European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 17, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Poge 28 the stars and stripes thursday August 17, 1978 Mere Pawn Ray claims continued from Poge i  Ray s attorney at the time of his sentencing was Percy Foreman a nationally known trial lawyer. Then Ray turned to what apparently will be the underlying theme of his claim to innocence that he was a Mere Pawn in what he thought was a gun running scheme by mystery Man named Raoul and May have Beer set up. Moreover by undercover operations of the Fri. In a rambling account Ray told the committee about breaking out of Missouri state prison in 1967 and travelling in Zig Zag fashion to St. Louis the Chicago area. Indianapolis and ultimately to Canada where he spent one night with a prostitute and robbed her Pimp the next then met Raoul by Chance on the Montreal  return for Money and a never fulfilled Promise of travel documents. Ray said he carried items across the Canadian and mexican Borders for the Spanish accented Raoul who had mysterious Telephone numbers in new Orleans and no last name Ray could remember. After smuggling the items which Ray did not specifically identify he said he went to los Angeles look a  tried unsuccessfully go to work for the internal Revenue service travelled to new Orleans to agree to the gun running scheme with the mystery Man and Uiti i. Mately returned to los Angeles. " i was taking a lock picking rather a Mcsmith course at this time Ray tolds committee. At another Point he said i robbed the i was robbed of a  told of trying to Contact a girl who and i herself in an underground los an newspaper As a nympho some apologetically. Ray added of i had been in jail for about six i without detailing any actual gun runs Ray said he renewed the relationship i Raoul and purchased a Rifle in birala., purportedly for eventual to Mexico. With that Rifle Rayi he drove to Memphis tenn., in a red Stang arriving in the City where Kingi staying on april 3,1963. He and Raoul took a room which As it ened was across from King s Motel i Dis Nisay returning to Birmingham Tor More guns Ray said. He also shopped dully for telescopic sights while Memphis he said. Ray said that at Raoul s suggestion on Ril 4 that he take in a movie he was t killing time including getting his mus Eppg allegedly paid for by Raoul. Serviced Gyeral blocks from the Rooming House i be saw Rushing police cars and other gency activity in the area. Convinced that he should not return to Rooming Bouse he said he headed fort hew Orleans to try to rendezvous with one m Raoul s contacts there but heard first the car radio about King s death and the plague train crash kills one Prague a a esd engine col used with a commuter train Between mod Rany and Braslav on the Southern out skirts of Prague killing one passenger an injuring 39. Lookout for a White  that Point be said he headed for at Lanta instead where he caught a bus for Detroit and then a train into Toronto arriving there april 6. In Toronto he spotted the name of a local policeman. Raymond George Sneyd. In the newspaper and on impulse called Sneyd to ask under false pretences whether he had a passport. Sneyd did not. And Ray subsequently obtained one in Sneyd s name he testified. Ray subsequently flew to England then Lisbon. Portugal where he tried to obtain passage to either Biafra or Angola but failed he said. He returned to London and was on his Way out again to Brussels when he was arrested of Heathrow Airport on june a 1968, he recounted. Ray went on to claim that he was forced in part to plead guilty Back in Memphis by his own lawyers charged that they were in collusion with writer William Bradford Huie Over literary profits in the Case. The lawyers first Arthur Haynes and later Foreman have denied that charge ashes Huie. But Ray claimed that Huie through a intermediary offered me $12,000 if i would not take the witness stand saying my testimony would destroy the literary value of his  also charged that the government had offered a bribe to a Rooming House wit Ness who identified Ray As leaving the scene of the shooting and had threatened Ray himself with prosecution of his brother and father if he failed to plead guilty. Those factors combined to Force him to plead guilty. Ray claimed adding that Heutter was kept in solitary confinement for More than a year As punishment for his subsequent attempt to get a new trial. He told the panel also that i m concerned about Fri informants coming up Here to  Ray then repeated his Long time claim that some Fri personnel Are out to kill him. Adding they have License to  pointed out recently disclosed Fri documents showing that one of the first men to reach King after the gunshot on april 4. 1968. Was a purported civil rights worker later identified As an undercover agent of the Memphis police and the Fri. That Man was quoted in Fri Field investigations As saying the fatal shot was fired from the bathroom window of a Rooming House where Ray was staying. Ray seemed to imply the Man had lied to cover up the real source of the gunfire. 3 is of Hemsel of cd we Brucken. Three soldiers from defense arty Here Ai i Money for this it Federal Campaign time see their Effort guinness world according to a c spec. 4 John Duce ski and $ have started a i Kreuzberg Cavern i continue Tor sen spokesman said. They started the aug. 12 and plan to t Forth until noon Satun a disco a Fol be held throwing soldiers f gym. The Public is i on the athletes and donations also can be i . Military we Brocken. Csc to diet.  oho guard of Utility Plant arrested Power failure Blacks out Mei Memphis. Tenn. A a massive Power failure blacked out Memphis Early wednesday and police arrested a private guard tired to beef up Security at a Utility substation during a strike by police and firemen. The already reeling City was further threatened by labor leaders who warned of a general strike unless a settlement come soon. Scattered looting was reported Crosstown during the blackout and a baby had to be delivered by flashlight at one Hospital before emergency Power could be connected. Police inspector . Maley or. Identified the arrested Man As Richard Hyder 29, of Nashville. He was arrested at 3 35 . About three hours after the Black out began at a Power company substation and was charged with interfering wit Power lines. Replaced guard private guards had replaced National guard troops on duty at the Memphis Light Gas & water division s Cordova substation on monday. The blackout also left some areas with out water pressure because electric pow ered pumps were out. Memphis International Airport had to shift to standby Power. County police said Between 15 and 20 adults were arrested on minor charges stemming from the looting which was concentrated at Northside liquor and convenience shops. They said five juveniles were m custody on charges of burglary or at tempted burglary. National guard troops. Already on duty for the strikes were Dis patched to the county jail to beef up Security mayor Wyeth Chandler had been Able to maintain Calm the previous nights by imposing a dusk to Dawn curfew. Some pick ets have been arrested each night when they refused to disband by the 8 . Dead the blackout came on the first anniversary of Singer Elvis Presley s death. Thou Sands of his fans had come to this City of 650.000 to pay tribute at his grave at Grace land mansion but in i had been expected t on tuesday. On negotiations stance the strikers waged her balt giving for the thu 73 of must. P 1  �  � a a wily Cloudy cd Claude