The desperate fight to free loved ones from Jonestown (Part 2/3) | Forensic Files

[Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at
anytime you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support
please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website this series on Jamestown deals with
horrific events the series deals with mass murder and suicide of men women and children as well as other abuses the
episodes are graphic and distressing especially episode three there will not be suitable for all listeners please use
your discretion the tropical country of Guyana is located on the northern mainland of
South America Guyana features a variety of striking natural landscapes spectacular volcanic
escarpments rivers Botanical Gardens rain forests and waterfalls are hidden throughout colorful and exotic animals
such as flamingos iguanas parrots toucans can be found in the dense jungles Guyana is raw beauty vibrant and
expensive Dianna's motto is one people one nation one destiny it was the only english-speaking country in South
America and was a cooperative Socialist Republic for those reasons Guyana caught the eye of Jim Jones Jones
perceived the United States as racist and oppressive and he wanted to create a self-sustaining remote communities
thousands of followers to immigrate to and permanently live in the would be a benevolent multiracial socialist
paradise where everything was owned and shared by the community as a whole in 1974 Peoples Temple negotiated with
Diana's government to develop approximately 4,000 acres of land by 1976 an official 25-year land lease was
signed people's temple were to pay roughly 1,000 dollars annually to the Guyana government for the chosen lien an
isolated area of jungle along the Venezuelan border was chosen for Jim Jones's socialist community
Jonestown [Music] two years before the lease was signed 15 people's temple members set out to
Guyana to prepare for the construction of the commune they set sail from Miami in July 1974 it took ten days to cross
the Atlantic Ocean between North and South America the ocean lapped pummeled and almost swallowed the trawler the
windshield cracked the rudder snapped and cargo fell overboard but the sea battered people's temple travelers
managed to reach Cayenne as coastal capital city George Tiller they purchased the spacious 2 story building
in an upscale area of Georgetown which became temple headquarters the People's Temple pioneers then pulled back onto
their trawler and sailed up the wainy River before steering down the kite Houma River the
Kitumba river snaked through the foggy rainforest and led the trawler towards final destination port code tumor the
harsh reality of the third-world nation hit when they arrived at the Riverside village of Port Kojima slums of shanty
homes made from mismatched timber with corrugated iron roofs line the streets residents suffered from disease and
malnutrition children's bodies were swollen sweaty and covered in sores dead animals rot in trenches of mosquito
infested water on the side of swampy red clay roads the humid air felt oily and tasted burnt nevertheless the People's
Temple pioneers were determined each day they'd wake early Paul into flatbed trucks and drive six miles down the
pothole clay road to where their commune was to be established what started as a single foot path
through the jungle was cut away by hand using axes cutlasses and machetes it was hard back-breaking work the
jungle was unspoiled and inaccessible mic to shet and early people's temple settler in Guyana quote living down
there was hard heavy work mostly with your hands in your back but with the additional challenges of the jungle
thrown in like the heat the rain and the bugs we were all so isolated from everything and everyone if we needed a
piece of equipment we couldn't go down to a local supply store we had to fashion it ourselves or wait
for weeks while the order came in from Georgetown or even further away or do without you had to have a pioneering
spirit to survive a bulldozer and backhoe were eventually shipped over from the united states allowing walls of
jungle to be torn down with these the foundations of the first buildings were laid and fields were tilled in
preparation for crops the commune was formally named the People's Temple agricultural project the People's Temple
agricultural project population grew slowly at first housing just 50 residents in the first few months
despite the difficulties of the foreign landscape and tropical climate hope remained high as chosen temple members
made their pilgrimage from the United States to Guyana their jungle paradise was referred to as the promised land or
freedom lenient but most called it Jonestown after their leader Reverend Jim Jones
the success of Jonestown relied on the determination and motivation of its residents most were born and raised in
America's cities and few had farming or laboring experience Mike Touche quote we worked from sunup till dark
rain or shine we worked hard to build what we thought was going to be a better way of life for the family members back
in the States after a satisfying breakfast of eggs with biscuits pastries and coffee labor
is headed to the fields and planted and harvested crops tended to livestock and laid down foundations for more buildings
the furniture Department built beds cabinets and cribs the sawmill produced the frames for residents homes a medical
clinic was also established at lunchtime everyone took a break to eat a sandwich
