B5b(15a)
Law Office Report #50
August 16, 1978
from June [Crym]
page 1
Impressions from meeting with Charles [Temple attorney Charles Garry] today (me, Lola, Martha, Lewis) [Editor’s note: Last three names likely in code]
1. We showed Charles the letter received from FCC (see law office report #48, item 3) for his thoughts. He is totally unfamiliar with FCC law. We also showed him the Traffic article that Tom [Adams] found several weeks ago which goes into detail over the issue of third-party traffic and conducting business as opposed to personal contact over amateur radio. He read it through. (We sent this article over several weeks ago – can’t find reference to it in law office reports – hope you still have it as Charles got the only copy and this is being written in a hurry.)
His first impression, after reading over the transcripts of our traffic which had been monitored from Arizona, was that it was in clear violation of the FCC law and that we should consider looking into getting commercial license. We explained that Tom was researching that this very day. (Later Tom came by when we got home from Charles’ office and told us that commercial radio is not international traffic, restricted to local, but that he’s getting more tips from a ham radio supplier by calling tomorrow.)
Pat [Richartz, Garry’s assistant] and Charles suggested we try monitoring other stations to see if others pass similar business traffic as we do; but we explained that that isn’t feasible as we use up the radio time with traffic and would waste time to sit and monitor others; also our span of bringing in stations is limited. Lewis mentioned Steve Gaskins group in the Midwest that has a mission station in South America and that they conduct business traffic on shortwave and Charles told him to bring in any brochures on Gaskin to Marshall. Charles wants Marshall to handle this as Charles is unfamiliar with FCC stuff. Marshall is also totally unfamiliar, but will be contacting Washington attorney friend who specializes in FCC law. He had called him once today already but the guy wasn’t in his office. Charles said the final alternative would be to fight it, which would ultimately result in their taking the license away and enforcing penalties.
2. We discussed how Chet and Sarah are concerned that even if ranch is put in his name it will not be safely out of SK’s [likely Steven Katsaris] hands. He said, he would recommend that we borrow as much as we could on the property from the bank, undertake a mortgage on it, pay interest only, so the lien stands against the property. In other words, he is not wavering from his last position that he does not want to record the title in firm’s name but rather wants us to sign a mortgage against the property so that if anyone were to come after it for attachment, it would have no equity, it would be a hollow shell as far as profit was concerned. He saw it as a moneymaking venture, investing the loan $ somewhere else to make money – he said if you have to realize you are liquidating your assets, you want to become judgment proof – you have to face some things. He said that there is no way they can attach until they get a judgment and that is pretty far down the road; but if it came to that, they could attach the income from the ranch as well. [Handwritten annotation from B5b(16a): “Right! E. [Eugene Chaikin”]]
B5b(15a1)
Law Office Report #50
August 16, 1978
from June
page 2
3. We told him how Jack suspected the Rotary Club, and wanted us to check out TOS [Timothy Stoen] having been plant from the beginning. Charles doesn’t like any hint of “conspiracy” and just laughed at this. He said he doesn’t believe the Rotary Club is anything but when it is, a service group. He himself used to belong years ago, and he also used to belong to the Lions Club. He said TOS is nothing but a jerk, that Jack is a nice guy but has some personality problems, and he sees conspiracy everywhere. It was interesting at this time that while he was spouting off against Jack’s and Mark Lane’s preference for conspiracy theory, Pat was silent. When we had met with Jack earlier this week at her house and he was proclaiming the Rotary Club to be what he actually thought it to be, and tying in the fact that TOS with directly there and dined with Rotarians when he got to Guyana, she supported him. She did not speak up in his defense to Charles, but nor did she speak against him – she remained silent. Charles does not like to see into things like this; he prefers to deal straight and any arguments re conspiracy are likely to reach deaf ears. We don’t agree with him and will proceed as Jack suggested, which was cleared over the radio last week. (FOIA re Rot.)
4. Discussing FOIA business with Pat, she said she had told Marshall not to do FOIA inquiry into the FCC Goldwater interception because it would take too long, but rather to have his attorney friend in Washington check into it and try to get access to the Goldwater file. Marshall called today, and found out that his friend is not only an attorney specializing in FCC law but also a ham operator, he monitors our radio traffic often and told Marshall he supported us and that we were doing good work. But he also said that it was clearly business traffic and he was surprised we had gotten away with it for so long. He will try to get the Goldwater file and get back to Marshall. [Handwritten annotation from B5b(16a): “Right! E.”]
5. Pat also suggested that we try more re FBI and FOIA with JJ since their last response with us was that they were reviewing their records, but we’ve received nothing since 12/77. She said don’t expect anything quick; she’s been working on getting Charles’ records since 1974 and just this month got the second release to have access to more. FOIA is not a quick process.
