Teri Buford Letter to Jim Jones. Oct. 18, 1978
[Handwritten notation at top of page: “Letters to you from Terri”]
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October 18, 1978
Jim:
I understand that someone really is going out tonight and I did want to write to you. I hope you are feeling better. I feel like I am in the classic catch 22. If I pass all the traffic—then I can take the responsibility of killing you. Last night it was a major heart attack because of what I passed. Before that if I had a problem with an instruction or perhaps think that something needed to be further thought about it boils down to if I don’t you are going to get sicker. I know you are very sick. It is completely freaking me out to know that if I don’t tell you what is going on I am in trouble. If I do I will kill you. So I guess I choose the former rather than the latter. I just find it extremely upsetting. I know that you can’t control your health—but I don’t know—since I am not there when is good and bad times to pass traffic. I feel more organizationally secure if you know what is going on—-but not if it means killing you. Please do let me know when your health is somewhat normal again. I understand the kind of pressure you are under and I heard from Jean [Brown] some of the things that had happened and I am sorry about the whole set of circumstances that has happened. As came out in court this week—TOS [Tim Stoen] has no love for me and I am extremely worried that the other side will try to use my activities to discredit this cause. Pat [Richartz, assistant to Temple attorney Charles Garry] told me that he shook my affidavit and said “this goes to show the level of deviancy that these people will stoop to to go after me.” I don’t know. But I am worried—not in the sense of being arrested but rather just that they are going to use my past activities to discredit you. The thing I wrote you about is becoming more and more a reality every day. I am just in constant conflict over the situation—-I know all they can say and I just don’t want you to look like a freak because of my work. After all it was a collective decision and not just you and me. But in Stoen’s mind it boils down to you and me—You could claim no knowledge of me and clear the organization and not that you care—but yourself too. I just know I am going to feel horrible if they try to discredit you with me. I am sure the next few weeks will show if they want to go that route. I know what I should do but I don’t know that your health could take the worry of such a strategy on my part. So another Catch 22—-if I don’t do what I told you about I run the risk of ruining the organization just because of me—-or if I do—-I may be able to avoid certain attacks on PT but at the same time might worry you to death. I don’t know. I am full of conflict and so is life—nothing new to you I am sure. If I had things to do over—I never would have trusted anyone—would have kept everything to myself. It would have been better that way. I wish to hell someone would see you to a doctor or something—-because the responsibility of not knowing what to do with information is driving me nuts. And I know that the minute that I say anything to Jean about anything like that that she will report every word of it thinking that that is the right thing to do in any and all situations—so it is a matter of just not telling her or anyone—and I am not smart enough to run this place on my own judgement. I don’t know. I don’t know what to do. I know your situation is miserable. But after a heart attack last night. Three heart attacks that Leona [Collier] told me about—-4 heart attacks in a month and 8 that I have counted in the past two months that I have been told about—-I really don’t know if you are in condition for any traffic at all. I also question if the people who pass you the messages—don’t in fact want you to die—because they are in a position to know if you can take it or not. I just don’t understand your being told something if you are in that bad of shape. It sound cruel to me. Please don’t let anyone read this. I don’t mean it personally because it may be well intended. But you know.
sorry for all.
Teri
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Teri Buford Undated Letter to Jim Jones, October 1978
TO: JIM
FROM: Teri
COMPLAINT
1. I am sorry that I got so frustrated over Maria [Katsaris]’s affidavit but I would like to give you the chain of events that led to my utter pushiness on the radio because I seriously believe that some people made some decisions without consulting you or checking with us to see if they were acceptable.