and relax elderly residents ordered cleaned and prepared vegetables for dinner dinner was either a plate of
fried chicken or fish with green vegetables on the side and peanut butter fudge for dessert after dinner the early
settlers met in the pavilion in the center of the commune the pavilion was a large open-air structure with a
corrugated iron roof set on wooden columns used as a central meeting area it featured a stage at one end with
multiple benches and chairs in front signs with slogans such as loved one and other were featured within at night it
was a hub of social activity elderly residents played dominoes and cards children watch movies and television
teenagers Flis ndon danced to music and couples snuck away for privacy preparation to send more people's temple
members to Guyana took months passports visas and immunizations were needed in the United States apartments were
vacated homes sold bank accounts closed and jobs quit population influxes were gradual so as to not overwhelm the
commune and to give new settlers time to prepare by May 1976 there were approximately 100 temple members living
in Jonestown these early days of Jonestown were filled with optimism and positivity a shortwave radio was built
in the commune to communicate with people's temple headquarters in San Francisco positive updates about the
jungle commune were relayed to temple members still living in America by April 77 almost three years since the
first point here is arrived in Guyana there were 400 temple residents living in Jonestown the commune had become an
impressive Township beyond the entrance into Jonestown were six cottages for senior residents amongst these homes
were a doctor's office an infirmary a laboratory and a pharmacy further along was the dining tent kitchen bakery and
distend full of hanging bananas of various shades of green there was a vegetable stand for storing sorting and
preparing fresh food and herbs as well as a smokehouse and a sump in selador a laundry was built behind the cooking
area where the heat from the kitchen was used to dry damp clothes at the end of the main road was the tool shop garage
sawmill supply storage fuel tank and a warehouse a dirt footpath snaking from the main road led to West's house this
was where Peoples Temple senior leadership and staff stayed during visits it was larger than all other
residential structures in the commune in the center of the commune was the main pavilion and adjacent to that was the
radio room next to the radio room were to educational tents and a library where school classes were held for children
there was also a playground and a basketball court a dormitory was used as a nursery for toddlers and preschool
children another was used as an animal refuge beyond these dormitories the part forked
in two directions to the left were several cottages known as East house where outside visitors stayed the second
path led to 48 pastel colored cottages where Jones towns adults slept overlooking the cottages was a guard
tower and had children's slides installed at a slowest level and a wind-driven generator at its top
bathrooms and sharing facilities were nearby the toilets were built over a pit and the toilet seat was a long bench
with six oval holes generator buildings and numerous wells and windmills were located throughout the commune further
away where the piggery barns and a chicken coop and cultivated fields and orchards for the planter crops
surrounded the communes edges Reverend Jim Jones visited his come--and throughout its progress when Jones came
to town residents were tense and irritable in America Temple members sunk his money into energy in the People's
Temple they were rewarded with long work hours of violent punishments public humiliations social isolation and
blackmail the negativity corrupted the purpose of the temple to bring equality through socialism once a compassionate
leader Jim Jones transformed into a paranoid drug abuser sexual predator and egotistical tyrant as temple life in
America spiral into one of cruelty and control temple life in Jonestown without Jones was a relaxed atmosphere
Jonestown resident Eugene Smith quote when Jim Jones wasn't there things tended to be a little bit lighter people
would be dancing or singing they'd be music in different cottages but when Jones was present it was very very dark
it was almost like a dark cloud jain's film at one of his visits and the footage was spliced together by People's
Temple PR teams to relay an image of the commune that was favorable but not truthful the PR videos featured painting
footage of the large agricultural fields lined with growing fruits and vegetables
but they didn't show that most crops failed to reach harvest due to unpredictable weather pests and poor
soil fruit trees took years to grow and produce so they provided no immediate sustenance the videos featured close-ups
of satisfying meals consisting of bacon barbecued ribs sausages and fried chicken
however cows pigs and chickens were dying from a mysterious illness and the meat had become a rare ingredient from
Jones town's menu Jones toward the chicken coops on camera and delight about there being thousands of chickens
in the commune and that none of them had ever died calling it a miracle of miracles residential cottages were shown
in impeccable condition with only two bunk beds featured in each in reality cottages were overcrowded because homes
were not going up as fast as new residents were arriving by me to 1977 there were already more people in
