Teri Buford Notes on Conversations with Mark Lane
TALK WITH MARK LANE 8/26/78 afternoon call
-Mark said that he will not be going to Florida tomorrow afterall but rather will be comming directly here.
-he said that he had a long talk with Charles Preston and that he had been quite excieted about what we are doing for seniors down there and he said that he will try to get the word out about what is going on in Jonestown. Said that Charles is now editor of a Gray Panthers publications and will try to come down. Mark said that it was a good conversation.
-he said that he had the video tapes of all the fimls that he is going to give us comming down here so that we should make arrangeemnts to copy them
-said that he is being some 60 copies of Rush to Judgement with him also since he had made a promises to the people in Georgetown.
NEXT CALL WITH MARK LANE
-Told him to call the AG and he said ok that that he would pay a person to person visit to AG and also to [California Governor] Jerry Brown.
-said that he would talk to the Governor in person also.
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Teri Buford Typed Notes on Various People
[Transcriber’s note: There are numerous typographical errors and misspelled words in this document. For easier reading, they have been corrected.]
BEN BOWERS
Tom [Adams] called him this evening and he seemed his usually unguilt ridden self. Friendly to Tom. Appreciative of Tom’s offer on JJ’s behalf to pay his 50 dollar fine however Ben said that that would not be necessary for reason that he had protested the fine on the grounds that he had turned his license in and he had heard nothing more. Nothing unusual about Ben’s conversation.
DON FREED [author/screenwriter] conversation with Teri 9/26/78
Told him that I had not heard from Mark [Lane, Peoples Temple attorney] for a couple of days but as soon as I did I would let him know etc. Don doesn’t see how he would be of any use at the press conference and said that what he thought would be a joint thing of him and Mark on [Tim] Stoen and that is what he wanted to discuss with Mark. He also reminded that it is most important to talk with Charles [Garry, Peoples Temple attorney] about what our plans are at all and the whole significance of the press conference will of course also hinge on Charles’ support. And you know Don thinks the world of Charles and that could well be a problem when everyone gets together because Don’s alliance with Charles may well be tighter than his alliances with Mark. In fact Mark told me that Don considers Charles his very best friend.
MARK LANE: CONVERSATION WITH Teri 9/26/78
1) he did give a call to Dick Gregory and talked to him and Dick is excited about the possibility of coming down and is working on some plans to that he can try to make it into his schedule.
2) Charles Preston: he called and Preston wasn’t in so he is leaving a message for Preston to call him back.
3) Palladium-Item [Indiana newspaper] — he is going to send them a copy of the article when written.
4) Guardian: he said that they are not unfriendly but very dogmatic in their political position – he said that they argued the point that we should be up here fighting and all— he said that he argued that this was giving children a chance to grow and a place for seniors. They are not hostile to us in one sense but in a political sense they do not agree with our stand so they are not going to write on us.
5) gave him the message about the mix up in communication in regard to [Guyana opposition leader] Cheddi Jagan. // he said that he thought that communications just are very difficult between the interior and the other areas and he just chalked it up to miscommunication and that he didn’t pass it and further as a matter of polity he doesn’t pass things that he doesn’t understand.
6) NATIONAL Enquirer: says that the National Enquirer wants this other story from him so bad that they can taste it and he has said that he will give it to them only on the condition that they lay off of us. He is thinking about having a positive story by a National Enquirer reporter going down there as a condition to getting the other article. He wants to go down to Florida tomorrow en route here to settle the situation about the National Enquirer and to give them a positive story about J/town.
7) Mark says that he wrote a 6 page letter to this French film producer that he knows about J/town etc and should be hearing back on that sometime.
8) said that he placed a call to [San Francisco Chronicle editor] Steve Gavin and that Steve was not in so he left a number for Steve to call back.
9) Said that Ralph Abernathy [president of Southern Christian Leadership Conference] is workin gout a conference of movements at the end of the month and Ralph will be inviting Muhammad Ali to it and Mark says that he is going to invite Muhammad Ali at that point.
10)
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Mark Lane continued:
10) I asked Mark if he would mind staying here to cut down on the bills etc. and he said that he didn’t mind however he was setting up these calls with [Ukiah Journal reporter] Kathy Hunter and the like and all and he didn’t think that it would be wise to have them coming into the church or she might not respond. He said that at least for the first couple of days he thought that he should stay at an outside of the church while making these contact
11) Mark said that he has a lot of ideas that might be useful – he is trying to get together a team of people who can all sign for a medical thing to go to medical places here and outside the country— he is going to try to get some of the top names in the country to sign it as an endorsement and see if they can start getting free medical supplies for us that way.
PAT RICHARTZ [assistant to Charles Garry]
Pat called me this morning with the new news about that one case that they wanted to reopen and for whatever reasons that conversation of Mark Lane came up and this was her comments:
a) I don’t trust him
b) I worked with him on the White soldier trials in Chicago a few years ago and he alienated all of the Marxist soldiers so they finally split off and did their own trials three months after Mark did his— they found him to be inaccurate.
c) she said that she watched the James Earl Ray proceedings and that she felt that Mark did not prepare him for the case and that he came out looking like an ass. Said that he was no more better prepared to testify than she was on the case— that he came out looking like a liar and a crook,
d) she said that he is the kind of person who doesn’t know the meaning of cooperate—that when he gets on a case he goes full force with it and doesn’t listen to anyone else—- she said in the later steps of the [American Indian Movement leader] Dennis Banks episodes that they had to find excuses to get him out of town on various reasons for reason that he was driving them all crazy. Said that he gets his facts twisted up and uses facts as he wants to see them.
e)) she said that a case in point with us is the comparison between Mark and Don’s analysis of what [Joe] Mazor said and then the reading of the actual transcript. The two (as we found out the hard way) differ greatly in content.
