BB-9-e-1 – BB-9-e-4
March 29, 1978
My Dear Mom, Dad, and Tyrone,
I can only imagine the lies you’ve heard about me since our last communication. I trust, Mother, that you are aware that the host of negative things Jim has said of me is complete untruth because you have personal knowledge but so much of what you on there is false. I hope you realize that it took enormous and thoroughly documented proof for me to change my opinion of Jim. For as you recall, at age 18, I jumped down a rather steep mountainside, without concern for my own safety, in order to save Jim.
Need I say, for example, that I was shocked to learn that he deliberately separated me from Sue, that he had Harriet spy on Sue after I returned to the Church in December of 1976, and that I was to be “devastated” the night before the Spring Bar Exam in February of 1977.
However, all that is in the past and you will be pleased to note that I am doing extremely well as are all the others who have left. I should add that the reason why people who leave do well has nothing to do with any mythical conspiracy.
I am somewhat disturbed you, Mom. As I see it, with your position on the “Staff” you must know that Jim’s so-called ministry is a fake. Yet, you irreversibly allowed your family to become completely involved. You and Dad are now 48 and 49 and he is losing any pension benefit. You’ve sold your home and given everything to Jim. What do you think will happen to you if you leave. You must know that Jim will give you nothing but threats as he has already done to me. In light of the several million dollars in secret bank accounts that only he has control of, he will leave you flat when the going gets rough just like he sneaked out of the US ahead of everyone else when he got a little bad press last summer. I don’t believe it’s too late for you since Dad is such a hard worker. In any event if you don’t leave, you will have nothing when you reach 65, if you both don’t get out now.
I am really angry at Jim’s treatment of you. Do you remember when you went to jail for doing Jim’s undercover work. Jim called me down to his house to tell me how bad you are trying to get out of jail. Yet in spite of his so-called courage he never went to jail but allowed his followers to take all the risks for him. In fact when he was busted for making sexual advances to an undercover vice officer in LA in December of 1975, he had other people take great risks to get the record expunged rather than go to court and confess his perversion. You should also recall how badly he treated you and is making you the butt of many nasty practical jokes [illegible word] first trip to Guyana, and that he spent quite a long time afterwards telling me what a bitch you had been on that trip.
Believe me, you owe your family more than you owe him. He takes damn good care of himself – his phony heart attacks notwithstanding – as you can see from his fat gut and dyed hair.
In any event, if you decide to stay or leave, I wanted to let you know that I feel I have good reason for being worried about you all.
I know he always said he treated me like a son, but in reality he had no respect or concern about me or anyone else. Otherwise he would never have tried to destroy me or any of the other people whom he has so bitterly and conscientiously misused.
I hope that you see the concern and affection I have for all of you – my family. It’s that concern that has prompted me to write this letter.
I hope to see you soon.
[Illegible word], Mike
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BB-9-d-1 – BB-9-d-4
March 29, 1978
Dearest Patricia,
Undoubtedly, you have heard a great many negative things about me since our last radio communication. While it is impossible for me to defend myself against untrue charges of which I am not aware, I ask that you think of me as you personally remember me – both the good and the bad – and not as someone else instructs you.
As for your recent marriage, I can only say that I hope against hope that you made it of your own free will. I know nothing of the person you married but I hope you’re happy. If you were coerced into marrying someone, [scratched out line] I think it would be easy to dissolve the marriage once you return to the US.
While I cannot say all that I want in my first private letter to you, I would like you to consider a few things.
First, the only conspiracy against the church is the one which exists in Jim’s mind alone. At the outset of the exposé, I was contacted by Marcie, Mike Prokes, and Dick Tropp, and told me of a vast conspiracy against the Church and asked me to help. Naturally, because of my then great respect for Jim, I believed them and offered to help. Sometime later I ran into one of the people who have participated in the articles about the church. At that point I decided to investigate the so-called conspiracy. After talking to everyone I could find, I learned that the conspiracy was a figment of Jim’s imagination and that the people who participated in the articles are only individuals who have been contacted one by one. They are people who have been harassed, threatened and lied about by Jim and his agents. I, myself, have been getting threats and I assure you I have done nothing. However, I shall enter into a fight with Jim if he keeps it up.
