Letter to Annie Moore from Dale Parks, October 1978
EE-2-no-1a
October 3, 1978
Comrad [Comrade] Annie [Moore],
Regarding your note concerning Lisa Layton:
Thank you for calling this important matter to my attention. The party assigned to follow up on these matters was Sylvia Sly [Grubbs], and I as a supervising nurse feel equally responsible for the lack of follow-through. As result I acted quickly and promptly to establish follow-through, and reported the neglect to Phyllis [Chaikin], and established the following:
I. Update Nursing Care Orders (on chart)
1) Supervising nurse, continue to visit patient every 2 hours to monitor nursing care
2) Vital signs every 4 hours around the clock
3) Check for bedsores, provide back and skin massage for circulation, turn patient every 2 hours around the clock
4) Intake and output, 24 hours, to be recorded by the supervising nurse
5) Assess orientation, pain, emesia, appetite and general patient care follow-through and hygiene each visit
6) Patient’s family may visit p.m.
7) Record type and # of stools daily.
8) Report abnormal or changed in vital signs and symptoms to Dr. [Larry] Schacht ASAP
Dale Parks, Supervising Nurse
II. Commuting a practitioner, doctor, supervising nurse and patient care team to update patient care plan, will occur immediately – tonight! @ 6:30 PM – and a weekly meeting will follow for the duration of Lisa’s care.
III. Insist on complete and better communication between doctor, practitioner, nurses and healthcare team, for more appropriate and timely medical care
IV. Noted lack of follow-through on and called to the attention of Joyce Parks and Larry Schacht who should both make frequent rounds and write all orders.
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EE-2-no-1b
Thank you again for information and concern regarding Lisa. I will follow-up. Please feel free to keep me informed of any areas lacking follow-through and I will make my eye more observant. It is my opinion, we expected too much of Mary and we should have been more on the ball. The assumption now is for Mary to do maintenance, and Supervising Nurses to do nursing.
Sincerely, Dale [Parks]
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Undated Letter to Jim Jones from Joyce Parks
EE-2-no-2a – 2b
Dad,
Phyllis [Chaikin] and myself were talking after your announcement about physicals and other things in the office. She said at that time a talk she and I had this morning about your health had prompted the push for exams besides the fact that they needed to be done. I told Phyllis that Annie [Moore] had talked to me about some lab work and things for you and that your health was lower now than I had ever seen you. I told her that Dale [Parks] had been called a couple of nights ago and that I was making myself available if there was anything needed. I did not say I had spent time up with you – Phyllis said I did. I told her that I was really glad the Russian doctors were coming to check you because I really feel you need to go to a diagnostic center and get x-ray studies and blood analysis not available in this country.
I am very sorry that you were the subject that brought up the physical situation to a head because it’s needed badly. I am willing to work wherever I’m needed. I told Phyllis that there must be somebody to see patients that the supervising nurses can’t handle on the spot and that’s mostly my function. The special care unit to make rounds and keep things moving. Up until the table was put into x-ray we did all basic exam procedures in the office. My time is scheduled by Sylvia [Grubbs Sly] and I am willing to do physicals.
Dad again I’m sorry – I will do anything necessary to make this movement go forward. I will not allow my selfishness to stand in the way of anyone’s life.
Joyce Parks
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Note on Jim Jones’ Pain from Lucille Payney, May 1978
EE-2-no-3
26-5-78
Lucille E. Payney
CB 3
Dearest Dad:
I think the greatest pain you feel is when you have trusted one, such as Tim Stone [Stoen] & he lies to you & [is] now doing everything he can [to] hurt you.
It is enough to break anyone up. Not only him, but lots of those you have trusted here turned traitors. They have given you a lot of pain.
Everyone who gives you pain in any form is banned as a traitor.
I hate to see you in pain, & it hurts me to my heart. I feel pain as much as you & I cry inside me.
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Undated Thank You Note to Jim Jones from Robert Paul
EE-2-no-4
[Editor’s note: Spelling and grammatical errors corrected throughout.]
From: Robert Paul to Dad
Thank you Dad for your love and concern for each and every one of us here and elsewhere. I was out burning logs with gas and diesel mix together. I had a can full of the mixed fuel. I poured the gasoline where I thought was no fire. But everything happened so fast. When I knew what was going on I was on fire. There was fire all over my body, the can was burning in my hand, all over my arm and chest. And Bruce Jackson and Joan Johnson saw this and got out of the way. Bruce saw my body on fire and almost passed out. But Dad your love saved us. The fire was all over my body but didn’t burn a hair. Thanks Dad.
