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RAY, JAMES EARL

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RAY, JAMES EARL
(d. 1998) Assassin of Martin Luther King whom he killed in Memphis in 1968. An especially rare document signed twice by Ray with his alias "Eric Galt" after his escape from the Missouri State Penitentiary in 1967. The document is a partly-printed hotel registration card, 1p. 5 1/2" x 4 1/2", the form used by the Gray Rocks Inn in St. Jovite, Quebec, upon which the fugitive twice signed his alias "Eric Galt". After escaping from prison, Apr. 23, 1967, Ray fled to the mid-west and then to Canada where he remained from July 16, to Aug. 21, 1967, picking his alias from the city of Galt, Ontario through which he had passed. By Aug. 25, 1967 Ray had returned to Birmingham, killing King on Apr. 4, 1968 then once again fled to Canada. On Apr. 17, 1968 Attorney General Ramsey Clark announced that the F.B.I. was seeking one "Eric Galt" for the murder of Dr. King. When fingerprints were compared with F.B.I. records, J. Edgar Hoover announced "Galt and Ray are identical". Sold with a T.L.S. from Ray at B.M. Prison, Petros, Tenn., Nov. 20, 1980 responding to a query concerning this registration card. Ray writes in part: "…for legal reasons I don't care to answer questions although I was in Canada in 1967 and stayed for 6 days at 'Gray Rocks'. Many things written, aliases, etc. are the author's own words consequently I am not responsible for them…" With related correspondence and Montreal Star and Look Magazine articles mentioning this item. Very good condition.