AN IMPORTANT THING THAT SHE SAID: Is Garry made some remark about Don calling us fanatics and Pat got pissed at Charles for repeating it and she asked me not to tell Don that she had said it. She had apparently had a talk with Don Freed this morning and had been talking about us. In the process of the conversation Don said “They aren’t paranoid they are just fanatic in their beliefs”—–so who knows what that means. But I WOULD BE CAREFUL THAT MARK IS GOING TO TELL DON ALL OUR PLANS AND I THINK THAT DON WILL TELL THEM TO GARRY. I am going to ask Mark tonight to please keep in confidence anything that you said about Garry because I am afraid that this will get right because to Don and then right back to Pat. I think that we will have lots of trouble.
Garry was somewhat more defensive of Mark than was Pat. Garry said that he thought that he did a good job on the Wounded Knee trial and Pat reminded him that there were other lawyers working n the case etc, Garry said that he doesn’t want Mark calling any legal shots. I asked Garry if he would mind if Mark talked to the press in a positive
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manner and Garry said fine that Mark could talk to the press all that he wanted but that he just didn’t want to talk about any of the points of litigation. So — that is where that stands for right now.
Garry said that he didn’t have a problem with Mark in terms of not being of good faith and that kind of thing but rather that he just wasn’t a good lawyer.
I don’t know what to make of all this stuff.
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Teri Buford Letter to Jim Jones Regarding Mark Lane, September 1978
(Transcriber’s note: The entire page has a large X drawn across it.)
Conversation with Mark Lane—– Teri—9/22/78
-Said that he will be arriving in town from Memphis this Wednesday and would like a ticket for the same.
-said that he will call John Maher [cofounder of Delancey Street Foundation] when he gets here and anyone else that we would like him to contact he will take care of also.
-he said schedule anything and everything for him that there were no holds barred in who he was willing to talk to but he said to let him know in advance if any of it was to deal with the AG [Attorney General] or some legal thing as opposed to a PR type thing.
-He said that he would go over legal work with us on Wednesday night and Thursday and then on Friday he wanted to go down to LA to straighten out the Head case.
-He said that he wanted some of us to become acquainted with this Rosemblum [attorney Neil Rosenbaum] in LA so that if [Temple attorney Charles] Garry would suddenly dump us that we would be able to pick up with this guy on immediate notice.
-he said that he is willing to have a luncheon with us for people in the community etc.
-he wants the press conference scheduled for Thursday and then he wants to schedule all the radio and talk shows possible for the rest of the week with [author/screenwriter] Don Freed and Marcie [Marceline Jones] etc. and see what kind of mileage that they will be able to get.
-I asked if he had talked to the Guardian and he said yes—I asked what happened and he said that he didn’t want to discuss it over the phone[,] that he would talk about it when he got here—he did not sound enthusiastic about the whole thing.
-restated that he will talk to Tim [Stoen] in town
-restated that he wanted to talk with Kathy Hunter [wife of Ukiah newspaper publisher and Peoples Temple critic George Hunter] before the press conference—preferably on Thursday before he goes to LA on that Friday.
-asked me to call up Freed to inform him of the press dates to see if it was ok with him.
-Marcie talked to Lane about calling up Preston [Charles Preston, editor of Gray Panther publications] and asking him down and giving him the story and he said that he would do that also.
-Mark also said that he was bringing three videotaped movies for us to copy that he copied illegally himself. One of them is executive action and the other two are movies that have not yet appeared.
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Teri Buford Typed Notes of Meetings with Peoples Temple Attorney Mark Lane
MEETINGS WITH MARK LANE SEPT. 27-28 Teri
Those at meeting: Vera [Young], Hugh [Hue Fortson Jr.], Marcie [Marceline Jones], Tom [Adams], June [Crym], Teri, Leona [Collier]
Topics mentioned:
-wants to talk to [Joe] Mazor about getting out of that 2500 bill and also about the Fresno case before getting into the Fresno DA.
-feels that Mazor should not be working with us at all but rather just as an informer and wants to get Mazor back again interested in the movie idea.
-feels that in the [Steven] Katsaris suit that a change in venue is not the best idea for reason that Katsaris would be more likely to not want to be sexually exposed in his home town as opposed to other towns–Katsaris might be more inclined to drop the case if he stands to be embarrassed at home.
-feels that we should concentrate strongly on getting [Tim] Stoen out of the case.
-agreed that press conference should be at Temple at 10 am.
-said he would talk to [journalist and Communist Party member] Albert Kahn about getting the statement from the ediotr about the funding of Kathy Hunters trip.
-said that he would talk to Don [Freed, author/screenwriter] about the possibility of talking to George Klineman [son-in-law of Temple critic David Conn].
-thinks that we should contact all left wing press with articles about us– such as 7 Days—- Mother Jones— In These Times— etc— said that is was a mistake on our part (and his) to hit the Guardian first because they are so dogmatic in their views.
-gave us a record of this Barbara Dane— who is a folk singer against the capitalist system— he thinks that we should invite her to Guyana and ask he to play for our people— he feels that she will be impressed with both our lifestyle and talent—– she is now working for the Guardian and he feels that she will be an easy way to get friends with the Guardian.
=Mark said that he will talk to the congregation on Sunday.
-said that he would talk to Leo Ryan
-said that he will talk to [theologian] Barton Hunter
-wants us to set up an embassy in Washington to keep communications good in J/town and US.