Also, the people who have left are doing fantastically well. Not because they are part of a nonexistent conspiracy, but because of learning to work hard and endure. And if I might add, while there are problems in the US, they are not solved by leaving the country, but by staying here and working constructively. Believe me, you are getting a totally slanted view of the US.
Also, I think Jim is a coward. He left the country as soon as he got a little bad press. Do you remember how he promised to let us get to “freedom” while he remained behind and let the fascists tear out his fingernails and pluck out his eyes. Hell, he was just about the first one to leave and he let [left] Marceline and many others back here in what he called an evil country. I think you must wonder why if it were so bad that he let them stay. Also, he has several million dollars, that I know personally, he has stashed away in secret accounts. If times ever get hard in Guyana, you can bet he will get his fat ass out of there as quickly as he left here and you and Mom and Dad and Tyrone will be left penniless.
But I want you to know that if you ever wish to leave, I can support you until you get a job. I hope you know that you personally will not be in any legal trouble for having been in the Temple. The people here are just upset about Jim’s mistreating and abusing his own people.
While I don’t expect you to believe all that I have said, I can prove the truth of my statements. I also however ask you to at least think about them. And there is much more too.
I am certainly not part of any conspiracy, which as I mentioned Jim made up to give him an unwarranted sense of importance and to give him an excuse to leave the country rather than answer the questions raised of him.
Also, I want you to know that I have a great deal of affection for you and that I will be totally unforgiving and relentless in pursuing anyone who does you any harm.
My warmest personal regards,
Mike
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BB-9-d
March 29, 1978
Michael B. Cartmell
681 Ellis Street # 675
San Francisco, CA 94109
Hon. John R. Burke
United States Embassy
31 Main Street
Georgetown, Guyana
South America
Dear Mr. Ambassador:
Enclosed please find two sealed envelopes containing letters to members of my personal family in the Peoples Temple project in northwestern Guyana.
As you may recall, the Peoples Temple and its chief minister, Jim Jones, have recently been the subjects of media and governmental investigations in California. As a member of the Temple for some twelve years, I can attest to the veracity of the accusations which stirred the public’s interest. Hence, you will appreciate my concern for my family’s well-being.
Moreover, in light of the heavy censorship to which all personal mail going into the project is subjected, I am apprehensive that any letters I might send directly will never reach my family. For this reason, I reluctantly ask that you or your staff ascertain that these letters are given to them privately.
Also, I shall be grateful for your comments as to their appearance and apparent well-being.
Thank you for your assistance in this highly emotional and personal matter.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Michael B. Cartmell
Michael B. Cartmell
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BB-9-b-1
[Letterhead of American Embassy in Guyana]
April 18, 1978
Mr. Michael B. Cartmell
681 Ellis Street #675
San Francisco, California 94109
Dear Mr. Cartmell:
I refer to your letter of March 29 to Ambassador Burke.
When a Consular Officer visits the People’s Temple Agricultural Community he will deliver your letters to your relatives and you will be informed of the results of his visit.
Please accept my best wishes.
Sincerely,
Richard A. Mc Coy
American Consul
[Envelope addressed to Mike Cartmell]
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Undated letter to Mike Cartmell from sister Patricia
BB-8-a-1
Dear Mike,
In the first place, nobody has told me anything about you; what I know is what I heard on the radio that day. Don’t insult my intelligence. The fact is that nothing was said about dying until you started on the radio. If you keep this stuff up, I guess I’d gladly die, alright. I can’t imagine you being on the steps of the Federal Bldg, with the Mertles! It’s shocking that you’d be part of what every socialist movement in history has gone through. Just shocking!
Jim and Walter and Patty and all of us still love you, if you won’t destroy our love; but our destinies are inseperable. You haven’t gone as far as the others yet to hurt us, and I hope you won’t, because you were upheld highly here even to the point that there would be an open door for you if you don’t try to hurt us here.
I know that you know all about the mercenaries, and what they are getting ready to do. I want to remind you that you’ll be doing a disservice to your own flesh and blood if you cooperate with those people.
