[Editor’s notes: This transcript was prepared by Heather Shannon. The editors gratefully acknowledge her invaluable assistance.)
[The transcripts of these affidavits retain their original spelling throughout, corrected only where the meaning is unclear. In addition, the misspellings of names have been corrected.]
FF-4-A-6
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Louise Teska Lee Williams, being duly sworn, declare:
On July 4, 1972, I went to a Peoples Temple meeting in Redwood Valley, Ca. I had been having blinding headaches for weeks. Rev. Jones called me out and the pains went away immediately and I haven’t had one since.
/s/ Louise Teska Lee Williams
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-7
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Annie McGowan, being duly sworn, declare:
I wore a steel brace for 17 months during 1970 and 1971. My doctor told me I needed surgery and would have to wear the brace for the rest of my life. At the end of the 17th month I was healed by Rev. Jones. I returned to Dr. Thomas (Vernon and Webster Streets, San Francisco, Ca.) and at that time he took more x-rays which showed no sign of a back ailment whatsoever. I have had no problem with my back since then.
/s/ Annie McGowan
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-8
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Tommy Keaton, being duly sworn, declare:
In 1974 I was diagnosed a diabetic and told I would have to take insulin orally three times a day for the rest of my life. I was continually weak and had problems with frequent urination and becoming hungry all of a sudden. During a meeting at Peoples Temple in June, 1976 Rev. Jones told me that he was taking care of my condition and not to worry. I went back to Dr. William Atkinson (Crenshaw Blvd. & Florence Ave. West Los Angeles, Ca.) who told me that I had no problem with blood sugar whatsoever.
/s/ Tommie S. Keaton
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-9
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Flora Sanders, being duly sworn, declare:
During a meeting at Peoples Temple one day, I thought I was having a stroke. I had pains starting at my shoulders going down the center of my chest, around the area of my heart. I was told by Rev. Jones that I was not having a stroke but that he would heal the condition that was causing the pain. That night, I could see a line like an incision. Several others saw it, including Dr. Guyam the next day. He showed it to the other doctors who were absolutely amazed. I have had several electrocardiograms since then and everything is fine. I have never had pains like that since that time.
/s/ Flora B. Sanders
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-10
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Eddie Washington, being duly sworn, declare:
In 1976, I went to Santa Monica Hospital where I was diagnosed as having a tumor in my bladder. The doctors recommended surgery. Rev. Jones knew about my condition and told me that everything would be alright. When I went in to have surgery, the doctors found that there was no tumor at all, eventhough they had run several tests and had no doubts about my condition. I have had no bladder trouble or related problems since then.
/s/ Eddie Washington
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-11
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Louise Teska Lee Williams, being duly sworn, declare:
In 197 , my vision was blurry and I had only half my normal vision. My stomach was sore and painful and I had difficulty eating. Rev. Jones said it would be ok and not to worry. I now see very well and the soreness and pain in my stomach is gone and never returned.
/s/ Louise Teska Lee Williams
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-12
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Eddie Washington, being duly sworn, declare:
For 2 years I suffered with severe pains in my lower back. The doctors told me that I had arthritis, rheumatism, and bursitus. Rev. Jones healed me of these terrible pains in 1974 during a meeting at Peoples Temple. When I returned to Dr. Nickens, he commented on the great improvement I showed in standing and walking. Before, almost all leg movement was difficult, but now I can get around quite well and have never again suffered such pains.
/s/ Eddie Washington
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-13
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Mary Ford, being duly sworn, declare:
For several years, I had migraineheadaches which incapacitated me for hours at a time. I had been seeing Dr. Williams, 1101 Compton Ave., Los Angeles, Ca. who diagnosed my condition but was unable to prescribe any drugs that offered me any relief. In 1973 /s/ 3, Rev. Jones called out my name in a Peoples Temple meeting and sent me a cloth to touch my head with. I no longer have any headaches. When I went to Presbyterian Hospital in San Francisco, Ca. they could find nothing wrong. I have never had a migraine headache since then.
/s/ Mary Ford
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-14
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Viola Moton, being duly sworn, declare:
In June, 1973, I was hospitalized in an emergency condition, I had gone to John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital Outpatient Clinic for breathing treatments which I received on a regular basis. I did not respond to the treatments at all and was immediately admitted to the hospital. At that time, my temperature was elevated, my speech was slurred, and I had no control over the movement of my eyes. I was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday morning. Wednesday night, the doctors Instructed my husband to call all of my relatives and inform them that I was near death. When my son was reached in California, he informed Reverend Jones of my condition. Reverend Jones said that everything would be alright. Although I was hospitalized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the terrible pains I had been having in my head subsided immediately and I was soon released from the hospital. I have never had anything like that since then.