a) it was agreed that all the affidavits needed to be in by a certain date— they all were gotten here with the exception of Maria’s—-June [Crym] was sorry to have taken the affidavit and we admit that mistake—however— Harriet [Sarah Tropp] decided on her own that that affidavit was only needed on the Katsaris hearing and therefore never asked Maria to rewrite it knowing full well that we don’t have time to get it down to her and back up here in time for court for our case against [Tim] Stoen. Had we been told that a decision had been made not to reconstruct Maria’s affidavit then we would have hollered earlier. But I don’t believe anyone told you just like they didn’t tell us that they weren’t coming. So—the point is that in the Stoen suit it is important that it be shown that in the Katsaris case there was a conflict of interest as well as in the Medlock [Temple defectors Wade and Mabel Medlock] and [defector Jim] Cobb suit—we showed it well in the latter two but Maria was our strong point in the Katsaris suit and the rest of us were kind of third party to the fact. Anyway—I was upset that the affidavits got here and until that point we never knew that the stuff wasn’t coming.
b) I agree also it was our fault when a mix up in messages happened that night and June said—ok to wait based on some wrong information out of context from Pat Richartz [assistant to Temple attorney Charles Garry].—that was wrong on our part—but I already had a message from Tom in writing from the Code that Maria had gone to town—that the stuff had been typed and that it would be out on a plane tomorrow—so June’s message should not have affected that – had it been the truth. I only find it upsetting because if we win this case there is some hope that we could have [Peoples Temple attorney] Mark Lane and [author/screenwriter Don] Freed move fast on Katsaris and Cobb and Medlock and talk them out of refiling on these cases with a new lawyer and that would same us some 56 million dollars and all this court crap and all. We needed all the help we could get and I don’t believe that Sarah [Tropp] was taking it seriously nor Maria—because both should have pushed to high hell to get that stuff done and since it was not them getting sued but rather the church because of them neither took the initiative to get it done. Naturally I know that you take problems more seriously when you are faced with them—but considering Maria is the reason that we are getting sued and it is Sarah’s statement that got us sued there—-it pisses me off that no more interest than that of mundane traffic was taken. Just my opinion. I know that we were at fault but just blowing off
[Transcriber’s note: Balance of letter missing.]
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Teri Buford Letter to Jim Jones, Oct. 14, 1978
ON MAC
I am still of the very very strong opinion that Mac [Jim McElvane] is an informant and the leak in the inner core here. I do not feel that there are other agents here of any consequence but I do feel that way about Mac. Take the last two days for instance.
a) in a conversation with Marcie [Marceline Jones] he insinuates that Nell [Juanell Smartt] might be having some problem with Marcie. Just tone and a way of questioning that made Marcie feel that maybe there was some problem with Nell.
b) the fact that he and Jean Brown have two different stories as to who called who and all on that Leona [Collier] story on having the phone off the hook. He still tells Leona the same story which Jean says is a lie. Thus Leona will probably never forgive Jean for this because Leona told me that she didn’t appreciate Jean lying to her because Mac had told her the truth about it.
c) when asked to write a letter to [author/screenwriter Don] Freed he would not do it—though it would have had my name on it for reason he didn’t want it to be traced back. I told Mac we were working under a lawyer’s privilege with Freed since Freed is [Peoples Temple attorney Mark] Lane’s investigator and Mac still was uptight about it.
d) Mac finds little faults everywhere—never comes right out with stuff—Like we didn’t tell him about PC Norris [Plickards C. Norris, died in Jonestown Oct. 6, 1978] fast enough—he should have known sooner.
e) his tears in talking to Marcie—I find suspect—men don’t cry easy and I question anyone that would express tears who is supposed to be the head of security—my opinion is that he is quite shrewd.
f) in meetings he never takes a controversial stand. He sits back and listens for the most part—gets in on the safe things. but frankly the only time that he really takes sides in my opinion is in behind the scenes situations.
g) he is unaccountable for his time.
h) if he were more trouble or more hostile I would trust him more but he is just continually below the surface divisive.
i) plays paranoid of not being told—but I frankly think that he wants information to inform and playing on “white people not telling him stuff” is a good way to play on guilt to get you to talk. Frankly—if he wanted to know more of what is going on then he should get involved in what is going on. I am paranoid of onlookers who aren’t themselves involved but want to know everything.