Jonestown than the land could support Jonestown residents were unaware of the bad news unraveling in America on August
1st 1977 new west magazine published an article titled inside people's temple the article featured testimony of ex
temple members who exposed Jim Jones as a possessive and violent fraud the article claimed Jones was in the late
stages of orchestrating a mass exodus of his temple to their commune in Guyana prior to the
articles publication the magazine's editor warned Jim Jones about the articles content Jones knew backlash
over the article would open him up to investigation and possibly criminal charges or civil suits his entire
organization would be destroyed so Jones escaped for Guyana six hours before the
article went to print and as the article predicted he ordered his temple members
to following the mass exodus to Guyana happened almost overnight temple members were told father had called them to the
promised land they packed their belongings quit their jobs and abandoned their families and friends to avoid
suspicion members told loved ones they were going on a routine temple bus trip temple star forged letters on behalf of
members stating they left for Jamestown voluntarily and were in good spirits to avoid unwanted attention
buses split the hundreds of migrants between airports across the country the media noticed the disappearing act the
People's Temple quickly released statements denying they were pulling out of America they attacked the media for
orchestrating a well coordinated conspiracy and smear campaign against Jim Jones over the following days
worried friends and relatives of temple members arrived at the temple San Francisco headquarters but no one
answered the door one worried relative told the media quote I think that Jim Jones took his
group down to Guyana because he was afraid to face the publicity Indians are the questions here in this country
I don't think that he feels confident having Peoples Temple members talk to their relatives I think the only way he
can survive and sustain what he started is to isolate all his followers from this country and from their families
temple members were excited to go to James teaming for years they'd listen to updates of Jonestown over radio and to
watch the videos they thought they would be visiting for just days weeks or maybe
even months but would eventually return to America but they were unaware of a confidential order direct from Jim Jones
to temple leadership the trip to Guyana was final for anyone who took it no one would ever return to America once in
Guyana new arrivals were made to surrender their belongings as everything was communal in socialist Jamestown
their passports were confiscated for safekeeping and locked away janestown leadership determined housing and job
placements parents were upset to find they were lied to there wasn't a cottage for every family
in Jonestown leadership divided couples into different cottages men and women were housed separately and children were
taken to the nursery long time Jonestown residents were anxious the mass exodus from America brought more than 500 new
people into Jonestown within weeks the population spiked from 400 to almost a thousand people
Jonestown wasn't equipped to sustain a population of that size it was already struggling with the population it had
before the Exodus each residential cottage was designed for four people they now housed between 10 and 20 people
some cottages were missing doors and window screens cramped inside were combinations of
double and triple bunk beds with additional beds in the upper loft area mattresses were thin slabs of foam and
blankets were too thick cottages would become stifling hot as the South American Sun roasted their corrugated
iron roofs residents will work in each day at 6 a.m. and sometimes as early as 3 a.m. newcomers were expected to head
straight into the agricultural fields and start working upwards of 12 to 16 hours per day soon all mill was
consisted of rice and gravy portion sizes shrunk daily and some mills were skipped entirely food became currency
you'd earn it if you work for it insects fell in the soupy sticky pots of food and they were impossible to pick
out so people laid in darkness to avoid seeing what ended up in their mouths gone were the days of cooked meat
pastries coffee and peanut butter fudge wounds festered infection spread mosquito bites thundered skin diarrhea
dehydration intestinal worms and rashes were common the promised land was everything but what they were promised
Jamestown wasn't a place of freedom and equality it was more like a police state
as Peoples Temple members suffered their leader lived comfortably in his two-bedroom West House cottage with his
mistresses Jones's cabin had air conditioning a double bed window screens a typewriter a radio and a refrigerator
stocked with his favorite soft drinks and treats his daily meals consisted of meat salad jelly and coffee
despite his luxuries Jones felt like a prisoner in his own home his reputation in the States was ruined and he could
never return paranoia with old personal responsibilities he was convinced his enemies including the US government the
CIA and the temple defectors were out to destroy him to cope he became more dependent on drugs and alcohol
loyal aides kept an eye on Jamestown residents and updated Jones on the status of the commune reports were
always the same people weren't happy they missed America Jones censored all incoming and outgoing mail to cut the