-asked to take slide show to LA for use in the National Enquirer interview tomorrow.
-talked about making a contact for us to get massive doses of Vitimin C for project that a doctor friend (Nobel Peace Prize winner) is working on.
-Wants to get a Friedns of Jonestown committee together to do things not only in our defense but also to get them to write to get medical supplies and fund raising and all that kind of stuff.
-wants to talk to Grace [Stoen] when she gets off of work someday and see who has been contacting her.
-wants us to invite all the foreign press to the conference— that is Sweednesatachee, Denmarks, Russian, GDR, etc. also wanted Philand John Burton press person told, [California Lt. Gov. Mervyn] Dymally’s press person told Youngers press person told, Browns press person contacted about the press conference.
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Undated Teri Buford Notes, early October 1978
ELIZABETH TOTH
Apparently wrote a letter to her mother (Ray and Viola [Godshalk]) saying that she had lost her job— that she had given the children to her in laws— that she was contemplating suicide. Ray and Viola worte her a short note and Betty McCann wrote her a note also both of which I thought were ok. Elizabeth is asking if she can come by the church again sometime. I don’t know what to do with this. Any advice.
[assistant to Temple attorney Charles Garry] PAT RICHARTZ ON PARANOIA
When Don [Freed, author/screenwriter] was told about what Garry said about JJ being a fanatic—Don said that that wasn’t how it was at all. He said that he was talking to Pat and that Pat was calling JJ a paranoid and that he was defending JJ saying that anyone who got together a project like that had to be radically committed to their beliefs— which he feels she interpreted to mean fanatci. However he says that he in no way meant that JJ was fanatic etc. He said: “Who am I to call anyone fanatic— I am the most fanatic person I know.” /
FLORENCE BROWN:
Called this morning about going to Guyana. -1- talked about how well her children were doing and all etc. Said that she wanted to come to church here and that she wants to go to Guyana at Christmas time. Appeared friendly— grateful for the children talked about her old farm life.
CALL TO CHERYL BAKER:
Well Freed gave us this long song and dance number to call Cheryl Baker up with in hopes that she would rush down to SF
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And spill the beans about the Katsaris rape to Don and Mark. The call was 100% failure from word go when she answer the work phone “Grapevine”. Anyway it was down hill from there—no she didn’t want to come down—no she didn’t want anything to do with Peoples Temple— no she hadn’t heard of the Citizens Commission on Inquiry in Washington—- etc— and so it is left that Don Freed is going to have to call her up and clean up after us—- we did try however.
DEBBIE BLAKEY: June [Crym] told me that she and I are going to be deliverin her some message. So—- I just found this out last night so I will ask Don and Mark if they can find out from the National Enquirer how to get hold of Blakey and see if they can give us the address— otherwise I have n oleades whatsoever on finding out where she lives. Will porceed on giving her this message as soon as we can find where she lives. I wonder if you would want Lane/Freed talking to her.
TALK WITH LANE: 9/30/78
Lane said that he had talked to [Ukiah Journal reporter] Kathy Hunter for about 45 minutes today. I am sure I will get more information tomorrow however in the meantime— she apparently believes that we have electronic fences surrounding our project and all of the rumors she spred she is continuing to spread. Lane told her that they can work jointly together on an article for Esquire Magazine and he is going to set up a metting with her this Monday to see if she will show him all the letters that she says that she had that she claims to show to no one before. She still believes that Chung is Mao and that the whole country knows it and is just not saying anything. Should be a very interesting meeting with her.
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MARILYN PURSLEY:
Would like to go to Georgetown within the next month or two. She would prefer to take her son Eric with her but is not sure she will be able to afford his trip. In any case she wants to come down as soon as possible. Any feedback on this??
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Undated Teri Buford Notes, early October 1978
[Transcriber’s note: There are numerous typographical errors and misspelled words in this document. For easier reading, they have been corrected.]
DON FREED [author/screenwriter]
Called and mentioned that he had talked to a Les Payne from Newsday Magazine and that the guy is positive and may be interested in coming to Jonestown. I don’t know the background on this magazine or the guy however Don says that he considers it a real breakthrough and wants him to go down. Will have more information on this later.
DANIEL ELLSBERG
Daniel talked to the people here for about an hour. However one thing that he said to Mark [Lane, Peoples Temple attorney] while they were both sitting on the podium together was that he had heard a lot of strange things about us—- horrible to be exact. So Mark asked him out to dinner and they both spent the evening at Ellsberg’s house and Ellsberg did tell Mark that he was very impressed with the program and all the people here etc. He also told Mark that he always had reservations about joining or supporting something that he himself was not an expert in so Mark responded that he would give him enough information to make him an expert on Jonestown.
Debbie Rodriguez
Got a letter from Orelia [Anderson] in Jonestown saying that you were meditating for her husband Danny who is in jail for murder and all and that you were going to get them both to Jonestown soon. Anyway she told me that after she got the letter that she moved up to SF and proceeded to try to come to PT. She was turned away at the door by some 11 counselors and now she is slightly perturbed to have moved all the way to SF being told that she can move to Guyana only to find out that she is not allowed in the door— I frankly feel that she should be let in for reason that we have had informers at the highest levels of our organization so even if she is an informer—what is the difference. Anyway— since she has moved to SF – being on limited funds – she is living in a rundown old place and has since been raped. What to do?