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Undated Note to Jim Jones from Jerry Parks
EE-2-no-5a
Father
As I had 2 minutes to answer the last question on revolutionary act & dying, after some thought it was not a very good answer. [It] came from the top of my head & not my heart.
I wrote a letter about 2 weeks ago about saving money for the family but I did not turn it in to you as I didn’t know whether it was the right thing to do, but I wanted to let you know I did not fear going back to raise money even if I had to give my life. I assure you I will take some with me. I have never seen any purpose for life here & I have never thought I would live long anyway especially had I not been with you. I have never understood why we are here and why these fascist pigs are allowed to torture, kill, enslave people anyway, and now the only answer for my being here is to bring a few of these class enemies to their end by any means possible. I don’t fear dying but I do fear being imprisoned. I have always had claustrophobia. When I was a young boy, 6 people held me down and administrated ether while I was screaming, my neck swelled & I almost smothered to death. I think this is why I have this fear, but if you will allow me to do this (as written in letter attached) I assure you Tim Stoen will bother you no more. I incapable of devising a plan to get him not in secret either.
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Undated Note to Jim Jones from Jerry Parks
EE-2-no-5b
I don’t like the previous statement I made about giving my life since you are the only one worthy to do that, but at least when I die, I don’t want to hide. I want to die openly known as a communist freedom fighter. I don’t want to die from some damn disease or old age. I prefer this way & I ask you to give me the privilege & I can get a few thousand dollars for here in the process.
Jerry Parks
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Undated Note to Jim Jones from Jerry Parks
EE-2-no-6
From Jerry Parks
Father
I have heard you say how bad we need money for food & I would like to ask you what you would think of this idea. I have not been terminated as yet at Safeway in Ukiah. I can bring in between $900 & $1000 a month clear for us here, depending on getting my same job working on Sunday. I can make $100.00 on Sunday alone. I also can work part-time at another store since working here I know I can work a full-time job & part-time both. I can stay with Delmar & not have to pay rent just my food. Also if I can get in about 2 more months I can get my pension about $240 month. Since being here I am getting my head on straight and am really concerned about doing something for the cause. I have no fear about going back. I think you can trust me to follow thru. When I left I talked to the store manager & told me to terminate me. I was going back east. He told me not to terminate in case I wanted to come back within 2 or 3 mo I would still have my job, but I would have to keep my union dues up as of April 1st. I would feel good bringing in money for the cause, if you think this will be possible, I would be glad to do it, if not that is fine also. I also can help at the church in SF on days off & I think Delmar would pay my way back to Ukiah if I ask him.
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EE-2-no-7b
Undated letter to Jim Jones from unknown person
[Editor’s note: The two pages of this document on the PDF are in reverse order.]
Dad
Because of what has transpired since I started associating with Stephanie Chacon, I’ve wondered whether the whole thing began as a result of something I did or said, which gave the impression I wanted a relationship. If this is so, then you need to know that until you spoke to me about her, I have not said 3 words to her (Just “Hi” as we passed, with nothing to it). For whatever reason, I can’t stand the image of a weak male (I don’t want to be categorized with Tim Carter) which is what I have of myself. The question is, is this (relationship) something I need to go through to strengthen myself? It seems counterproductive to me. I’ve been in the cause for 6 years without getting emotionally involved with anyone (I didn’t like Kay & I didn’t like Christine). Not only have I am not fucked anyone in this entire time, I never even tried to fuck anyone. That’s got to mean something.
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EE-2-no-7a
Stephanie is physically attracted to me, thus there is emotional involvement which, as you accurately point out, clouds one’s vision. I decided to pull out of this before it really gets going. I’m sure I will function better that way. You can check with those who know my work and I’m sure you will be told that I’ve worked conscientiously and effectively even lately. Besides, it doesn’t make sense to be involved with someone whose themself is trying to change.
I think it is essential for light-complected people (particularly with a background like mine) to be united with a black person or child in this cause. I have been spending time with Neal Touchette. But since he already has a dad, I will try to find another child who needs a father figure.
I wouldn’t have written this that I thought perhaps someone gave you some wrong signals about me. I feel I did a conscientious job in town without fucking off or being hostile.