emotional ties his followers head to what he called a fascist America Jonestown residents were sent hundreds
of letters from worried loved ones back home a father Saudi answers from his ex-wife
who took their children to go Anna her brother asked his sister to see him before he died of cancer one letter
notified her mother that her daughter had overdosed some put money inside their letters for flights back home
letters were first received by Jonestown senior staff and then read to Jones when
asked if the recipients should receive their mail Jones's reply was always the same no residents started to question
why they weren't receiving letters anymore at first Jones blamed the US government and when
that answer became unsatisfactory he claimed their relatives had simply stopped writing to them Jones allowed
for outgoing mail under the condition that letters were written in front of census approved letters were filled with
lies about what residents were eating what they were achieving and how healthy and how happy they were Jones read the
loudspeaker system throughout Jonestown every day for hours at a time he'd rent into a microphone about America fascists
and his enemies and he would give his own biased opinions and commentaries on reported news Jonestown resident Deborah
Layton quote only Jim spoke on the speaker system that went 24 hours a day and he would tape himself so in the
middle of the night all through the night his voice was talking to you Jones used the droning broadcasts as a
deliberate psychological technique to interrupt free thinking they kept listeners in a disjointed state that
made them receptive to fed information access to radio and television had been prohibited so members had no idea what
was truly happening outside of Jonestown large-scale race riots mass murder of minorities and of the reintroduction of
slavery were just some of the lies Jones spread about America he wanted to make life in Jonestown appear better than
life back home residents were quizzed daily on the content of Jones's broadcasts those who failed the tests
were made to work twice as hard and were forbidden to talk to others Jones's loudspeaker ramblings were
frantic nonsensical and outrageous some residents quietly contemplated if Jim Jones had finally gone insane in
December 1977 four months after moving to Jonestown Jim Jones's mother Lunetta passed away Lunetta lived in her own
private cottage a longtime smoker she suffered from lung disease and rarely left her bed one day she had a stroke
and two days later she was dead publicly Lunetta was a great defender of a son Jones loved his mother deeply her
avid interest in humanitarianism defined his formative use and influenced these goals in life
privately Lunetta was the only person of Jones's inner circle run afraid to confront shame and to control him
when Lunetta died that caused the dramatic shift to ripple throughout Jamestown Jones lost his only source of
authoritative moderation and constraint now no one could stop him Jones called a meeting at the pavilion
days after his mother's passing the topic of conversation was death and Jones considered and compared the
different ways to die remarking that drowning would be most preferable as it is easy numbing and peaceful his crowd
remained silent Jones yelled at them some of you people get so [ __ ] nervous every time I talk
about death when an elderly woman scowled at him Jones told her you're gonna die someday honey you are [ __ ]
you're gonna die one night from the depths of the jungle a gunman fired several bullets in quick
succession at West House the bullets narrowly missed Jim Jones who was standing at the window at the
time he ran to the loudspeaker and yelled to his people alert alert we are under attack frightened residents rented
the pavilion and Jones was waiting for them their government allies had abandoned
them he said and now fascist mercenaries had surrounded Jonestown they were going
to kidnap their children invade the town and capture them all this pervasive feeling of being under attack felt very
real to Jonestown residents Jones's daily loudspeaker tirades often featured warnings that enemy forces were heading
to Guyana to destroy them farming tools were handed out to residents who were ordered to stand in a line facing the
jungle they were told to defend Jonestown from the invading mercenaries or die trying'
no one in the line knew that the gunman who shot at Jim Jones was not an enemy mercenary who was their leader's son Jim
Jones jr. he'd been ordered by his father to go into the jungle and shoot at West house Jones pressed himself
against the interior sidewall to avoid the bullets he knew were coming anxious residents watched the jungle throughout
the night and into the morning they were permitted to sleep in short shifts before taking their defensive positions
once more Jones allowed them to work during the day to maintain food production but at night he ordered them
back into defensive lines traumatized children were sedated while Jones walked the line in tears saying
goodbye er to each person this was it he told them this siege lasted six days on
the sixth day Jones permitted his makeshift army to stand down on he gave a rousing speech
about how they all proved they'd rather die than surrender to their enemies Jones asked who was willing to die and
commit revolutionary suicide for their cause only two people out of hundreds raised their hands they were two members
