Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. And the International Hunt for His Assassin

CHAPTER 22

THE MAN IN 5B

³²⁴ ordered a mess of fried Mississippi River catfish: My account of King's last meal comes from Abernathy, And the Walls Came Tumbling Down, p. 437. See also Abernathy's testimony in HSCA, Appendix Reports, vol. 1, p. 32, and Abernathy's oral history in Raines, My Soul Is Rested, p. 468.

³²⁵ they demanded ten thousand dollars: Honey, Going Down Jericho Road, p. 432.149

³²⁶ "Hosea, no one will be on our payroll": Garrow, Bearing the Cross, p. 622.

³²⁷ "I don't negotiate with brothers": Branch, At Canaan's Edge, p. 760.

³²⁸ Cabbage stormed out: Honey, Going Down Jericho Road, p. 432.

³²⁹ "Got any binoculars?": The passage concerning Galt's purchase of binoculars at York Arms sporting goods store is largely drawn from the initial FBI interview with Carpenter, conducted on April 5, 1968, by Special Agents Robert Goodwin and Ralph Liewer. I also relied on the Memphis Police Department statement "Ralph Meredith Carpenter, Salesman, York Arms Company," April 9, 1968, Hughes Collection.

³³⁰ back at their surveillance post: My account of Redditt and Richmond undertaking surveillance work from inside the fire station is largely drawn from the Memphis Police Department statements "Edward E. Redditt, Detective with the Memphis Police Department," April 10, 1968, and "Ptm. W. B. Richmond, Inspectional Bureau," April 9, 1968, box 5, Posner Papers, Gotlieb Center, as well as my interview with Richmond, December 30, 2009.

³³¹ They all sat around joking: Author interview with Georgia Davis Powers, May 7, 2008, Louisville, Ky.

³³² decided to call their mother: Abernathy, And the Walls Came Tumbling Down, p. 438; Garrow, Bearing the Cross, p. 622.

³³³ "He really sensed": Author interview with Georgia Davis Powers.

³³⁴ "Senator, you like soul food?": Ibid.

³³⁵ Where you been all day?: Young, Easy Burden, pp. 463-64.

³³⁶ full-scale pillow fight: Ibid., p. 464.

³³⁷ Elizabeth Copeland: Copeland was interviewed by Memphis FBI agents on April 5, 1968, FBI, MURKIN Files, ME, sub. D, sec. 1, p. 18.

³³⁸ Peggy Hurley: The FBI interviewed Hurley on April 5, 1968, FBI, MURKIN Files, ME, sub. D, sec. 1, p. 3.

³³⁹ Once inside 5B: Details about what Galt did inside 5B are primarily drawn from the Memphis Police Department and FBI investigations of the room immediately after the assassination. His binocular straps were found on the floor; the dresser had been moved away from the open window; the straight-backed chair was placed in front of the window.

³⁴⁰ At that moment, King was inside the room with Abernathy: My account of King's last hour is adapted from multiple sources, including Abernathy, And the Walls Came Tumbling Down, pp. 438-39; Garrow, Bearing the Cross, p. 623; Branch, At Canaan's Edge, p. 765. See also Abernathy's testimony in House Select Committee on Assassinations, Appendix Reports, vol. 1, p. 30.

³⁴¹ Magic Shaving Powder: Frank, American Death, p. 66.

³⁴² "Billy, we're not going to get real soul food": Kyles's recollection of the late afternoon he spent with King and Abernathy at the Lorraine is primarily drawn from his interviews for the Insignia Films documentary Roads to Memphis, produced for the PBS program American Experience.

³⁴³ Richmond, watching through his binoculars: Memphis Police Department statement, "Ptm. W. B. Richmond, Inspectional Bureau," April 9, 1968, box 5, Posner Papers. I also relied on Richmond's report to the Inspectional Bureau of the Memphis Police Department, dated April 4, 1968, and signed "W. B. Richmond," Hughes Collection.

³⁴⁴ George Loenneke: FBI interview with Loenneke, conducted on April 13, 1968, by Special Agents Edward Quinn and Shields Smith, Hughes Collection. I also consulted the Memphis Police Department statement "George Loenneke, Lieutenant at Fire Station #2," box 5, Posner Papers.

³⁴⁵ could hear the new roomer's footsteps: FBI interview with Stephens, conducted on April 4, 1968, by Special Agents John Bauer and Stephen Darlington, Hughes Collection.