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RE: CONVERSATION WITH PAT RICHARTZ: [Assistant to Temple attorney Charles Garry]
Pat called me up this morning after the press conference and asked me how it went and I told her ok. I told her that they talked about the James Earl Ray case and about us and she responded “They had a hell of a lot of nerve talking about the Ray case at your press conference— that will just kill the story for you.” She went on to ask me why was [Joe] Mazor meeting with Mark and Don in the afternoon and I said that I don’t know and she said not to believe any of their hairbrained schemes. She went on and on about Don’s and Mark’s ineptitude and all. But the important things that she said were:
1) that Mazor had called Garry telling Garry about a scheduled meeting private between him and Mark and Don (sounds like Mazor is trying to stir some shit between us and Garry)
2) That Garry had been called by Mazor and told about the press conference that Don and Mark were having and it was only fortunate that I told Pat ahead of time or we would again be in hot water with Garry.
3) That Garry had asked Mazor what the account or what bank that account of Stoen’s was in Venezuela and that Mazor could not remember ever talking about any Venezuelan bank account.
4) Pat asked me to come over to meet David Dellinger this afternoon (if he shows up) which shows to me that Pat is still vying to keep us as clients.
RE: CONVERSATION WITH MARK ABOUT PAT AND ALSO CHARLES ABOUT PAT
When I was talking to Garry on Saturday about the Cobb suit Garry got a call from Pat. Pat was literally hysterical. That is Pat was crying in fear for her life and all. Garry kept telling her to calm down that no one was going to hurt her or anything and not to worry and not to call that woman again and to just stay out
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of that whole affair. – I did not know what the whole thing was about but left the room to give Garry the appearance that I was giving hi and Pat privacy. However Mark told me today and told me to tell no one at all because Don had told it to him in confidence. Anyway Don told Mark that Pat called him on Saturday hysterical and that Pat told him that she had called up [Black Panthers founder Huey Newton] Huey’s wife and that Huey’s wife (Gwen) was cool to her and she was worried that the Panthers were going to kill her and her children. Don told Mark that he though that Pat had cracked— to make such an assumption on the basis that Pat was worried about a ton. Anyway—I would not have even credited Don’s story had I not heard the same thing happening in Garry’s office. So something is definitely wrong with Pat so this is a real zoo we are dealing with. We have Mazor playing both sides against the middle. We have Pat who begs for our friendship and tears Don and Mark down to us and then turns to Don and does the same thing about us to him. You have Don and Mark vying with each other on who can be the most eccentric—- you have all the left telling us that Mark is a fucker — and you have Mark being the only person who will speak up to the press on our behalf——– this is all happening in a critical time in the civil suits— Garry is beginning to act for once— Mark is urging us to get another lawyer— and I find it all very very confusing.
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Teri Buford Typed Letter to Jim Jones Dated Oct. 16, 1978
OCTOBER 16, 1978 REPORTS TERI
STAFF WORK OPENED UP
Jean [Brown] told me that when she moved the stuff from [Peoples Temple attorney Charles] Garry’s office to another safer place—she found all the staff suitcases had been opened. In fact they were opened and locked open so it was impossible to close them. Jean told me that on one occasion June [Crym] had given Sandy [Bradshaw] the key to the place and she had gone down there so I asked Sandy if she had opened her suitcases and neglected to lock them shut again and she said no. Not that it is really any big deal because Linda Swaney did all the damage anyone could do but it is clear that someone deliberately went through our stuff and had no qualms about us knowing for reason that they did not even try to hide the fact. Anyway—anything of consequence is gone from there now—-who knows who did it—-I don’t know.
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Teri Buford Typed Report
Reports – Teri Buford – October 20, 1978
1.[Joe] MAZOR:
Called [Peoples Temple attorney Charles] Garry yesterday and told him that Dwyer had sent an 8 page report to the State Department about [Peoples Temple attorney Mark] Lane’s visit to Guyana. This is all that he said that we were able to get from Garry. Also did the D to Mazor saying that his letters were received in the Capital and that he was always welcome in the project.
2. JIM CLEAVER: Ha s agreed to do an interview for the Sentinal. He will be talking to Hue [Fortson Jr.] and [author/screenwriter] Don Freed on Tuesday in LA.
3. [Los Angeles] Mayor [Tom] Bradley: Hue and Freed have tentatively scheduled an appointment with him on tiesday. Still not completely sure that he can get in but will try.
4. Pat Richartz [aide to Charles Garry]: Called yesterday on some routine matter and went on another one of her all out campaigns against Lane. Some of the points that she mentioned were:
a) Lane is no more left than the shoe on her left foot.
b) Lane is only out for alne and not for any cause.
c) Lane plays the game for the government becuase you never get the true story becuase Lane plays bothsides against the middle and befriends both sides.
d) She feels that Freed is crazy to even associate with Lane
e) she has always hated Lane and always will.
f) Lane in her opinion is the biggest male chauvinst that America has ever produced.
—-anyway—- I’m not endorsing her opinion— just passing it on— naturally she has the interests of Garry to protect and would try to get us away from anyone if she could so— I wouldn’t put much merit in what she is saying but do think you should be advised as to her opinion.
5. SCIENTOLOGY:
Talked to Jeff Quiros [Church of Scientology, San Francisco] today and he has been tied up in some HEW thing. He said that he would go over our articles and give me a call back. He was qurious to know how our thing with Stpen was going. He mentioned a guy on Channel 38 who was having some difficulty with the FCC and IRS and that we might want to give in touch. He said that he would keep a look out inhis suff for anything on Stoen. One thing that [Jim] Randolph told me later on is that the guy that takes care of our cash transactions at the Bank of Montreal is a scientologist. Also when I talked to Tom [Adams] about it the guy at the bank has been asking how our cases are going and the like. So we may as well take it for grantid that Scientology has a listing of how much cash we have on ahnd at all times. Tom said that the guy at the bank told him on one occasion that he agreed withus on doing things cash.