j) ex-police background.
k) the fact that he always comes off looking good to the people here. Like when Marcie was telling security off for allowing someone to be in the building for three days Mac said “where were you (referring to security) were you
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reading a book or watching TV—-” my question was why didn’t he accept some responsibility as head of security—where were you Mac. Mac has got all the security pretty well hostile because he comes up every two weeks and makes their security duties so difficult that they get pissed yet he doesn’t pull a shift himself.
l) the fact that Mac opened up mail that was not addressed to him
j) the fact that Mac doesn’t face people with problems but goes to Leona who he knows will get upset.
k) the fact that Mac never loses his cool yet – always stirs trouble and then has the nerve to call himself the moderator.
Anyway—I really don’t see agents everywhere I go and if Mac isn’t an agent then the way he behaves does the job of an agent because he is brilliantly divisive. Winning people over and stabbing in subtle ways behind the back. Playing the race game. Further—any huge person like Mac that goes around hugging all these people who he hates—Me, Jean, others—I question that. Most men don’t hug anyway—so why the friendliness[?] Mac is super sweet to my face. I honestly don’t feel there are a lot of agents running around in our group. But Mac strikes me strongly that way.
WHAT TO DO:
I recommend a test. Wherein Mac is told some information that is absolutely wrong and see how he reacts and see how that information comes to haunt us later. Like saying that someone has suicided in Guyana. Lois Ponts. Something like that that would be entirely believable. (or Penny—or any one of a number of our local nuts) and let’s see if the U.S. Embassy comes to check it out. Please let me know on this. For obvious reasons I am not making this note public.
Teri
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Teri Buford Letter to Jim Jones, late October 1978
Jim:
Sandy [Bradshaw] told me that she had found some papers of Carolyn [Layton]’s in Ester’s [likely Esther Mueller] room. And that she found a whole write up from Carolyn to you telling the full details of the financial maneuvers down to the last move that was to move some to Switzerland. Sandy told me that it was in full detail. Anyway—I don’t know what to make of what she said. She said it was a note written shortly before CL left and that she took the liberty to tear it up after seeing what it was. I asked her if she wasn’t sure it wasn’t something else and she said I am sure “full immaculate details on everything.” So we can welcome a new person to our finances. How those papers got there I will never know. I honestly didn’t know that they existed much less in Ester’s room. I didn’t want to act paranoid – so I just said—well I’m glad you tore it up. Frankly it is all old information at this point so maybe it is good she thinks she knows something when in fact she doesn’t.
Leona [Collier] told me that you had three heart attacks (Maria [Katsaris] told her) on the morning that she left. I really am having a hard time dealing with this. I am very sorry to hear that. I am sure you must be feeling terrible now. I know how badly you were doing when I left. I just find the whole situation upsetting. I also heard from Jean about Shanda [James Oliver] and that is tragic all the way around. I wrote her a letter that I enclosed in my note to CL so maybe that will help what little bit I can help.
I am not entirely convinced that you are getting all messages from the radio. It has been days without some answers and I am not indicting anyone—-just would like people to be sure that they write everything down every day and then get back with answers as soon as convenient. I realize there have been complaints about my radio traffic so I am making my reports of more details since I got the message yesterday that you thought I was hiding something from you because my messages lacked meat. Not the case—but I will and have started giving all the details on the radio now.
The many times that you have said that if you were you would not have to be told what to do still haunts me like the plague. Maybe sometime I will have the courage to make certain decisions and have the intelligence to follow them through correctly—I hope with your health I am not procrastinating past the time that I should act. However—I cannot tell. I don’t even know if I am right or not in whatever.
Please do take care. In spite of all my and our faults I believe firmly in the collective and have deepest of respect for you as always.