/s/ Viola Moton
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-15
[Editor’s note: This affidavit is duplicated at A-16.]
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, So. America)
Affidavit s/
I, Marion Campbell, being duly sworn, declare:
I had terrific pains in the back of my head and shoulder. During Peoples Temple services in San Francisco, Ca., Reverend Jim Jones sent a nurse to me, his message was that I would be saved from my pain. Instantly, my pains were gone.
/s/ Marion Campbell
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
[missing line] Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-17
Port Kaituma )
North West Region )
Guyana, South America)
Affidavit s/
I, Helen Love, being duly sworn, declare:
I had been a patient of a Dr. Killian for years in Philadelphia, Pa. who was treating me for heart trouble. I grew worse instead of better and spent my nights in a reclining chair since I could not sleep. I could only walk 1 block and sometimes less than that. This was in December 1971. I read of Rev.Jim Jones and decided to fly to Redwood Valley. I was told I had to travel at my own risk with a sign around my neck which stated my destination and identification. I came to Redwood Valley where Rev.Jones took me in. Rev. Jones told me I would be o.k, and touched me. I immediately felt stronger, and now can walk and sleep without difficulty. I could not hear for a long time, and was almost blind. Rev. Jones called me out and told me I would be alright, and now I can hear and see well.
/s/ Helen Love
Dated September 20, 1977
Witnessed:
Subscribed to and sworn before me,
a Commissioner of Oaths for the
Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
[Notary signature and Guyana Revenue stamp]
—–
FF-4-A-74
(Editor’s note: This affidavit was duplicated on this section at FF-4-A-84, A-95, A-105, and A-141. It also appears at B-2-d-13 on this page.)
State of California ) ss
City and County of San Francisco )
Affidavit of Alfred Tschetter
I, Alfred Tschetter, being duly sworn, declare:
I am a certified radiologic technologist, and I live in San Francisco, California.
My dad was a Mennonite Minister and I was brought up in religion and it was my whole life. I was married at age 20 and moved away from the Mennonites immediate vicinity. I joined the Baptist church.
In 1951 I moved to California with the intention of going into the dairy farming business as I had in South Dakota. After surveying the economic situation, I decided not to enter dairy farming and spent one year servicing cars. In 1952 I had the opportunity to become an orderly and in the hospital a wise radiologist approached me to encourage me to finish my education to become a radiologic technologist. I received my training in Dallas, Texas, and was a member of a German Baptist Church. I was elected to the Board of Deacons.
One day as we were eating dinner, the chairman of the Board of Deacons was so inebriated that it took three of us to get him into a taxi to get him home. That same evening we had a Board of Deacons meeting and that was my last day in the: organized church. To me it was all too much hypocrisy, teaching one thing and doing another.
—–
While back to visit my 91 year old mother, who was in a fairly decent convalescent hospital and as a Mennonite who was taught from childhood to take care of our own, which also follows the teachings of Jim Jones….I realized that my mother was 91 and slightly feeble minded, but she was not to the point where she belonged in a convalescent hospital. I felt that my family had neglected her or did not want to take responsibility of someone who had reared them. A number of years before my wife and I had offered to take mother and keep her the rest of her life.
As I was driving back from North Dakota to California, I realized that I belonged in the teachings of Pastor Jim Jones. And I made up my mind that I would write a letter to Pastor Jim Jones asking if I could return to the church, which I did. He invited me to come back a number of times and also sent a group of people to visit me, which I greatly appreciated.
The years I spent out of Peoples Temple–I was never at any time harrassed or questioned or asked anything. I was given no pressure to return to the church. I returned on my own and at the kind invitation of the Pastor.
As a medical person and from my own experiences, I know that these healings are real. I have witnessed hundreds of them. I know most of the healings he does are beyond all medical hope. Being a part of the medical profession, I know that these healings were genuine and could not have been faked.
—–
Just this spring in Los Angeles I personally took the blood pressure of a woman and it went from 180/20 to 120/80 in less than one minute. I know that this is medically impossible.
All the time that I was out of the church, I lived in Ukiah, California. I saw and worked with people from the church and nobody ever said a negative word and were kinder and nicer to me than some of the non-church patients that I had.
Dated: July ___, 1977.
/s/ Alfred Tschetter R.T. (CRT)
Alfred Tschetter
Subscribed and sworn to
before me this ____ day
of July, 1977.