominantly black community. I
eventually ended up in
Mississippi
, traveling toward
New Orleans
,
La.
It was my intention to phone a New Orleans where -- it was my intention to
phone a New Orleans number in my possession and have the party on the
other end attempt to find out what, if anything, had happened in the area
of the aforementioned South Main Street roominghouse; however, shortly
after entering the State of Mississippi, I heard over the car radio that
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., had been shot in Memphis.
A short while later, approximately 15 minutes, another news bulletin on
the radio stated police authorities were looking for a white Mustang and a
white male subject as suspect in the shooting of Dr. King.
Consequently, the first intersection I came to, I turned east, traveling
toward
Atlanta
,
Ga.
-107-
If I may digress for just a second. With respect to this tire I mentioned,
3 or 4 years ago, my brother was talking about my private property in
Memphis
and he said, as soon as I pled guilty, the attorney general's office
called him to the office, and gave him this tire plus the floor boards out
of the Mustang -- floor mats out of the Mustang.
But I imagine the
Memphis
prosecutor's office will substantiate that or disprove it.
Continuing with the statement, by way of
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, shortly after turning east, I stopped the Mustang and threw various
items out of the trunk, including all the camera equipment that Roual had
me purchase for him. The equipment was still in the original wrapping
cases when I discarded it. It was raining slightly at the time and I took
a cloth and attempted to wipe off any fingerprints I may have left on the
outside of the Mustang. Several years later, my brother, Jerry W. Ray told
me -- I went through this. I will read it again, anyway. Several years
later, my brother, Jerry Ray, told me immediately after the guilty plea,
the Memphis attorney general's office give him the damaged tire and the
floor mats from the Mustang. Thereafter, I drove through
Birmingham
,
Ala.
, and later into the State of
Georgia
. Approximately 30 miles from
Atlanta
,
Ga.
, I ran a little low on fuel and stopped at a service station for
gasoline. I arrived in
Atlanta
approximately 7:30 a.m. I abandoned the Mustang in a private parking lot
near Capitol Homes. I then returned to the room I previously rented,
located at
113 14th Street, Northeast
. I placed everything in a case that it would hold and discarded the
remaining items left in the room. I then walked to the Piedmont Laundry,
wherein I had left several items of clothing to be cleaned in late March
of 1968. I then phoned a bus station for a reservation to
Detroit
,
Mich.
Being informed that a bus was leaving
Atlanta
for
Detroit
,
Mich.
, that afternoon, I returned to the roominghouse for the case. I then
departed the building and called a taxi cab to the bus station wherein I
purchased a ticket to
Detroit
,
Mich.
The bus was not due to leave
Atlanta
for several hours, so I checked in the case and traveled several blocks
from the bus station and waited in a bar until departure time for the bus.
However, upon returning to the bus station, I learned that the bus would
be late in its departure schedule. After the bus did depart for
Atlanta
, it proceeded on to
Cincinnati
,
Ohio
, with a layover in that city of approximately 2 hours. During the
layover, I waited in a nearby bar until it closed at 2:30 a.m. Then I
waited in the bus terminal another 20 or 30 minutes before the bus
departed for
Detroit
,
Mich.
Arriving in
Detroit
at approximately 7:30 a.m., I then made reservations for a train bound for
Toronto
,
Canada
. Before leaving the Canadian side of the border, I took a taxicab to a
train station approximately 2 miles from downtown
Detroit
. Adjacent to the train station was an open square block, park, directly
across diagonally from the train station, and across the open lot was a
barbershop wherein I had a shave and haircut.
I arrived in
Toronto
,
Canada
, at approximately 6:30 p.m., April 6, 1968. After checking my case into a
luggage, department, I made MY way west on foot. After walking
approximately 2 miles and making inquiries along the way for rental
quarters, I eventually found a room for rent at
102 Ossington Avenue
. The proprietress' name was Mrs. Adam Szpakowski. I paid Mrs. Szpakowski
$10 for 1 week's rent. Mrs.
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Szpakowski, who spoke with a heavy accent, did not ask my name, nor did I
volunteer the information.
Thereafter, on the following Monday, April 8,1968, I made my way to the
offices of the Toronto Evening Telegram and ask to see back issues of the
paper for the year 1932. A librarian gave me the requested issues of
microfilm and assisted me with the projector. After a time, I choosed
several names from the films. Two of the names were Ramon George Sneyd and
Paul E. Bridgman. My purpose in obtaining these names was to apply for a
passport under one of the names if conditions were favorable.
I. Leaving the newspaper's offices, I made my way back to the room on
Ossington Avenue
. However, before I got to Ossington, I was stopped and ticketed by a
policeman for jaywalking. I had remembered a women's address in
Toronto
,
Canada
,
6 Condor Street
, from some addresses I had gotten out of an underground publication
apparently specializing in "bringing people together." I gave
the policeman the
Condor Street
address as my own. I am fairly certain I also gave my name as Eric Galt to
the policeman.