Teri
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Teri Buford Letter to Carolyn Layton, late October 1978
CAROLYN:
If you have not answered my last note—-I need to know if I can mail that letter from here. If I don’t hear anything by the middle of the month—I will proceed from here. The problem is that if I give it to someone else to mail then they are going to know where our accounts are. So—it is either me take off and do it. Or mail from here. Or let someone else know where it is going. I don’t believe that you can trust people not to look at envelopes. Anyway—if you haven’t got an answer already please do get me on so I can move on this thing.
Also—am sending the law office reports to Maria [Katsaris] but will you please follow up and be sure that we start getting some answers back[?] June [Crym] is a little worried about getting feedback. So please push here to get answers and get them to us. Not being critical—just pushy as I always am.
I am enclosing a letter to Detrick [adopted/foster son Marlon Deitrich Porter]—-If you could read it to him or something that would be nice.
Jean [Brown] told me what happened to Shanda [James Oliver]. So – I am enclosing a letter to her—if it is appropriate—give it to her[;] if not ditch it—just trying to be helpful. Sorry to see the whole situation.
-Well say hi to Huckleberry for me and as you know I am grateful that we are having things happen here because at least time goes faster when you are doing something. So much for the cold damp city.
Teri
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Teri Buford Letter to Jim Jones
[Editor’s note: The subject of this note – Herb – is likely a code name.]
Jim—
We were just cut off the radio after Herb “read me out for inefficiency.” You were pissed about the agricultural equipment being sent down and the request not being filled. You were pissed, Marcy [Marceline Jones] was pissed, Sarah [Harriet Sarah Tropp] was pissed. But I distinctly remember a male voice telling us to “forget it.” I am driving to the airport to get this note to you because I think Herb is a cop. — Tom [Adams], Sandy [Bradshaw], Mike [Prokes],
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and myself all heard some male voice say “forget it on the 21 19.” The copy was so bad we could not tell what voice it was but we thought at the time it was you. NOW WE THINK IT WAS HERB. Herb has played our friend but Herb copied us so well that he should have heard the “forget it.” This is not self-defense. Herb took your side and read us out over it saying all that you heard, etc. He continued ‘til we heard you no longer. But we know we were told to forget it
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by who we don’t know now. Herb flipped me out. I thought I had cracked. I seriously contemplated suicide but asked Sarah if she heard the “forget it” along with the others. Had it not been for my finding 3 other people who heard the same thing or had I been alone when the instruction was given I would not be sane now. Someone got on air and told us to forget that order and the next nite (tonite) Herb pulled a divide and conquer
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technique. No one believed me on your side about the “forget it” but I seriously believe Herb did it and purposely tried to flip me out stalling the air time so we lost contact. Sandy, Mike, Tom, can back this up. I thought I had cracked. The world was crazy. I am writing this in the car to the airport.
Beware of Herb — that was sabotage — that is the closest I have ever come to a suicide. – I believe you didn’t call it off but
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I question “Herb” in this role and wonder why it happened. We all know what we heard.
Take care
Teri
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Teri Buford Letter to Shanda James Oliver, late October 1978
Shanda:
Well, things here are going but that is about all I can say. The news is utterly frightening— the things that are going on. The KKK plays big in the news these days and the news is not critical of them. Anyway—it is sickening. I hope your baby is doing ok. She’s a smart little cookie and I don’t usually get impressed with babies but she can win anyone over. I’m glad that Jean [Brown] got a break out of here because she looked a hell of a lot better when she came back than when she went down there. Due to this Morse code stuff in the radio I haven’t heard anyone’s voice lately so I can’t tell if you are in there or not. Tom [Adams] is working his ass off trying to keep up with the traffic because he at this point is the only one who can understand it. —Anyway—don’t have a lot of time but wanted to say hi and that I miss you and the baby and everyone there. If you get a chance give Detrick [adoptive/foster son Marlon Deitrich Porter] a hug for me.