6. DENNIS BANKS [American Indian Movement leader]
Have sincerely tried every possible means of getting hold to Dennis and it is utterly impossible. Even when we don’t say that we are Peoples Temple people just have not seen him in months. Tom tells me that he was trying to get hold to banks before I can back with the same kind of luck. I even called his next door neighbots and
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They havenot seen him either. We are now begining to wonder if Dennis wasn’t a bit worried that som thing was going to go amuck with his extridition and split to someplace. Remmebr in an earlier report someone had seen Dennis in LA with an Asian girl and he looked all surprised. I do’t know. Have sincerely tried to get hold of him however.
7. NORMAN IJAMES
Talked to Norman today from Florida and he would like a patch sometime with his family. We can run it from here sometime if you like but it would be cheeper if you just picked up a Miami satipn and then the call could be done for free. He was checking out someting in regard to a shippinglines and was giving us some feedback on some questions we had. He sounded a little tired but other than that ok. He was interested inknwoing what is going on and I gave him a brief rundown. He is getting all the articles and stuff in the mail as it comes out. He said to say hi to AJ [Archie Ijames] and Rosie [Ijames] for him.
8. Marcie: [Marceline Jones]
Called to say that you should back up her story with her parents that she and you live in different places becuase she workes daya and you work nights and you al would never get any sleep if you did not live seperately. I passed this already on the radio so this is just a reminder.
9. ARCHIE [Ijames]
Was alittle upset this morning becuase he had not been told that Marcie was leaving. A stupid mistake on all of our parts. But moreover he was pissed becuase Marcie had promised him a counseling with him and his crew and now the opportunity is passed. A counseling sessions is being set up and things will get straightened out. Apparently Archie is having some problem with Irvin [Perkins] not comming to work until later— I am sure that there are two sides to the story however.
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Teri Buford Typed Report
REPORTS: – TERI – October 21, 1978
Talk with [Peoples Temple attorney Mark] Lane:
Talked to Lane this morning and he said that he has been in touch with the National Enquirer and [reporter] Hal Jacques and that Hal said that if he knew it he would like to tell him but that he cannot get it from them becuase the thought it best that with his being the middle man and all that he not know what it was. Lane then proposed to go to Florida and talk to the National Enquirer people himslef and find out 1. what it was and 2. stop it not only on the newspaper level but also on the level that it is origionating from. He said that if it is the Head case that he will go to Los Angeles and work on it. I gave him the information on that Ham operator that was saying all those things to the people on the aire and he would prefer not to call himbut rather wait until he gets to Florida and visit this guy and see exactly what materials he has and who he just duped and you want to get to whoever got him that stuff— so if it is ok with you he is going to check into that while in Florida. The rest of the time he diescussed developments with the [James Earl] Ray case. He will keep in touch more frequentlt.
Tim Carter
Called this morning from Idaho and he will be delayed slightly in gettng back here becuase he is gettng some partials made since he says that he only has six teeth left in his mouth. He said that his dad will pay the bill and that he is also buying stuff for others down there that have been requested.
Charles Preston:
Marcie [Marceline Jones] talked to him yesterday and he was friendly. He said that the Grey Panthers paper was rather poor but that he would try to find a way to get down to Jonestown. Marcie said that it sounded to her like he was doinga big hint for a paid trip and she said she did not give into his hint at all. Converdati n went well she said and she will fill you in on the details when she arrived.
PALlADIUM-ITEM [Richmond, Indiana newspaper]
Marcie is due to talk to them today. Will have more information on this when she calls.
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Teri Buford Typed Report
REPORTS – TERI – October 22, 1978
[Peoples Temple attorney Mark] LANE:
Marcie [Marceline Jones] called and said that she called him last night and that he said that he would write to Suzanne [Jones Cartmell] and put her on notice.
FRANCIS:
We spend from 9-12 this morning in a counseling session with Francis. Apparently she had run so many games on so many people about going down to LA this week that the whole issue finially came to a head. The issue was that she wanted to go to LA to make contacts. Our point was that she and Leona [Collier] were running this dinner and needed to be here — and not in LA until after this big dinner was over with. Her point was that we could do the work and she could organize from whereever– that she wasn’t needed on the follow through. She planned to go alone—- Marcie had told her that Vera [Young] is to go on all PR things with her. She hit me later telling me that she was going with Maxine who is her alliance and Marcie and I talked to her about her gamming up and then last night she hit Jean Brown. Just playing one against the other all the way alone. In the courde of the counseling she said that Leona was on a power trip. It got into a heated mess. Frankly— I don;t think a person who doesn’t carry their share of the responsibility has a right to be deciding what is a power trip or not when she has no first hand knowledge of what is needed to get a job done. Anyway the issue is calmsed down for the time being. It is hard to say what will happen. She doesn’t appear to be in overly good spirits with this group if you want my frank opinion. She saidm said at one point in talking about getting Marvine Gaye to come to dinner “I think it would be better if I talked to him in person so he can see me when I am acting like myself” The obvious inference was that in PT you don’t act like yourslef but rather we all put on a show etc. (I am sure you have heard all these complaints before).