The next day I phoned the local police station inquiring about the ticket.
However, the station did not have the ticket on file. After I arrived back
to the
Ossington Avenue
address, I wrote the name Paul Bridgman on a slip of paper and gave it to
Mrs. Szpakowski informing her this was my name. The next day I proceeded
to contact by telephone several of the names I had gotten from the Toronto
Evening Star, telling them I was their registrar general's office
investigating a passport matter, inquiring of them if they had ever been
issued a Canadian passport.
Eventually I contacted Mr. Ramon George Sneyd, a
Toronto
policeman, and upon inquiry, Mr. Sneyd informed me that he had never
applied for a Canadian passport. Therefore, shortly thereafter, I made my
way to the Arcade Photo Studios and had several passport photos taken. I
used the Paul Bridgman name in applying for the passport photos.
During this period I had rented another room located at
962 Dundas Street West
from a Mrs. Sun Loo. I registered under the name of Ramon George Sneyd and
told Mrs. Loo I worked nights, thus, I would be in days -- I spent the
nights at the
Ossington Avenue
address.
Then I visited the Kennedy Travel Agency in
Toronto
, inquiring about the procedure for obtaining a Canadian passport.
If I may digress here just 1 minute. I think, I am almost positive, I
visited either this agency or another agency and found out I wouldn't need
a guarantor; that I could make some type of sworn affidavit and bypass the
guarantor.
Continuing with the statement, I told the office manager, Mrs. Lillian
Spencer, that I did not have a guarantor passport, having just returned to
Toronto
. Mrs. Spencer informed me that it was not necessary to have a guarantor;
rather, I could make a sworn statement that I was a citizen of
Canada
, have the statement notarized; then her office would apply for the
passport.
I did apply for a passport through Mrs. Spencer's office under the name of
Ramon George Sneyd and, using the
Dundas Street West
address. If I had been thorough enough to gain the information during my
first trip to
Canada
in 1969, I am sure I would not be testifying before this committee today.
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During this period I also made a brief trip to
Montreal
,
Canada
, to inquire about reservations to
Europe
; ship reservations.
In early May of 1968, my passport in the name of Ramon George Sneyd was
presented to me by the Kennedy Travel Agency on March 6. 1968 [sic]. I
departed
Canada
bound for
London
,
England
, and arrived in
London
on March 7,1968 [sic]. Immediately thereafter, I boarded a plane for
Lisbon
,
Portugal
. While in
Lisbon
, and because my finances were such that I could not afford fare to a more
distant country, say
Australia
, I made several efforts to gain transportation to
Africa
. During one period, in a meeting with a Black and a white male, I
attempted to join a military unit in
Biafra
, but was unsuccessful. Finally I did find a ship with available berth
bound for
Angola
. However, a visa was required to enter
Angola
and since the ship was leaving for
Angola
in 3 days and it required 7 days for a visa to be processed, I missed the
opportunity.
Returning to
London
,
England
, after approximately 10 days in
Portugal
, I attempted on June 8, 1968, to leave
London
by airplane destined for
Brussels
,
Belgium
. However, I was detained at
London
's
Heathrow
Airport
by the police and subsequently arrested by English authorities and held
for extradition to the
United States
.
Thereafter, I wrote Messrs F. Lee Bailey and Arthur J. Hanes, Sr., of the
Massachusetts
and Alabama Bar, respectively, about representation in the matter I was
being detained under; namely, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., homicide.
Mr. Bailey informed me indirectly there would be a conflict of interest
involved if he should take the case, thus declining. Mr. Hanes accepted
the case, apparently after contacting the
Alabama
novelist, William Bradford Huie and presenting me with a literary contract
to sign. Thereafter, I was subsequently ordered by an English court to be
extradited to the
United States
and, in fact, was extradited and lodged in the
Memphis
,
Tenn.
, jail on July 19, 1968.
After I was lodged in the Memphis jail, the aforementioned attorney, Mr.
Arthur J. Hanes, Sr., had me enter into a series of literary contracts
with him and Mr. William Bradford Huie, the Alabama novelist, in order,
Mr. Hanes said, to finance a jury trial in the King case.
Subsequently, in November 1968, my brother, Jerry W. Ray, visited me in
said jail and said he had recently visited William Bradford Huie and Huie
had offered me indirectly through Jerry $12,000 if I would not take the
witness stand in the King case saying: "My testimony from the witness
stand would destroy the literary value of the book he (Huie) was writing
about the case."