Take care and later be—
Teri
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Teri Buford Letter to Marlon Deitrich Porter, late October 1978
TO: DETRICK
How are you. I miss you a lot and I hope you are having fun and learning a lot of school. I saw Bobby [Stroud] in Georgetown and he was writing you a letter when I was there. I have a picture of you and Michel and Jay [Frankie Jay Fountain] and Lonnie [Newman] on my wall, you were all playing on the walkway and you were making a face at the person who took your picture. I’m going to be coming home pretty soon — so you be good for Robin [Tschetter] and learn your numbers well. Dad told me that you were being good and that he loved you a lot—- so I know you are doing good. See you later Detrick.
Love
Teri
(Transcriber’s note: An illustration of a smiling flower appears on bottom half of page.)
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(Transcriber’s note: Several names in this letter appear to be in code. They are designated with red type.)
Teri Buford Typed Letter to Deanna Wilkinson
Dianne:
Thanks a lot for giving me the picture of Jelanie before I left. Outside of Dad’s picture that is the only one that really keeps me going here. You know— keeping in mind why you’re working and all. Needless to say I miss it back there a lot. I am glad that we are finally taking the offensive on this side and I am grateful that some people are speaking out for Dad for once. Things have gotten so bad here that I went into shock when I got here. For instance on the news tonight they showed a black man in Alabama that was charged with multi rape and robbery—the sick thing about it was that the man that they were charging was in a handicapped program and has an IQ of 35 (like a 6 year old) and it was a proven fact that the person who did it drove a stick shift truck (something this guy could not possibly have done) anyway they showed that and then they showed some civil rights walkers and they all got arrested and yet they had the nerve to show the KKK on TV after the civil rights people were hauled away and they were not only filmed but not stopped from burning crosses and the whole bit. It was horrible. Francis [Mrs. Campbell?, from Codebook Text] and I saw it at the same time and the first thing Francis said was that she felt like she had been taken back 20 years— It was unbelievable and it really shook us all up. You know, Dad’s been saying it all along on the PA—but when you turn on the 5 o’clock news and see the KKK parading around and black people who are incapable of rape being accused of it you know that someone is setting up a climate for something. I mean the handwriting is on the wall. It all reminded me of that book but far worse about that guy who was in the south and accused of rape and he only had one good arm—I forget the name of it— (Transcriber’s note: “To Kill a Mockingbird”) but this was worse. Anyway some woman in the east is getting prosecuted for murder because she had an illegal abortion— and the Supreme Court is ruling on abortion soon. This is like living in medieval times. I guess I needed to appreciate
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Jonestown more. Anyway—I miss everyone a lot. And of course dealing with these outsiders is ridiculous. I don’t care how famous people are—there are no great men in the world but Jim Jones and the Amerindians and people who aren’t corrupt. Anyway— I can’t write much more without taking too much time. Take care of yourself—say hi to Loretta [Wilkinson/Cordell] for me— and give a hug to my nephew–.
Take care
Teri
Teri Buford envelope addressed to Carolyn Layton
FOR CAROLYN LAYTON ONLY
(NO ONE ELSE TO OPEN THIS)
This is a financial matter for CL only – please do not open – and respect this request.
Teri
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Teri Buford Undated Typed Letter to adopted/foster son Marlon Deitrich Porter
Detrick:
Well, Det, I hope you are being good and listening to Maike [Mike Carter] and Terry [Carter Jones] and Jocelyn [Carter]. I talked to Bobby the other day and he told me that he was going to write you a letter. Did you get it. I have a picture of you on my wall and you look very happy. You’re getting so big any more that it looks like you’ve almost grown up. Have you learned any new words lately. I bet you speak Russian and Chinese better than us big people– don’t you. Well, you be good. Don’t forget how much Dad loves you because he talks about you all the time. See you later— be good and have fun.
Love you.