of Jones's inner circle everyone else wanted the fire they felt they owed their commitment to socialism to stay
alive as long as possible they didn't come to Jamestown to die Jones called a meeting in the pavilion every night he'd
press a microphone through his lips only stopping his long-winded grants to chew
on blocks of ice peanuts or pills Jones looked puffier and puff here at each meeting he still wore his trademark
sunglasses at all times to hide his red drug aged gaze sickly aggressive and easily distracted Jones constantly
licked his lips a habit common in drug abusers his speech stuttered and slurred and he interchangeably blamed exhaustion
illness a tooth infection incorrect medication and the sound system through his odd behavior residents cheered sang
and rallied at his order but their enthusiasm was weak Jones would rant for hours without break even when his
audience appeared bored and weren't paying attention during meetings Jones would often get drunk and vulgar he'd
swear and threaten people brag about sex burp urinate and vomit during one meeting he shot a pistol into
the air and yelled I ought to kill every last one of you meetings went all night with residents
crawling into bed at 4:00 a.m. only to be woken an hour or two later to start work Jones continued to dole out
punishments of these meetings gone were the whipping belt and the Board of Education they were replaced by crueler
punishments that wouldn't just cause physical pain but extreme mental distress one teenage boy was forced to
eat slices of an incredibly spicy native pepper after it was discovered he was growing his own watermelon crop a 60
year old woman was punished by being stripped naked and paraded down the aisles of the pavilion troublemakers
were tied to a pole and left on the edge of the jungle under the impression they
were going to be eaten by a tiger a resident deathly afraid of snakes was forced to endure a snake being wrapped
around her another was marched into the jungle and had a gun pressed against his
head until he agreed to apologize the Jim Jones for his wrongdoings other transgressors were paraded by the crowd
slapped and beaten this misplaced violence between residents was a form of emotional release some residents were
locked in the box for several days the box was a 1 point 2 by 1.8 meters shipping container that had been dug
into the earth that was soundproof dark and hot the sensory and social deprivation caused them to hallucinate
for long-term punishment Jones invented the learning crew infractions that could
get your science to the learning crew included being late to work worshiping God acting capitalist or saying the
words I want to go home the learning crew were forced to do low-status exhausting and undesirable
tasks repeat offenders got extended sentences the special care unit was an area in the medical section of Jonestown
reserved for the most rebellious residents those who were increasingly vocal in expressing opposition to Jones
protesters were restrained and sedated with drugs until they were almost catatonic if they wouldn't willingly
swallow the tranquilizers they were forcibly injected it seemed impossible to escape Jonestown the surrounding
thick walls of unexplored jungle were impossible to track for most residents however one person took a chance on an
early August morning Guyanese police in Port kites Houma noticed the disheveled men emerged from the dense jungle he
introduced himself as Leon Broussard a member of Peoples Temple and resident of Jonestown
Leon told the police Jonestown was a slave colony when Guyanese police investigated Jim Jones called Leon a
drug-addicted lawyer but agreed to return the man's passport and pay for him to return to the US after dis escape
Jones encouraged his followers to spy on each other and report dissent if a resident looked too long at the jungle
they were reported for plotting an escape residents became so paranoid about their thoughts and behavior they
confessed to minor infractions before others would Dodd the men janestown resident Vernon Gosney
recalled quote a father would turn in a son a husband would turn in a wife a small child would turn in a parent there
was no freedom to express the one another what was going on because everything was suspect the most
forbidden thing to express was to leave Jamestown's resident doctor was a 29 year old man called Lawrence Eugene
sharked Lawrence or Larry as you is known was once addicted to crystal meth and Peoples Temple helped rehabilitate
him temple leadership noted sharked as emotionally unstable and insecure but also highly intelligent the temple
funded sharked to study medicine at University he graduated with honors and began an internship at San Francisco
General Hospital but by the fifth week of his internship Schacht disappeared Tim Jones had ordered him to Jonestown
shocked was the only doctor in Jamestown and his inexperience was a problem he was unfamiliar with treating simple
medical issues such as setting broken bones and medicating skin rashes dr. sharked worked up to 16 hours per day
looking after all 1000 Jamestown residents to cope he started taking the calming drug valium but it fostered
depressive tendencies within him to Jonestown residents dr. Schaack was a strange loner who was emotionally
unstable paranoid and highly inappropriate he would perform prostate exams on male temple members who didn't
require them Jamestown resident Laura Johnston coal recalled quote Larry was really