LETTER WRITING:
I am soome what worried about the letterwriting that is going on here. I am not questioning the wisdom of having lots of letters going into anywhere as I can see the obvious advantage of having lots of pressure on any given office. But the worry I have it—– are we perhaps becomming counter productive with getting off all most all very poor quality letters. I don’tknow. But just stating the facts— out of the several hunder letters I read yesterday to the FCC, DA., McCoy and who all else we are writing. They are like anograms– how many differnt ways that you can say the same thing. Maybe since they dont read them and just chalk them up as votes– it doesn’t matter. But I hope that we aren’t bordering on counter productive. —I don’t know. As it is we are continuing with the letter. I do think that we should require that at least one heartflt letter or something that rings a note of real thoughfulness ought to go out to each place eavery other day or so just in case they are reading them. I am not writing this as a dig. Lauria and all are cranking them out as fast as they can– and they are direct and too the point. They say what you said– and they don’t take alot of risks in what they say— so the instructions are being followed to the T. This may be just fine. I am just throwing it out for reevaluation becuase Marcie called in here yesterday and said that the guy from the Indianapolis paper that she talked to said “I I write a good letter I get lots of letters– if I write a bad article I get lots of letter– but in all honesty I just see it as a massive letter writing campaign”. I am worried that perhaps others may view things this way. I am not being critical—- Obviously it is impossible to do high quality work to the number of people that have to be hit daily and also in the quantities to each that you want daily— but I just think that we should review what we are doing and reasse if this is what we want to do and are we get ing the results we want. I think that with the State Department it was most effect. With the Indianapolis man I am not sure that it was— so each case is going to have to be looked at on its own merit. I can’tsee it as really hurting. Perhaps it is only to let them know of our numbers which is fine. But I do think that you should be aware that the quality is to the point but grossely repititious and boring. Thats no problem but thught you should be aware.
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Teri Buford Typed Report
REPORTS
TERI
October 24, 1978
[Peoples Temple attorney Mark] LANE:
Called this morning and said that he would be going to Fla in two days. Said that he had talked to [National Enquirer reporter] Hal Jacques regualrly but that at this point he felt that Hal was sincere that he didn’t know anything. He said that he was now dealing with another man there and that there might be some possibility there of his finding out something. He said that Ellsburg [Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg] refuses to give permission for the information on the Kennedy assasination to be printed in the National Enquirer and therefore Lane is losing some of his leverage unless he can think of some stuff to get into the Enquirer to still keep them happy and make them think that they are getting what they are wanting. Said that he had already talked to them about the exchange of getting his article in exchange for not going to do one on us.
He said that he also liked the idea of approaching [Tim] Stoen and perhaps telling Stoen that we will quit going after his liscense which is important to him if he will drop the three lawsuits against us. Just talking to him out in the open about a trade. Mentioned that Marcie [Marceline Jones] had called him about Suzanne [Jones Cartmell] and that he would write the letter– suggested that he might ought to talk to her on the phone and I told him that Marcie had thought about it and thought that he should not call just write– so that will be done.
MAC: [James McElvane]
Got you r message about Mac and still I have some concern about him as I have previously expressed. I am more concerned becuase Mac makes it a personal effort to always try to get in with the key people–that is [Peoples Temple attorney Charles] Garry— [author/screenwriter Don] Freed– Lane— not being critical but when Mac pops in unexpected on the day that Leona [Collier], Hue [Fortson Jr.], Jean [Brown] and myslef are going to Garry’s for dinner it is pretty obvious that Mac wants in on something. (not that he is excluded) but to come all the way to SF for a dinner that he is not even asked to seems to me odd. He trys very hard to engragiate himself with Garry and Pat [Richartz, Garry’s assistant] now is absolutely in love with him. Pat called me tonight and said that she was going to be in LA with Garry this week and she wanted Mac to meet her and Garry at some Beverly Hills home for dinner. If everything is on the level with Mac I have not problem with that— However– I am not sure that all is on the level. So I am somewhat worried about these closeness of alliances. Garry asked me the other day if I trusted Mac— I said that I liked Mac a lot— but I have learned not to act on trust but rather just the “need to know theory” so that Mac knowledge of lack of knowledge in some areas wouldn’t reflect on my personal like or trust but just the way that we operate. Garry said “that’s good because I really like him”.
RADIO THING IN FLORIDA
I got the radio mesaage from Mary Wotherspoon as to this ham that supposedly talked against us on aire. As instructed I told Lane about it and he called the person. When he called the person who answered said that they had just received a call from a rather forceful speaking woman who said that they had better leave us alone and that Mark Lane was our attorney and they would
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BB-7-A46
REPORTS
Teri
be in serious legal trouble etc etc etc. Anyway– Lane immediately thought that I had done it so he owned up to the fact that he had done some legal work for us on one occasion. He said that the guy was not hostile– but somewhat defesnsive in view of the last call. Lane The guy said that he had gotten the information from the NET control guy and he also said that he hadn’t said anything on aire. He said that the FCC [Federal Communications Commission] was on our case and that we were going to have our liscsne taken away — he said that he had gotten this notification from the FCC in SF. Lane thought that this was suspicious becuase he was under the impression that all FCC notifications came from Washington and not from SF as indicated by this guy. Lane says that he is going to see him while in Florida. Furthermore– Lane thought that I had made the call to this guy and he said that it was out of order becuase I had asked him to call and just blew the whole thing that he was planning by my call. I told him that Ihad not done it. Then he said to ask around the people here to see if anyone here had done it becuase he said that it wasn’t a real hostile type call but a firm call– just like something that we would do and that he wouldn’t particularly disagree with were it not for the fact that he was trying to pump for information shortly thereafter. I told him that I didn;t do it nor did anyone else here. He was so convinced hat he told me to check anyway. Anyway at this point he seems to believe that we didn’t do it or if we did do it it could be a provacatuer in our midst. But the only ones of us here that knew about this were Jean [Brown], myslef, Tom [Adams] and Sandy [Bradshaw]. My concern is that this was not anything seri us enough for the CIA to be tapping our phones and then doing a semi-hostile call to this person. I just don’t understand it at all unless this thing was done long distance from Georgetown but that seems illogical to me also. I cannot figure it out. But then again there is always the suspician that the person who did this call might infact be responsible for the additional harrassment that some ex-members have been getting that was never done by us. I really wonder if we have a zealout amoung us doing thesethings. My conclusion is obvious.
