[Editor’s note: Many of the FBI interviews summarized in the FD-302s of the RYMUR investigation deleted the verb following the deleted name of the interview subject; most oftentimes, that word was “advised”.]
FD-302
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Date of transcription 12/12/78
[Name deleted] was interviewed in the presence of Special Agent (SA) [Name deleted], United States (US) Secret Service, at Pan American Terminal, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, Queens, New York. [Name deleted] provided the following information:
[8-line paragraph deleted]
[Line of text deleted] collected Federal and state monies which were placed into an account which would finance the administering of the ranch. He stated that the staff would take money from this account to provide for their own needs and, in addition, donate large sums of this to the PT. He advised that to his knowledge this practice continues as of this date.
[Name deleted] a “Planning Commission” of about 40 to 50 people held meetings in San Francisco but rarely held a meeting at Jonestown. He advised that in Jonestown various committees ruled the commune and described the entire operation as highly compartmentalized. He stated examples of this would be the finance committee and the agricultural committee.
[Name deleted] he was only in Jonestown twice and was never made privy to the “Inner Circle” operations. He stated that [2 lines deleted] resided at Jonestown. He stated that [Name deleted] never gave any indication of any problems at Jonestown except for the incident which he referred to as the “White Night”. He
[Page 2]
BQ 89-495
stated that the “White Night” as it was explained to him was the evening when the entire commune was on guard against an attack by unknown mercenaries who were preparing to destroy Jonestown. He stated that the “White Night” lasted for a few evenings and then was terminated.
[Name deleted] he had observed a young cadre following Jones at all times. He stated that this young cadre was used as a protection for Jones from followers who continually disturbed the Reverend Jones. He advised that he never saw this group armed. He stated that these individuals were usually members of the basketball team.
[Name deleted] he received his orders in Georgetown through Sharon Amos, Paula Adams, and Debbie Touchette. He advised that these orders refer to [line deleted]. He stated that Amos, Adams, and Touchette worked in the Radio Room at Georgetown.
[Name deleted] there was a personal staff assigned to the Reverend Jones which included Carolyn Layton, Johnnie [Johnny] Brown Jones, Harriet Tropp, and Charlie Touchette. [Name deleted] to his knowledge this staff worked on the administration of the commune and to his knowledge had no connection with any weapons, assassination plans, or other nefarious deeds.
He advised that he knew of no shipment of weapons to the PT but knew that they did have shotguns.
[Name deleted] he knew of no firearms training but that Tom Grubbs trained an archery team at Jonestown.
[Name deleted] Jones was critical of various people at times which included the President and Tim Stoen.
[Name deleted] was unaware of any contingency plans, any officials, federal, international, or other, who were targeted for assassination. He denied knowing the term “Angels” or hit team. He stated that he was unaware of any assassination plans, assassination squad, suicide drills, or relocation plans.
[Page 3]
BQ 89-495
[Name deleted] as a member of the PT, he was forced to sign a confession which he believed was to be used against himself in case he defected from the PT.
[Name deleted] Paula Adams was known throughout Georgetown as being connected with the PT and living, at times, with the Guyanese Ambassador to the United Nations [United States] in Georgetown.
[Name deleted] to his knowledge Doctor Lawrence [Laurence] Schacht was educated in South America and this education had been financed by the PT. He stated that he has no knowledge of Schacht’s associates or friends in the United States and that to his knowledge Schacht was a licensed doctor. He stated that Schacht was eccentric at times and personable at others. He stated that to his knowledge the following individuals assisted SchachtIn the Medical Unit:
Annie Moore
Renie [Rennie] Jackson kice
Judy Ijames
Phyllis Chakin [Chaikin]
Lois Ponts
Joyce Rozynko
Joyce Parks
[Name deleted] he never saw any requests for the purchase of cyanide and he believes that this purchase would have been privately.
[Name deleted] the following information on the below listed PT members:
Joe Wilson
Negro male
Approximately 20 years of age
Well-built
Security UnitTim Jones
White male
Blonde hair
Work in Georgetown as a dockhand
[Page 4]
BQ 89-495
Ed Crenshaw
Negro male
Truck driverRon Tally
White male
Agriculture CommitteeHerbert Newell
Negro male
20 years of age
Work aboard the Cudule [Cudjoe]Steven [Stephan] Jones
White male
Early 20s
Most important member of basketball teamJohnnie Jones
Negro male
Twenties
Called the rallies
Used as liaison between the inner group and the Reverend Jones; reported to Reverend Jones directlyLou [Lew] Jones
Korean son of the Reverend Jim JonesMark Cordell
White male
Involved in agriculturePauline Groot
Twenties
White female
Graduate engineer
Described as eccentricPaul McCann
White male
24 years of age
Construction and carpentry
[Page 5]
BQ 89-495
Don Fields
White male
In charge of pharmacyTom Grubbs
White male
Principal of schoolLee Ingram
Negro male
In charge of heavy equipmentDanny Moton or Russel Moton
Negro male
Graduate of University of California at Los Angeles at DavisNorman Ijames
White male
Husband of Judy Ijames
Not a member of the PT
Employed as airplane pilot
[Name deleted] the following individuals are believed to be residing in the San Francisco area:
Terry Buford
White femaleJean Brown
Negro female [white]Vera Young
White femaleJune Crym
FemaleSandra Ingram
alias Sandra Bradshaw
White female
[Page 6]
BQ 89-495
[Name deleted] to his knowledge Tim Carter, Jim [Mike] Carter, and Mike Prokes are all in custody in Georgetown, Guyana.
The following is a description of [Name deleted].
[information relating to physical characteristics, occupation, and education deleted.]
[Name deleted] could provide no further information.