different because once he got to Jamestown he never really established close relationships with anyone it's
almost like it was kind of a recluse in the community there wasn't anybody else in Larry's life that was anywhere near
as monumental as his relationship with Jim Jones there's not one friend that I can think
of that Larry ever spent time with or Hungary [Music] dr. shark had one free day per week
Wednesday but it wasn't long before Jones gave him work to do on Wednesdays as well private discreet work Jones had
ordered him to find ways to carry out a mass suicide Jones had been obsessed with the idea of killing his entire
congregation for years prior to relocating to Guyana Jones had orchestrated mock mass suicides within
his own leadership group those who had witnessed Jones's death plans had brushed them away as loyalty tests when
dr. sharked was given the direct order to find an ideal way to kill 1,000 people over 300 of whom were children
his first step was to ask Jones for a book on forensic medicine dr. Larry sharked quote I am quite capable of
organizing no suicide aspect and will follow through and try to convey concern and warmth throughout the ordeal
in May 1978 dr. Schaack believed he'd come up with the quickest and cleanest method for mass suicide cyanide sharked
explained to Jones that cyanide was one of the most rapidly acting poisons depending on the dosage cyanide could
take up to three hours or only minutes to kill cyanide poisoning stops body cells from absorbing oxygen and results
in the sensation of suffocation symptoms of cyanide poisoning occur within minutes and include headaches dizziness
fast heart rate shortness of breath and vomiting followed by seizures slow heart
rate low blood pressure and loss of consciousness ending in cardiac arrest Jonestown residents noticed dr. shark
exhibiting strange behavior around town muttering to nobody shaking appearing sick and ingesting large amounts of the
calming drug Thorazine no one knew why the doctor was increasingly on edge but what he was planning to do to them
all Jim Jones started importing guns into Jonestown hidden in false crates marked agricultural supplies he referred
to them as Bibles he amassed over 30 different firearms and said there are enough Bibles here to do a lot of
praying if necessary Jones called a town meeting of the pavilion when residents arrived they were shocked to find guards
circling them holding guns Vernon Gosney recall quote there were people that are
knew for years with guns and they weren't pointed outward they were pointed inward it was a sense of an
armed encampment Jones then went on one of his usual paranoid tangents one resident recalled he would tell us that
in the United States african-americans were being herded into concentration camps that there was genocide on the
streets they were coming to kill and torture us because we chosen what he called the socialist tract he said they
were on their way another resident recalled we were informed that our situation had become
hopeless and that the only course of action open to us was a mass suicide for the glory of socialism we were told that
we would be tortured by mercenaries were we taken alive residents watched as staff brought forward stacks of paper
cups placing them on the table at the front next to a large vat filled with dark liquid lineup Jones ordered drink
the liquid it would be painless in 45 minutes you'd fall asleep forever when the reality of what Jones was asking of
them said in the crowd protested but armed guards stood them up and March them to the VAT
the victim was handed a cup filled with liquid and made to drink it at gunpoint they were then forced to the field next
to the pavilion and told to lie down Jones threatened if anyone tried to flee that would be shot everyone was made to
get in line to drink the liquid even children those who had been through similar drills before believed this was
just another one of Jones's loyalty tests those who continue to resist weren't shot instead guards held them
down pulled open their jaw and poured the liquid forcibly down their throats others drank willingly they were so
disenfranchised by Jonestown that death was welcomed hundreds of stained cups were piled up around the near empty VAT
and hundreds of people lay together watching the sunset they held each other's hands
whispered farewells and close their eyes to fall asleep forever until Jones's booming voice shattered the silence he
didn't take anything he had only punch with something a little stronger in it they simulated
suicides would come to be part of what was called white noise code for extreme emergency every few weeks
Jones's voice would ring out over the loudspeaker what night what night get to the pavilion your lives are in danger
all residents would run to the pavilion and would be made to either partake in sieges that went for days or rallies
that went for hours each white night ended the same residents were told to line up take a cup drink and die
at the end of each white night Jones would laugh and clap he'd explained it was only a rehearsal and now he knew
whom he could trust then he'd say go home my darlings sleep tight James was manipulating his followers
into a learned behavior by repeating in action over and over until it no longer had an emotional impact frequent white
knights made each one less terrifying than the last eventually as residents were handed their cup of dark colored
liquid nobody fought back nobody refused there was no fear after each white knife Jones would cast