6. [Handwritten marginal note from B5b(16a): “Buford”] Nancy, the law clerk working on the PT v. Stoen case, wants an affidavit from the party who would know the background behind the handwritten note by TOS re Cobb strategy, which I sent you in law office report #44, page 3, saying that the handwriting is TOS’s and it was written on such and such a date, and the circumstances surrounding its writing. She also wants an affidavit from anyone who can personally testify that TOS prepared the deeds and the Medlock transfer and knows for sure that he was involved in the transaction; after she read [Eugene] Chaikin’s directions that came over the phone some weeks back and which were transcribed. I think Carolyn [Layton] or [Mike] Prokes called them over – see copy attached re the Medlocks. [Handwritten annotation from B5b(16a): “Kay Nelson’s OK.”]
7. Charles will be meeting with Archie [Ijames] and Vee [Hollins] and Mac [Jim McElvane] and Florida [Johnson] tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 to discuss the DA interview; the interview was still set for 9/1 [Handwritten annotation from B5b(16a): date circled] at 10 AM. Charles will be out of town all next week on vacation in Monterey, with Pat. The DA is supposedly in the Bay Area this week but we’ve heard nothing and Charles and Pat both don’t think we will.
B5b(15a2)
2)
Re Medlocks:
We need to locate the following papers: real estate file, legal file, law office report minutes, the deeds, originals and copies and any handwritten letters to [handwritten word] Jim. Maybe the last part of 1974 in the counsel room in LA, present were AJ [Archie Ijames], TOS, Kay [Nelson], both [Medlocks] husband and wife, and perhaps others. There, they both sign deeds to both of the properties in favor of [two handwritten words] Peoples Temple. We are not sure who prepared these deeds but we think it was TOS. They were told that the deed would not be used until a decision was made that we would sell out and move [two handwritten words] to Guyana. It was then generally expected by everyone in [two handwritten words] Peoples Temple family that conditions [two handwritten words] in U.S.A. would make it impossible for things to remain.
The [handwritten word] Medlocks intended at that time to go [two handwritten words] to Guyana, and understood that the funds deriving from the sale of the properties would generally assist in the development of [three handwritten words] the Guyana project. The thing that prompted the meeting at that time was that the husband [handwritten name] Wade Medlock said he wanted to get a divorce, so all the property and give his have to [two handwritten words] the Temple, but Mabel did not. They were talked to separately at one point to which Mabel later continuously objected. Sometime in the winter of ‘76 the statement was made that we would have to sell out and that we were going to [three handwritten words] exodus to Guyana.
Actually the statement was made at a leadership meeting on Labor Day of ’76 in RWV [Redwood Valley]. It was not implemented at their level until winter. The deeds that had been held by two handwritten words] Peoples Temple but not recorded and in the interval [handwritten word] Medlocks continued in possession and collected rent, paid bills, except for the taxes on the Zarembo residence. Anyway, at that time they were asked to sign a listing agreement with Kay who was a broker and then had an active real estate office in LA. The husband did so, the wife did not. She objected. After some discussion, it was agreed that she would cooperate with the sale but she would get her share of 50% at close of escrow. We think that TOS participated in these discussions. During April or May 1977 Kay was having a hard time showing the property. The husband always made excuses when she call for appointments and they would not give her a key to Zarembo’s. Wade always protested he was anxious that Mabel was dragging her feet.
Kay confronted the delay and told them if they didn’t want to, then forget the whole thing and give them back the deeds. This was like on a Friday. Then they said they would call her back. Then they went to SF that weekend. There was another discussion; the same story, he was eager – she didn’t want to. So we don’t know who was at the meeting. There were 3 or 4 counseling sessions over these things but anyway they again agreed to go through with the arrangement. Later the next week they called Kay and told her they would go through with it. She had no further trouble showing.
By early 1977 summer sales were arranged. All documents were signed providing that issue to go to [two handwritten words] Peoples Temple and her share to go to her. Papers were launched in escrow, later on before the escrow closed, sometime in July, there was another meeting in LA one Saturday night. The whole leadership group was there. TOS was also there. There was an occasion where the
B5b(15a3)
3)
Anias & Sophyra story was put out by [handwritten name] Jim. She was pretty much told that she would drop [blank space] if it didn’t work out. She was upset and maintained her position she would keep it, but later that week she changed her mind. A few days thereafter amended instructions were prepared transferring her share to [two handwritten words] Peoples Temple. I [handwritten name] Gene either prepared them or checked them, but I believe there were others there – they were either prepared or approved by TOS. Escrow closed in the fall but [handwritten name] Medlocks said they needed $7000 from it to pay some bills and that sum I believe out of escrow.
They lived at the apartment some 10 months, paid rent for 2 months; repairs were made on both properties and paid for by [two handwritten words] Peoples Temple. There were other expenses paid for by [two handwritten words] Peoples Temple attributed to them and which should be credited.
In December 1977 they decided they wanted the money back and they asked [two handwritten words] Peoples Temple officials about it. There was a meeting I understand. [Handwritten name] Marceline [Jones] attended and said she would see if the Board could make an adjustment.
It will be emphasized by [handwritten name] Medlocks that they were led to believe that [handwritten name] Jim was very important and that he had great influence & that sort of thing.
[Editor’s note: B5b(16a) – (16a3) duplicate B5b(15a) – (15a3), with annotations noted above.