{"id":132949,"date":"2025-12-11T17:46:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T01:46:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=132949"},"modified":"2025-12-11T17:46:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T01:46:36","slug":"letters-of-walter-thain","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/?page_id=132949","title":{"rendered":"Letters of Walter Thain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Letter from Walter Thain, August 5, 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n

x-2-n-1(2) (better copy at x-2-n-1(6))<\/p>\n

Date Aug. 5, ’78<\/p>\n

Dear Jim:<\/p>\n

Enclosed, is letter sent to Mr. Marshall Kilduff in answer to his letter, dated, July 21, ’78.<\/p>\n

Last night, via Radio; I talked to Millie [Cunningham] who was running Trf. to Lillie at S.F. I asked her if I should respond to query of letter from Mr. Marshall Kilduff. Later, she called me back and told me, ‘above all to do so.’<\/p>\n

Please inform me if you received this letter and contents. I will monitor WB6MID\/8R3. Please extend to Dr. Schact [Larry Schacht] and your wife Marceline; my very best wishes, as well as, to my sincere friends at the Mission.<\/p>\n

God Bless you all in your work you’re doing in His Name.<\/p>\n

Best Regards,
\nWalter H. Thain
\nDr. Walt.<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

x-2-n-1(3)<\/p>\n

Letter to Marshall Kilduff from Walter Thain, August 5, 1978.<\/strong><\/p>\n

[Editor’s note: <\/strong><\/em>Minor spelling errors have been retained.<\/em>]<\/em><\/p>\n

[Letterhead of Pan American Cancer Cytology Society]<\/p>\n

August 5th, 1978<\/p>\n

Mr. Marshall Kilduff
\n4229 26th Street
\nSan Francisco, Calif.<\/p>\n

Dear Mr. Kilduff:<\/p>\n

Thank you for your letter, dated, July 21st, 1978; received, as of above date.<\/p>\n

Yes, indeed; I was a guest of Laurence Schact [Schacht], M.D. at Jonestown, Guyana whom I had talked via Amateur Radio for Medical cosultations with other Physicians state-side. These were Medical emergencies to resolve. I was introduced to Bishop Jones and was asked to be his guest, also. I did accept and remained at the Mission a week. During my visit I toured the Agricultural Medical Project; escorted & unescorted. To me, it seems incredible how they carved out of the Jungle a town with all of the public utilities comparable to towns in USA. The health care in the community is fantastic; there is an Orphanage, as well as, an accredited-primary school.<\/p>\n

Since my return to the States; I’ve received anonymous letters and xerox copies of periodicals [illegible words] the image of Bishop Jones. The accusations are mind-boggling & horrendous. I must say; anyone visiting this Mission as I have would know that it’s completely untrue. I just cannot explain why I’m sent these anti-feelings against the Church, or Bishop Jones.<\/p>\n

All my photographs takened at the Mission are in color; most were of Medical Personal. May I suggest to you that you can obtain B&W glossy prints; as well as, a Booklet “\u2026A feeling of fredom” by writing to the People’s Temple: P.O. Box-15023, San Francisco, Calif. This Booklet contains many B&W prints of the entire Mission & Staff.<\/p>\n

If I can assist you in the future; please write or phone (305)-392-6622. I’m in my office: 11:am to 4:pm.<\/p>\n

Most sincerely,
\n\/s\/ Walter H. Thain
\nWALTER H. THAIN, Ph.D.<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

x-2-n-1(4) (better copy at x-2-n-1(8)<\/p>\n

Letter from Marshall Kilduff to Walter Thain, July 21, 1978.<\/strong><\/p>\n

July 21, 1978<\/p>\n

Walter Thain
\n2401 N.E. 5th Avenue
\nBoca Raton, FLA<\/p>\n

Dear Mr. Thain:<\/p>\n

I am a freelance writer for New West Magazine and I am in the midst of preparing a sequel to an earlier story published last year on Rev. Jim Jones.<\/p>\n

We are particularly interested in the Guyana farm where Jones and many of his followers are currently based. A fellow ham radio operator of yours, Larry O’Toole in Pennsylvania, suggested to me that you had visited the jungle outpost and taken pictures.<\/p>\n

The magazine, along with many other news outlets, has had little luck obtaining independent information about the Guyana program. Your thoughts as well as photos would help us a great deal, and the magazine would be willing to pay you for the photos, I believe.<\/p>\n

Please let me or magazine editor B.K. Moran know if you can help us.<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

x-2-n-1(5)<\/p>\n

I can be reached at home 415-826-7762. She can be contacted at 415-986-5196. Phone collect in either case, and Ms. Moran is unavailable, ask to speak with Rosalie Wright or Phil Tracy at the San Francisco office.<\/p>\n

Thank you for your consideration, and we are looking forward to hearing from you.<\/p>\n

Sincerely,
\n\/s\/ Marshall Kilduff
\nMarshall Kilduff<\/p>\n

4229 26th Street
\nSan Francisco CA 94131<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Letter from Walter Thain, August 5, 1978 x-2-n-1(2) (better copy at x-2-n-1(6)) Date Aug. 5, ’78 Dear Jim: Enclosed, is letter sent to Mr. Marshall Kilduff in answer to his letter, dated, July 21, ’78. Last night, via Radio; I talked to Millie [Cunningham] who was running Trf. to Lillie at S.F. I asked her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":87901,"menu_order":16,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-132949","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/132949","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=132949"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/132949\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":132950,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/132949\/revisions\/132950"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jonestown.sdsu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=132949"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}