another vote for revolutionary suicide in the beginning only several hands would rise but Jones continued to call
white Knights until residents were physically mentally and emotionally exhausted by the process white knights
became so meaningless they just wanted them to end and eventually when Jones asked who would commit revolutionary
suicide all hands went up in the air some American government officials visited Jamestown briefly throughout its
inception but Jamestown leadership would spend weeks preparing residency answers
to questions and shipping large quantities of food beds were removed from cottages to dispel rumors of
overcrowding residents who looked unhealthily thin were given larger servings of food to fatten up when
official visitors arrived in Jamestown they didn't appear to be any signs of trouble when they questioned residents
to see if anyone was being held against their will residents assured them that they were
free to leave if they desired without seeing any guards guns or barbed wire the officials left with the impression
that everything was well in Jones Piron back in America the relatives of temple members refused to believe the positive
news coming out of Jonestown they compared letters they had received from loved ones in Guyana letters bought
striking similarities to each other quoting similar lines of text they noticed things such as spelling errors
being crossed out and corrected in someone else's handwriting letters arrived unsealed some were cut off at
the bottom eventually they stopped receiving letters at all together with ex temple members they founded a support
group called the concerned relatives the concerned relatives picketed in San Francisco and sent letters to the media
government officials and members of Congress they handed out flyers to raise public awareness of the abuses happening
in Jonestown the Flyers read this nightmare is taking place right now will you help us free our families we are
individuals having only one bond in common relatives isolated in the Jonestown jungle encampment in Guyana
South America under the total control of one man Jim Jones we espouse no political or religious viewpoint our
only concern is for our families we have bewildered and frightened by what is being done to them their human rights
are being violated and that fabric of our family life is being torn apart a very few Jamestown residents had
successfully escaped the commune most who did were members of the Jamestown leadership group and were within Jim
Jones's inner circle being trusted by Jones they had access to the locked away piles of passports and were able to
obtain their own before fleeing the commune upon their return to America they were able to publicly detail the
conditions in Jamestown and strengthen the claims made by the concerned relatives group on April 11 1978 the
concerned relatives delivered a document titled accusation of human rights violations by Reverend James Warren
Jones the document attacked Jim Jones directly and outlined the many abuses rampant in Jonestown the concerned
relatives gave copies of the document to the press and various members of Congress including congressman Leo Ryan
Congressman Leo Ryan was a member of the Democratic Party and had served as the US Representative from California's
eleventh congressional district since 1973 a vocal advocate for the often overlooked less fortunate and poorly
treated people within society Brian's hands-on activism made him a standout campaigner it was not the type of
politician to just sit behind his desk doing nothing he always carried a strong sense of responsibility to personally
help those who couldn't help themselves one of Ryan's peers said this about him he was accustomed to going into battle
he really felt there was nothing to worry about he was a congressman as if he had some kind of a protective shield
synonymous with Ryan's name was the word gutsy he never took no for an answer when he believed in something no matter
how difficult he never gave up his unique head first style of investigating was given the name of experimental
legislating boys peers due to his hard earned political success and respect in late 1978
congressman Ryan was reelected for his fourth term in office by 78 to 22 majority congressman Ryan had been
keeping an eye on news regarding Peoples Temple and Jim Jones but had yet to make
a move on the medal it wasn't until Sam Houston an old friend of Ryan's contacted the congressman seeking an
investigation into the death of his son that Leo Ryan stepped in Sam Houston's son was Bob Houston bob was a longtime
temple member whose body was found crushed to death by a train car in San Francisco in October 1976 Bob's death
was ruled a workplace accident but his work colleagues took issue with that rumors suggested Jim Jones had
orchestrated Bob's death congressman Ryan agreed to investigate Peoples Temple and Jim Jones on November
1st 1978 brian announced plans to travel to Guyana to visit Jonestown on an open and honest
fact-finding mission to determine if residents were being held in the communicants their will he said he would
go to Jonestown with or without Jim Jones's permission and he would stay there for as long as it took to find out
what was really going on Jim Jones believed Ryan's intention was to bring media attention to Jamestown to smear
the temple and destroy the church he refused to permit Ryan visitation into Jonestown and sought help from the