Consequently, when Percy Foreman, a member of the
Texas
bar, appeared, unsolicited, at the
Memphis
jail a few days later and visited me I agreed with Mr. Foreman's
suggestion that I fire Mr. Hanes and hire Foreman. Percy Foreman had the
above-mentioned contracts in hand and said the only thing he was
interested in was the money being provided him by Bradford Huie and then
promised me, and later the trial judge, that if I retained him in the case
he would not become involved with William Bradford Huie in commercial
publishing ventures.
Thereafter, this "promise" of Percy Foreman's was of a short
duration in that within a few days of becoming counsel of record in the
case he made arrangements with William Bradford Huie to have
-110-
Arthur J. Hanes' interest in said contracts transferred to himself. Then
later in January 1969, Mr. Foreman presented me with a check from Mr. Huie
for $5,000 for my endorsement, saying he "needed the $5,000 to retain
co-counsel." However, in December 1968, Attorney Foreman had
persuaded the trial judge, W. Preston Battle, that no funds were
forthcoming from Bradford Huie or elsewhere and thus had the judge appoint
the public defender, Hugh Stanton, Sr., as cocounsel. Mr. Stanton had
previously represented the state's chief witness, Charley Stephens, in the
case; the same Charley Stephens who, for a promise of $10,000 from the
U.S. Government, had committed perjury through a sworn affidavit by
falsely identifying me through a picture in order for the Government to
have me extradited from London, England.
Then in February 1969, Percy Foreman received another $5,000 check from
William Bradford Huie. This time he did not bother to have me endorse it.
Rather, he just forged my name to it and cashed it in complicity with
Planters Bank of
Memphis
.
After collecting all the money that was available from William Bradford
Huie, Attorney Foreman then commenced, on February 13, 1969, maneuvering.
me into a guilty plea. Foreman's arguments for the plea were, in essence:
1. That the press had already convicted me by inflaming the minds of
potential jurors.
2. That the Government had bribed an alleged witness, Charles Stephens
into perjuring himself against me by offering Stephens a $100,000 reward
to say he had seen someone favoring me leaving the roominghouse where Dr.
King was allegedly shot from immediately after the shot was fired.
3. That it would, in some manner, be in my financial interest to plead
guilty as charged.
4. That the trial judge wanted a guilty plea because he was concerned the
blacks might burn down the town in respect to Percy Foreman's and the
judge's ex parte meetings arranging the plea. Apparently the two had eight
meetings.
Then later in March of 1969, Foreman said that if the case was not settled
through a guilty plea, the Government would most likely arrest my brother,
Jerry W. Ray, under some type of conspiracy charge in the Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., homicide. He also said the FBI would most likely arrest
my father, George Ray, who was then near 70 years old, and have him
returned to the Iowa State Prison, wherein he had escaped in the 1930's.
If I may digress here just a second, Mr. Chairman. My brother, John Ray,
also mentioned this fact to me around March 7 or 8 of 1969. I think Mr.
Foreman, he made oblique reference to this thing; he didn't come out and
say it directly, but he made kind of a slanting reference to it. Returning
to the statement.
In conjunction with the aforementioned threats and promises, Percy Foreman
convinced me he would "throw" the case if I managed to force,
him to trial. In fact, in an article published in Look magazine in May of
1961, [sic] sold to the publication by Percy Foreman for $1,000, he, in
effect, admitted he would have "thrown" the case if I would have
forced him to trial. Consequently, through written contracts, I agreed on
March 9, 1969, to enter the guilty plea. My contractual agreements with
Percy Foreman in respect to the terms of the guilty plea are as follows:
-111-
The first contract -- these are excerpts from the contract.
The first contract: "If the plea is entered and the sentence accepted
and no embarrassing circumstances take place in the courtroom, I am
willing to assign to any bank... all of my receipts under the above
assignment in excess of $165,000."
Second contract: "I am willing to advance Jerry [Ray] $500 and add it
to the $165,000 mentioned in my other letter to you today. In other words,
I would receive the first $165,000, but I would not make any other
advances; just this $500. And this advance also is contingent upon the
plea of guilty and sentence going through on March 10, 1968, without any
unseemly conduct on your part in court."
During the, period of my confinement in the Memphis jail, which totaled
approximately 8 months, the conditions were as follows:
The State of Tennessee retained, or was ordered to retain, two Federal
prison officials who, in a first order of business, ordered sheets of
metal be placed over all of the windows, thus shutting out fresh air and
light. The Federals then had a blower installed for oxygen, which resulted
in my having frequent nosebleeds. The blower could only be operated
outside the cell block. Because of the lack of natural light, the Federals
had lights rigged in the cell block, including the cell I was confined in,
which were, kept on 24 hours a day. Complaining to the trial court about
being unable to sleep under these conditions, the court said, "Sleep
in a mask."
