[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 1394 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The State Department release withheld all names associated with Peoples Temple from this cable. Several are denoted below in red type.]
0 211225Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8523
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4403
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CASC, GY, (PEOPLE’S TEMPLE)
SUBJECT: W/W: REPATRIATION – HENRY CANNON, DIANE [DIANNE] SCHEID AND MARY ANN [MaryAnne] CASANOVA
1. CONSULAR OFFICER HAS JUST BEEN NOTIFIED BY POLICE THAT DIANE SCHEID IS FREE TO LEAVE GUYANA. DIANE SCHEID IS THE DAUGHTER OF MARY ANN CASANOVA WHO WAS FREE TO LEAVE SOME TIME AGO BUT CHOSE TO REMAIN WITH HER DAUGHTER. [NAME UNKNOWN] IS ACTING TEMPORARILY IN LOCO PARENTIS FOR [LINE DELETED] WAS CLEARED TO DEPART A FEW DAYS AGO.
2. [NAME UNKNOWN] HAS ADVISED US THAT MISS SCHEID IS IN A LOCAL HOSPITAL RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR WHAT IS REPORTED TO BE A SIGNIFICANT ALLERGY PROBLEM.
3. HENRY CANNON EXPECTS TO RECEIVE PREPAID TICKETS FROM RELATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES AND NEITHER SHE NOR EITHER OF THE TWO CHILDREN HAVE APPLIED FOR OR RECEIVED SUBSISTENCE OR REPATRIATION FUNDS.
4. TOTAL FAMILY UNIT WILL PROBABLY BE READY AND WILLING TO TRAVEL IN A FEW DAYS. WHEN THEY DO, THEY MAY BE THE ONLY PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBERS ON THEIR PARTICULAR FLIGHT. CA/SCS MIGHT WISH TO DISCUSS WITH PAN AM, NEW YORK THE POSSIBILITY OF TRANSPORTING
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 GEORGE 04403 211315Z
THIS FAMILY UNIT WITHOUT ARMED FEDERAL ESCORT..
BURKE [John Burke, American ambassador to Guyana]
UNCLASSIFIED