Teri
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Teri Buford Typed Letter to Deanna Wilkinson
October 21, 1978
Dianne:
Well I heard about the trip you all are planning and it sounds good to me. Glad that you got a chance to go. I guess it must make you pretty nervous however– knowing so much hinges on how you do. The longer I am here the more that I know that Jonestown is the most perfect place in the world. You know, everybody has their angle— left right— whatever—- out for good old number one. Mary is carrying on the show pretty well here— she sings like she feels it and I appreciate that. Her situation is being worked on now and we think that we may have some solution to her problem– but I’m not going to be too optimistic on that yet. Nothing much here has changed except that there are less people and that makes it rough. I hope we have a break through in one of our court cases or the conspiracy soon because I know how much that would mean to Dad. Well, miss you take care of yourself and especially Jelanie. Bye for now.
Teri
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Teri Buford Undated Note, 1978
A professional person – a wasp – say, folks don’t trust the newspapers, and they look into the thing to find out how wrong they are. If the N. Enq. [National Enquirer] were honest, they might get a chance to see things for themselves, and it would be fantastic.
For Darren – Please think of anything you can. Robt. particularly asked you to do it. [Handwritten addition]: I hope my [illegible word] works!
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Teri Buford Letter to Jim Jones, Fall 1978
[Transcriber’s note: There are numerous typographical errors and misspelled words in this document. For easier reading, they have been corrected.]
TO: JJ
FROM: Teri
Included here is the hodgepodge of reports that I have thrown together on a day by day basis while here— sorry they aren’t better organized but the past few days have been literally insane with the press. Also included is a thing that [Peoples Temple attorney] Mark Lane wrote up to you on his proposal which you should probably read. Pat Richartz [Charles Garry’s assistant] is doing every thing in hoer power to divide us from Don [Freed, author/screenwriter] and Mark. She called me up three times yesterday to tell me stuff about them calling the lamebrains and all that kind of stuff. She says thing to piss us off with Don on a regular basis. Anyway– Pat is a little trouble maker. So— she set something up today with [antiwar activist David] Dellinger to come down to Guyana which I guess is good– after all he is with 7 Days Magazine. She tries to divide us and bribe us simultaneously. She invited Marcie [Marceline Jones] and I to dinner at her house next week. Charles is friendly except when he is being divisive. And that attorney in his firm that I said did a good job on your particular case is a jerk because he refuses to work on the [Jim] Cobb case– (which we have to respond to in 15 days) on ground that we were Redbaiting by calling Cobb a Trotskyite and he says that he cannot in good conscience go alone with such McCarthyist tactics as we resorted to so we have to get another lawyer in the office to handle the case. Sickening if you want my opinion. Pat also told me that [Black Panthers founder] Huey Newton has threatened her three times because now the Panthers think that she tried to interfere with Michael K. Kennedy’s defense of Huey— she called Huey crazy and everything else to me— so I wouldn’t doubt it if the Panthers didn’t think that she was an agent— in fact I wonder myself.
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Also dear old Charles was called today by the Berkley Barb who wants to do a positive article on us. Charles informs them that he will talk about us as long as they don’t talk about conspiracy stuff and that is precisely what the Barb wants to do. Mark is furious and so are we at this point. Frankly— I know we have to keep Charles but it is rather divisive when he won’t cooperate in even backing up the idea of a conspiracy.
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last minute note:
Steve Davis of Channel 7 wants to come down to Guyana I believe next week. He was reasonable in his questioning. Lane suggests that we see what he does with this material before we give him a definite yes but that he should go.
[Executive in Disciples of Christ denomination] Lynn Hodges wants to come to Guyana. Lane recommends yes.
[San Francisco radio reporter] Jim Eason wants to do a live phone patch with JJ on air– Lane recommends ok on that.
[National Enquirer reporter] Hal Jacques– would like to talk to JJ in person on the radio and also would like a letter from Tosh talking about the conspiracy against Jonestown from start to finish— he would like the letter to be from her to print—- So please make someone push on this.
[Coordinator of Opportunity II High School, San Francisco] Yvonne Golden: due to come down at Thanksgiving.
[California Lt. Gov. Mervyn] Dymally: was very friendly last night and said that he was coming down and he is pissed at the FBI for messing with him– (Paula [Adams] is writing you a complete report)