[Address deleted]
67901 [the code for Liberal, Kansas]
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Washington D. C.
To whom it may concern;
I am a former member of the cult known as “People Temple.” I am probably the only one that will tell you the complete true story.
At the time that we moved here from Indianapolis, Jim Jones began to show his true character.
My husband and I [were] members of [line deleted].
I have seen him beat or have others beat children too young and too old for corporal punishment for very minor offenses.
We were told that if we quit the church they would get us. When he said that he was a communist, and threw the Bible on the floor, and said that he was “God,” the one
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in the Bible was a “son of a bitch.” There was no “God” but him.
I made up my mind that I wanted no part of him, and got up, and left. 1966
He said that he had 12 million dollars buried; if this is true Archie Ijames or Jean Brown will probably know where. Our youngest daughter (deceased in Guyana massacre) wanted to stay because all of her school chums were there. We were not allowed to associate with anyone outside the church, not even talk to anyone.
Our daughter [name deleted] had made a promise to me that she
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would not go to Guyana to live.
She worked for [2 lines of information deleted] San Francisco.
I have proof that she intended to be with us here in [location deleted] for Christmas. Her reservation on United Airlines is on record until Dec 22 and can be gotten by supeona [subpoena]; record BWZVCA. She was called at work and asked to get a flight to Guyana [2 lines of information deleted]. She did not call me because I would have stopped her some way. I have cards from her, and a letter proving she did not intend to stay. Written on the way.
They took everyone’s passports that came in, all their money, and jewelry. She was not allowed
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to leave [deleted word] was terrified of death. I know that she had to be held and forced to get the poison. She would not lay down her life for anyone.
[name deleted] kept me informed on what was going on, but she was afraid to quit. If she had it in her to commit suicide, why not take a chance on quitting.
My family did not suffer because we did not say anything to anyone about the church because we were afraid to. Jim Jones would stop in Cuba to see Castro and probably has money in their bank under an alias as well as in Mexico where he went several times. Jim Jones had more ego than anyone I knew. He forced himself on the young women for sex. His wife agreed because I believe
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she was afraid of him too.
As for henchmen, definitely I believe their promise to get all of us former members. “They will try”! Believe me Jim Jones was another Hitler.
Archie Ijames was just a tool that he used, but beware of Jean Brown and a man there named Tom? I sincerely believe that all the assets of the Temple should be sold and all money divided amongst the families of the deceased, as the members were forced to give all of their earnings and were given $2.00 for spending plus a pass for transit. The clothing came from Goodwill or secondhand stores with permission of someone in that position. Jean Brown I think.
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The Peoples Temple should be forced to pay all expenses for the return of the bodies and their burial, and then forced to disband. In the 17 years that we belonged to the church back in Indpls [Indianapolis] we gave thousands of dollars supposedly to help the less fortunate.
There was hundreds of good people in that church living in fear. Guyana was a slave labor camp with underfed people unable to escape. No one committed suicide. They were either tricked or forced. Maybe a very few did, but if you are surrounded by guards and held down and forced, or were held and injected, what chance did they
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have. Jim Jones and his super ego probably had it all figured out to make it look like so many people thought he was “God” that they would die for him. This is the truth.
No one I believe willingly died. It was mass murder not suicide, and death certificates should state murder. Why would a stigma on a person’s name for something they could not help.
May the real “God” punish me if this letter is not the truth.
Please keep my name and address a secret, as we do not want to die. We want our daughter’s possessions but are afraid to try and get them. She was only [number deleted] years old and was my
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last child (my baby) and I am absolutely sure of what I have written. Jim Jones could fool the angels in heaven, but in real life he was more of Satan. Please help us all to clear the names of our loved ones.
Thank you,
[name deleted]
P. S. Please do not divulge my name or address to anyone for we are well known to anyone in the church [3 lines deleted].
My phone number is as follows [deleted].