Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.
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FBI Catalogue Tapes Not Summarized
FBI preliminary tape identification note: One Tracs 60/ "Carlton Goodlett 22/8/78 comments of Jonestown"
Date cues on tape: 22 August 1978 (notation on tape box)
People named:
Public figures/National and international names:
Part 1:
- Carlton Goodlett, newspaper publisher (speaks)
Jonestown residents, full name unknown:
Part 1:
- Brother Brown
Diane
Part 2:
- Tim (speaks)
Tony (speaks)
Bible verses cited: None
Summary:
Following his visit to Jonestown, newspaper publisher Carlton Goodlett accedes to a request from a Temple interviewer to record his impressions of the project. While he was there only a few hours, Goodlett says, his impressions were positive. He saw several parts of the community, including such agricultural facilities as the piggery and chickery, as well the medical clinic, although he adds that he didn’t have extended tours through any of them. He had a good meal while he was there, he says, and heard a good performance by the Jonestown band. He also remarks that people who were living on the streets of San Francisco just a few years before are now productive members of society.
Most of the interview apparently takes place as Goodlett is en route to the Georgetown airport to take a plane back to the U.S. Following an edit – and as Goodlett is about to get on the plane – the interviewer asks for a brief message to the world. In a stronger voice than the early part of the interview, Goodlett says, “I for one plan to do everything possible to spread the message, and I have come to Jonestown, I have seen the wave of the future in terms of living in the present, and about what I found, I find very intriguing and challenging.”
The second part is a short snatch of conversation at the end on the second side of tape between two men who are tired and ready to go to bed, apparently after having worked all night.
FBI Summary:
Date of transcription: 3/8/79
In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the assassination of U.S. Congressman LEO J. RYAN at Port Kaituma, Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978, a tape recording was obtained. This tape recording was located in Jonestown, Guyana, South America, and was turned over to U.S. Officials in Guyana and subsequently transported to the United States.
On March 7, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B62-15 and nothing was contained thereon which was considered to be of evidentiary nature or beneficial to the investigation of Congressman RYAN.
Differences with FBI Summary:
There is nothing to compare the two summaries, since the FBI did not write anything for this, or 64 other tapes which bear the notation "Tapes Not Summarized." These tapes seems to have little on them which the FBI could use for its purposes of investigating crimes arising from the Jonestown tragedy, but then again, that describes many other tapes as well. The difference seems to be that one or two FBI agents catalogued this set of tapes — as evidenced by the typewriter used in writing the reports — and that generally, the transcriptions were made early in the process, before someone may have asked for greater detail in the reports.
Tape originally posted February 2003