During this confinement period I broke out in a rash. Thinking maybe I had
been poisoned, I asked the doctor, who was related to the prosecutor, for
a blood test. It required 2 or 3 days to have the test. After the blood
sample was finally taken I was never told the test findings. However, in a
1974 habeas corpus hearing, the doctor testified the
Memphis
sheriff, William Morris, had ordered him to destroy all of the medical
records.
If I may digress here, Mr. Chairman. Well, I will wait and get this at the
end of the statement. As you said, I can make a statement after I read
this.
Of the other possible interest to this committee, while Percy Foreman was
representing me, I once provided Percy Foreman with a phone number,
possibly connected to the King homicide, to investigate. However, Foreman
commented later that if there were to be any phone numbers introduced into
the King case "he" would produce them through his interstate
gambling connections via a Meyer Lansky.
The day after the guilty plea I was transferred to the State prison in
Nashville
,
Tenn.
Upon arrival all of my personal property, including the aforementioned
phone number I had written down backward on the sheet of paper was
confiscated by the Corrections Commissioner, Mr. Harry Avery 2 or 3 days
later, said property was returned to me, excepting various items of
personal and legal mail that had been posted to me in care of the
Nashville prison.
The first day in the prison I was confined forthwith in solitary
confinement and was, on that same day, informed by Corrections
Commissioner Harry Avery that I would never be released from solitary
confinement unless I ceased efforts to gain a public trial in the King
case. He said be was speaking for the highest authority. I had filed a
motion for a new trial the day after I entered the prison and so informed
Mr. Avery of my intent in this matter.
-112-
Thereafter, I was confined for 13 months in solitary confinement and
during the initial period of this confinement I had to be treated by a
doctor several times for nasal membrane, hemorrhaging. This ailment,
damaged membrane, was due to confinement conditions in the
Memphis
jail, that is, lack of ventilation. In addition, during this period I was
also treated for esophagus spasms, also related to the
Memphis
jail confinement conditions.
After 13 months of this type of confinement I understand the late William
E. Miller, recently a judge of the United States Sixth Circuit Court of
Appeals, interceded with prison authorities and had them transfer me to
the State prison at
Petros
,
Tenn.
If I had not been transferred, I doubt if I would have been here today.
In late July of 1963, the Petros prison was closed and I was transferred
back to the
Nashville
prison. After being in the general prison population for approximately 4
days, I was summoned to the main prison office and informed I would be
returned to solitary confinement. Requesting to see the warden, James
Rose, I was informed by Mr. Rose that "people out in town"
wanted me placed in solitary confinement but that if I quit litigating the
case, he was sure I would be released from solitary confinement.
Thereafter, I stayed in solitary confinement for 3 years.
The first 18 months I was permitted out of the cell, which was
approximately 6 by 9, 12 feet, for only 4 minutes per day. That was to
take a shower. The cell block was infested with insects and rodents.
During the 3 years I was in the building, four prisoners committed
suicide; two by hanging and two by setting themselves on fire.
Naturally, the dominant press in the
United States
said nothing about these suicides, although if they had happened in a
foreign country, the same press would have been in a self-righteous rage
or pretended rage. During this period, specifically in December of 1963,
Tennes --yes, December of 1973 --
Tennessee
correction officials, acting in collusion with the U.S. Department of
Justice, attempted to illegally transfer me to the Federal mental
institution in
Springfield
,
Mo.
This attempted transfer was after the aforementioned officials learned of
a suit that was to be filed in my behalf in Federal court referring to
those who may have been responsible for the shooting of Dr. Martin Luther
King.
Of other possible interest to this committee during this period: Just
recently the aforementioned Corrections Commissioner Harry Avery has
stated he gave all the papers, etcetera, he retained of mine and those
connected with the King case to Attorney Thomas Wardlow Steele, of the
Tennessee, Nashville, bar, and that the papers subsequently disappeared
from Mr. Steele's office.
In addition, Attorney Percy Foreman has testified that he, too, gave his
complete file in the King case, including all the information I had given
Mr. Foreman, to another Nashville attorney, the late John J. Hooker, Sr.,
and that Mr. Hooker "lost" them.
Sincerely, James Ray.
I have three or four other pages.
Mr. PREYER. The Chair will admit, without objection, your
original statement into the record, along with the additions that are
attached to it and the insertions which you have added to your testimony
will be made a part of the record.
[The statement and attachments, to be supplied, follow:]
Click
Here to
read James Earl Ray's written statement.
[pp. 113-161: Includes
document image scans. The text is essentially the same as the testimony on
this page, but the original statement includes several news articles,
documents (including the 2nd page of the Gene Pearson Crawford document)
and other attachments.]
Continue
Reading James Earl Ray's testimony.
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