LEON BROUSSARD
Called tonight and I answered that call. He asked to speak to Patty [Cartmell] and I told him that she wasn’t in. He said that he was Leona and he just wanted to say that he was very sorry for what he had done and that he loved you and all the people here at the Temple and that he knew in his heart that we were doing the right thing. He wanted us to send a message to Guyana letting you know how sorry he is. I checked with Tom on this and he said that we get calls from Leon all the time asking to come back to the church and the like. I am not suggesting that he come back but I wonder if for the price of getting him a dinner if he would perhaps reveal how he came to be involved in the conspiracy– did they pay him to get involved (how many bottles did they give him) I think that he would be a low risk person to approach.
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Teri Buford Typed Report
REPORTS
TERI
10/26/76 [1978]
[Peoples Temple attorney Mark] Lane
Gave the message tonight that you asked be givin about Bonnies [Beck] call and the things that were said by the national Inquirer and how we would sue for 200 million dollars if they printed one faulty word— etc etc. Surprisingly enough Lane had no trouble at all with our having done the call— and needless to say I swallowed hard before I passed that message given all the past experiences with [Peoples Temple attorney Charles] Garry etc— anyway– no problem– he said that he was not at all surprised by the response of the secretary and that they were still negotiating and he would continue to stay on top of it. As far as the sueing goes– he said that that has been his standeard and running line with them. He said that he had no problem throwing in the 200 million when talking to them but that he did want us to know that everytime he talks to them that we talk about sueing and he has made that very clear— he also has sent them a telegram and letter to that effect. Lane thinks that they know that he means business and he feels that part of the reason that the national Inquirer is not running the story yet is more the fear of sueing than necesarily being sold on the sotries that he and Hal [Jacques, National Enquirer reporter] have given them. (Lane then gave his schedule– says that he will be in Washington still in the morning– then he is going to fly to New York and then to Memphis- (same day) and then back to Washington on Saturday—- so it is going to be tough catching up with him)
MARIA [Katsaris]
Got a call on the pay phone from someone who called themselve Terri and who said that she wanted to talk to Maria Katsaris. Gave a call back number 391-9603. I don’t know what this is all about but it did strike me very strange. I am going to ask someone to do a fishing type call to check out the number to see what the hell it is. In the mean time— someone should check with Maria to see what it is all about–she may have some idea.
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BB-7-A40
Teri Buford Typed Report
TERI – Reports
10/26/78
talk with [Peoples Temple attorney Mark] Lane verbatum transcript
Re: Nantional Enquirer and what he found out in Flaorida
Well there is nothing new happening– I have been talking with them and they are desperately anxious to get the [Martin Luther] King material but I don’t think that I can do that for other reasons. I will try to find something hat I can give them. They are interviewing James Earl Ray tomorrow. [In] exchange for that I am asking for everything that they might have and everyhitng that might possible erupt– they are negotiating talking about that but they haven’t told me yet.
T: so they didn’t say if anything was going to break next week or not.
M: well they don’t know. All they said was that was a possibikity
T: What about the Debbie Blakey sotry– does that mean that has been thrown out.
M: Well, I don’t know. I can’t say for sure. If what every they say might happen– happnes– then they may come up with a story. They have been very much slowed down by the information with Hal Jacques [National Enquirer reporter] and my talking to people there
T: another thing could you check back with the SF chronicla [San Francisco Chronicle] and ask them why they completely ignored us when you gave the press conference.
M: Well, of course, I did discuss that with their reporter who called and said that he wanted to go down there— don’t you remember– what’s his mane– [Marshall] Kilduff– he called and wanted to go to Jonestown and I said no not if you are only running hostile sotries and not running out answer. However what we can do now is to write a letter to them ans sa asked them official to do that. They had already asked a reporter (Kilduff) and you know how that is.
T: anything else.
No:
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Teri Buford Typed Report
REPORTS
Teri
October 26, 1978
1. Bonnie [Beck] called this morning and said that she had gotten hold of the National Enquirer in Fla. She said this time that she got through to a secretary that was kind of low on the totum pole and got some information from here. The woman said that they were still planning a negative article on Peoples Temple and that some of the stuff covered would be that we have some 15 million dollars, That we don’t allow for people to come and go except for a very select few of the leadership. Said that the would be stuff about the living conditions also. — she did not know any more. Bonie said that we she called yesterday she got someone higher up and they would not breathe a workd but there others being less professional were more inclined to talk. Another thing however is that they do not have a set date for the article only that they always welcome more information.
However my opinion on the vaule of this call is that this call does not preclude the fact that something might be ready to break for reason that these people might now be aware of itas they probably aren’t talking it around. Frankly this sounds like the Debbie Blakey stuff all over again. So I would assume that this is what the secretaries are operating from.
2. You asked for a run down of what [National Enquirer reporter] Hal Jacques asked for so that you could kind of guess by process of elimination f what the new topic was– so here is every question that he asked:
a) What is the purpose of your trip to the US
b) what is your name— how old are you
c) before settling in Jonestown where did you live.
