0 272245Z NOV 78
FM TAMPA (89-79) (P)
TO DIRECTOR (89-4286) IMMEDIATE
SAN FRANCISCO (89-250) IMMEDIATE
INDIANAPOLIS IMMEDIATE
BT
UNCLAS
RYMUR, AFO (A).
Re Tampa telephone call to Indianapolis and San Francisco, November 27, 1978; San Francisco teletype to Bureau, November 22, 1978.
On November 27, 1978, [deleted name] was reinterviewed and furnished the following additional information:
During the late 1950s and/or early 1960s, when he served as a member of the Peoples’ Temple (PT), “Council of Elders” in Indianapolis, Ind., it was not called the “Planning Commission”; however, consisted of 14 members whose purpose, aside from being a rubber stamp for Jim Jones, was as a policy
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or planning group. Of the 14 members, there were 4 who were particularly close to Jim Jones, and who, with Jones, would hold separate meetings regarding policy matters and other matters concerning the PT. These meetings were held before any Council of Elders meeting and would then be brought before the Council of Elders and always passed. While these other men formed an “inner circle,” they were not referred to by that or any other specific title.
The 4 men were Archie Iames [Ijames], last believed to be running the PT in San Francisco, Calif.; Russell Winberg (phonetic), who dropped out of the PT when Jim Jones took his group from Indianapolis; (FNU) [first name unknown] [Richmond] Stahl, who is believed among the dead in Guyana, along with Jack Beams (phonetic) [Beam], also believed dead. Beams often talked about, and exhibited, numerous guns of both hand held and shoulder type.
[deleted name] advised he recalled when Jones was relieved of his civil rights director position in Indianapolis, Jones stood before the Council of Elders and made a statement to the effect that Mayor Boswell should be eliminated inasmuch he was obviously an enemy of the people.
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[deleted name] further advised that one Ross Case had been closely associated with Jones and the PT in Indianapolis, but allegedly became disenchanted and moved to the Ukiah, Calif., area before Jones had left Indianapolis. [deleted name] stated he and his wife [deleted name] Tampa, Fla., telephone [deleted] are separated, but not everyone is aware of this. His wife contacted him last week and advised Case had been trying to contact him. Case allegedly told [deleted name] that he believed himself to be on some kind of “hit list” along with some politicians.
[deleted name] advised that [deleted name] is currently on a trip: unknown duration to an unknown location.
[deleted name] said when Jones was in Indianapolis, he bragged about having many weapons in his home, and most of his close associates, such as Jack Beams (phonetic), had weapons at their homes.
[deleted name] is described as white male, born [deleted information], sandy blond hair, blue eyes [deleted information]
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[deleted information] previously fingerprinted for military and current position as [deleted information].
Indianapolis at Indianapolis, Ind. Advise former Mayor Boswell, if not previously deceased, of Jones’ comment after his having been relieved as Indianapolis Civil Rights Director. Attempt to identify an interview Russell Winberg (phonetic), not further identified.
Tampa at Tampa, Fla. attempt to locate [deleted name] and ascertain more specific details regarding her conversation with Ross Case.
Leads at San Francisco are being left to their judgment.
Armed and dangerous.
BT