◆ SpookStack

Mr. Apama. I do not think those dates are correct. The CHamman. Well, it was sent-—- Mr. Avama. It was before he was to receive it. I think 34 days—upon reconstruction by one of the members of my staff, 34 days would have been Christmas Day. and whether that 34 days—— The Cyaan. It is hard to believe that such a letter would be written on Christmas Day. Mr. Apams. It was not written on Christmas Day, but 34 days ihe Nobel Peace Prize I think was on December 10, the letter days from the date of the mailing of the letter as has been reconstructed, as best as possible, would have been Christmas Day. The Cxamman, Was the letter written and sent by the FBI Mr. Apaus. We have no information to that effect, All we know is that the draft, or original, of what may have been the letter was found in papers of the FBI left after a former official departed the FBI. We know that based upon inquiries that we have conducted and you have conducted, we know that the letter was not—I mean it was in connection with other material. So I think we can assume——- The Cuatrway. Other materials which were sent. Mr. Apvaas. That’s right. So I can assume that the letter was sent. I have determined nothing from my review of the files, and neither has "your staff, to my knowledge, or has been reported back to me which would indicate that this action was duly recorded in any file or was & part of any authorized program or anything else. This is a void that I do not think any of us has been satisfactorily able to resolve. The Cuammayn. We know the letter appeared in the files. We know that the letter was received. We know it was associated with other matters that were sent by the FBI to Dr. Martin Luther King. Mr. Apams. The letter was never in our files in the sense that it was entered into the official files of the FBT. It was among papers—— The Carman. It was among papers. Mr. Apaas., Left by an individual who had departed. The Cuatrman. That individual being Mr. Sullivan! Mr, Apams. Yes, sir. The Cuamaan. The letter read: “King. there is only one thing left for you te do. You know what it is. You have just 34 days in which to do it, this exact number has been selected for a specific reason. It has definite practical significance. You are done. There is but one way out for you.” Now, if vou had received such a letter, how would you have inter- preted it f What would you have thought it meant? Mr. Avams. IT have read that statement. I have heard the conclu- sions of your staff that it was a suicide urging. I can’t find any basis upon which they drew that conclusion. I think that, approaching it from an obiective standpoint. as I read it. I don’t know what it means. I think rather than a conclusion it should be a speculation in & realm of possibilities as to what was intended, but I cannot—I don’t under- stand the basis for it. It is a possibility. but I certainly would not reach such a conclusion from my reading of that statement. The Cuarmman. Now, if you had received a letter of this kind and it had been directed to you. and vou were in Dr. King’s position and you read, “King, there is only one thing left for you to do. You know what it is. You have just 34 days in which to do it.” Now, that hap-