[d]) are you married? are your wife and children in Jonestown?
e) Why did you choose to go to Jonestown
f) Have you found what you were looking for in Jonestown.
g) Do you have a family here in the US.
h) Have they been able to make contact with you and visa versa.
i) What living accomadations do you have in Jonestown
j) what was your entry fee into Jonestown– money– property– how much
k) How is Jonestown governed
l) have you ever heard of anyone being beaten by guards or having pressure exerted on their foreheads.
m) Would it be easy for you to leave Jonestown if you desired.
n) Hae you ever heard of people being put into boxes in the ground for any period of time as a form of punishment.
o) Have you ever attened or heard of a meeting in which Mr. Jones spoke of mass suicide in the eventthat the CIA came into Jonestown.
p) what about a hole in the ground or a well into which children are placed as punishment.
q) what sort of rules govern Jonestown
r) what sort of punishment is doled out
s) are people happy in Jonestown, what do you need there
t) what is necesaary for a trip the USm what procedures.
u) How accessible is Jim Jones
v) Have you been told what questions to expect to be asked here today.
Did anyone give you the answers. Are you holding any executive or upervisory position in Jonestown.
- w) anything else that you would like to say.
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Teri Buford Letter to Jim Jones, late October 1978
CONFIDENTIAL TO JIM ONLY:
HOME AFFAIRS: FROM Teri
MARCIE [Marceline Jones]:
Marcie is very much needed here. Offerings are up despite her protests (we got 2000 this weekend which for us is good). She has got an upper hand on the race issue. (I believe.) A lot of counseling matters are getting straightened up. She gets the crowd going in service. So her function here is vital to say the least. (Not doing the job you could do if you were here—but in your absence a leader is needed.) She took estrogen the other day so hopefully her moods will improve. Marcie is ok except between 8-10 in the morning and then it is tears and all the old tunes that you have heard before how she has to take a back seat in your life—only a wife in name for 12 years now—how she had to sacrifice all for the cause) I am not critical—knowing her background—but sometimes—that kind of manic-depressive stuff gets me down. I mean I don’t know how to deal with someone 51 years old talking about dying and all. I have deep respect for what Marcie can do and I know she is totally committed and you can trust her more than anyone here—without a shadow of a doubt she will never walk—so I guess it is just selfish of me not to want to hear her complaints. But it is irritating—because I know people who have suffered more.
SANDY [Bradshaw]:
Non-functional. I don’t know how she can live with herself. She detests Marcie—maybe as much as she detests me (hard to say on that). She feels that she has to wait on MJ [Marceline Jones} and feels that MJ is weak etc. However—MJ has done more here in 3 weeks than SB [Sandy Bradshaw] has done in a solid year—so I would not criticize if I were SB. SB has by all appearances given up. That is I don’t think that she is considering leaving—rather just dying. She no longer cares to help with anything—I doubt anything will cheer her up. Her depression has rendered her completely non-functional—-she does nothing. That is no exaggeration. Frankly I worry about suicide with her. I do not manipulate guilt—I no longer ask her to work—I listen to her sickness and hope that she doesn’t kill herself one day to the next. One day MJ suggested that she take some Aleve and SB came up and told me that MJ could fuck herself that she was tired of waiting on MJ and further that maybe she should die to prove that she is sick to MJ. It is crazy. SB told me that she is worried about cracking up in J/town. That she won’t be able to hack it. She says that when she was in Guyana before that it was terrible. I believe that she is having apprehensions about coping in Guyana. I don’t think she will cope so as bad as she is doing here it may well be worse there. I don’t think that sex will help at this point. I really don’t think she cares or believes anymore that there is anything between anyone anywhere. [Handwritten addition: “P.S. She just got your note and is more cheerful.”]
PAULA [Adams]:
As much as I protested Paula coming I must admit she has worked and reasonable well. If she has been depressed she doesn’t show it and still talks about missing Monique [Bacon, adopted daughter] and all. I think that Paula is reliable here and coming from me—her worst critic who couldn’t stand the thought of working with her—that should mean something. Anyway—she has taken a real load off of me. I was irritated when she went to see her sister the other day and said that she would be home in the evening and then called at 9:30 at night saying that she could either come home alone on the bart or come the next morning
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BB-7-N8
that struck me as manipulative. But I think that is just Paula and not a reflection of her wanting to be with her sister.
MAC [Jim McElvane]
I still have my reservations. He has been here a couple of days while I am here. I have asked for the money to come up from LA and I have yet to see those accounts closed out. I really don’t know how to tackle that from here. He acts like he doesn’t understand that all funds should be there though I have it more than once. He did go up to Ukiah with MJ the other day. He just comes off rather self-righteous for one that is unaccountable around here. Telling off security and this and that. But better he be a hypocrite among us than outside so I guess this is as good as we are going to get.
HUGH [Hue Fortson Jr.]:
Doing his job. Not over working—not really slacking. Very helpful with services. Does check in daily and all. More accountable for his time than before. Seems to be doing ok in my opinion.
VERA [Young]:
Vera has problems with everyone. Judy [Flowers], Guy [Young], Andy [Silver]. She hates meetings and meetings are just what she needs to hold more of in the PR department. Unfortunately she is very paranoid and feels that everything is directed at her. I do feel that Andy makes more trouble for her—he may be well-intended but her I believe intentionally is divisive when it comes to Vera and frankly with all Vera’s faults if I were her dealing with Andy’s games I would slap him. So it is more than just Vera here.
JUDY [Flowers]
Judy is more involved now than I have ever seen her since I came to the church. She is participating in meetings. Volunteering in going to functions and taking an active interest. All problems are not solved but I am impressed with the changes that I have seen with Judy.