I asked Harriet [Tropp] if she was “assigned” to you and she said she’d take an oath that she wasn’t and in fact she said you were more in than she was, and if anyone would have been “helped” it would have been her. She said it was totally laughable and untrue and she thought you would have more sense.
For your information nobody took any risks for Jim in L.A. The idea that you would even question the thing down there when you know what happened right outside the church not long before – where that was supposed to have happened so close to the church. Dear, you must be wanting to believe what is comfortable! Dr. Lapkass has Jim’s records – you can talk to him and find out about Jim’s health. But he is doing fine now. Don’t try to tell me what he doesn’t do! I’ve seen him risk too many times, and you forget I was in New York with him and I saw how he tried to get on a plane to come home then. You’ve really come along too late.
I am glad you are all doing “fantastically” well. They sure get paid enough. The idea of you with the Mertles is something I just can’t get used to. Remember what was done to Elaine Brown when they got through with her. And don’t forget too, that Tim [Stoen] insisted John [Victor Stoen] had to visit Guyana. 1 was there the night it was decided.
Ask Tim to be tested – when you went out and Jim sent Mom after you. Tim said then that you ought to be killed. Put him to the test on it. Obviously you’re the one being taken in. It’s stupid to blame Jim for your marriage falling apart. I was there when he asked Suzanne [Jones Cartmell] to stay with you. And Jim won’t forget the mountain side – remember how first he went down after a baby? You’ve really been manipulated. You know how they stand straight up and lie about John! Even Cyrus Vance says this whole thing is
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BB-9-a-2
conspiracy! I knew all about this thing in L.A. and the two letters that Dick McCoy gave us and we know who set it up. Just Keep in mind that your name won’t be mentioned in anything or anywhere as long as you don’t talk about Jim or Patty in any way.
Something you said in your letter contradicts the charges you are making. You say you care about us, you are concerned that we are likely to all die together if things don’t go our way. If you’re really concerned, and if you believe that, then why do you keep pushing us to a position you believe would bring that about? Then you say Jim may leave Guyana with all the money and leave the People stranded. Jim could have left or died many times and had peace, but he knew he would leave a lot of people behind untaken care of. But if you don’t choose to believe that, tell me how you can on one hand say he might take everything and leave, then say he is eager to die and take everyone with him? That doesn’t make any sense.
Don’t send me any more letters like that one. I’m not interested in your assurances – but it’s obvious that someone is giving you assurances. Jim did not talk to me about you, so don’t you talk to me about him. Mom and I do mean it! This is a beautiful place, everyone is as completely happy here as anyone on earth can be. You should check with relatives who have been here. You can even check with Tom Adams to get their names and numbers. Also you should look up an article about us in one of the largest news agencies in the world – I think you might know which one it is. In regard to our friend coming here when he did, the only way he could build this community was to come here himself. Our enemies are trying to tear things down here the same as they are trying to do there. Of course they can’t do it because we’re here to stay. We’re not going anywhere.
I want you to be sure you know this is from me. Remember what you said some time ago to me –”When you have a situation of socialist commitment and capitalist commitment, the two can’t function together, and one must be canceled.” I would have liked to have just been able to communicate with you as sister to brother about my life here. There is plenty to talk about. We go swimming quite frequently. Last time Mom went with me, and it reminded me of the time we all went swimming at the chrystal swimming pool. But I’m not going to share with you all the good things in my life while you are trying to separate me from everything I love. By the way, I love my husband very much. You sounded sarcastic when I told you about him. I don’t appreciate that kind of reflection on my marriage. I hope in the future we will have more in common. That depends on you.
Sincerely,
Patricia
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BB-9-a-3
[Envelope addressed to Mike Cartmell, 681 Ellis St. # 675, San Francisco, CA 94109]
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BB-9-c-1
Dear Mike,
The enclosed picture is to tell you how much I love it here, how happy I am and how well I am doing. I know that with your deep commitment to the socialist principles and with your interracial girlfriend, you will love it here.
Love,
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BB-9-c-2 – BB-9-c-3
[Photo of Peoples Temple members and an envelope]