Guyanese government to refuse Ryan and his delegation into the country at all but he was unsuccessful Jones said we
preferred death to this kind of harassment and it would be a grave mistake if the Ryan delegation came to Jamestown
anxiety consumed Jim Jones he was obviously ill his body was bloated and it strained him to walk
Jones was awakened distracted and some residents saw this as an opportunity to escape but Jones noticed the rebellious
undercurrent and warned them see if you can get to any Passport try I dare you to try you don't know who
you were talking to just because I don't use the language of the church I am that
which they call God I will see you in the grave many of you as the date of the Rhoyne visit approached Jones spent days
bunker down in his cabin tended to boys mistresses armed guards stood at his door day and night white nights were the
tensest they'd ever been Jones was worried that when Ryan visited some of his followers would escape with a
congressman therefore Jones ordered 420 problematic Jonestown residents to be sedated in the
special care unit during ryan's visit people he was worried must speak out against him or attempt to leave he then
painstakingly coached other residents on what their work to say and do when Ryan arrived quote as
far as your relatives coming up to talk to you be civil but don't get engaged into long conversations with them tell
them how happy you are tell them what your food is how much food that you wouldn't go back to the United States if
someone were to give you a ticket tomorrow days before Ryan's visit a special delivery arrived to Johnstown it
was a large steel drum an image of a human skull sitting on two angled bones was marked on its surface the chemical
drum wasn't listed on any itinerary it was whisked away and hidden in the warehouse by Johnstown medical staff the
moment had arrived the presence of the drum lingered in the minds of those few who had seen it they considered the
possibility that Jim Jones was planning to poison congressman Ryan they didn't know that inside the drum was one pound
of sodium cyanide enough to kill 1,800 people on November 12 1978 Ryan his media entourage and 14 concerned
relatives arrived in Guyanese Capitol City George Tiller congressman Ryan traveled
to the temples headquarters in Georgetown and negotiated with the Johnstown leadership over radio for
several days it was eventually agreed that the congressman could enter Jonestown for a few days to interview
residents for his investigation but not all of Ryan's delegation were permitted to enter his staffer from the US Embassy
was accepted as were several reporters a producer a cameraman and a Sandman only
four out of the 14 concerned relatives were given permission to visit the night before the visit
Jones hold a final rally in the pavilion he said we've been debating about dying
it's easier to die than talk about it I'll worry about what you people think because you're trying to hold on to life
but I've been trying to give mine away for a long time and if that [ __ ] wants to take it he can have it but we'll have
a hell of a time going together on November 17 1978 congressman Ryan organized the light
plane charter to take his group from Ty Murray Airport south of Georgetown and to make the 150 mile flight to the Port
Clyde to him airstrip located just a few miles out of Jamestown the narrow dirt runway of Port Kitumba was initially too
muddy to land so the pilot turned away to realign his landing path to a space that was drier while turning his plane
around he briefly flew over Jones town giving his passengers a look at the massive size of the project below it was
a fully realized to town not a small jungle camp as they expected reporter Tim reader Minh quote when we flew over
the jungle it became pretty clear how remote and inaccessible Jonestown really was it became clear how difficult it
would have been for anyone to leave Jonestown the pilot returned to port costumer and landed on the side of the
runway waiting for Ryan and his delegation was a beat-up flatbed truck that would take them to Jones down the
only Road in and out of Jonestown was the Mathews ridgeport code tumor Road it was a narrow long road of red clay a
cleared of crimson color dust rose when the truck carrying congressman Ryan's entourage drove towards Jonestown logs
were placed across the road in what the visitors perceived was a deliberate act to keep them out they waited for a
bulldozer to arrive and clear the way forward by the time they reached her Jonestown Day had become 9:00
swinging over the entrance was a sign that read welcome to Jamestown People's Temple agricultural project there were
no barbed wire fences surrounding the commune now watchtowers guard posts or prisons
no guards with guns aside from the wall of thick swampy jungle surrounding the communes edges it was an open space and
it appeared as though people were free to come and go as they pleased at Jonestown sentence 51 year old Marceline
Jones the wife of people's temple leader Jim Jones warmly welcomed congressman Ryan and his delegation she was to be
their tour guide during their short visit Marceline took the visitors down the road towards the main pavilion
reporter Charlie Krause immediately noticed the hundreds of Jamestown residents milling about and realized
that he's in his group's imaginings and assumptions of Jonestown were completely
wrong he later stated I noticed immediately the contrary to what the concerned relatives had told us nobody
seemed to be starving indeed everyone seemed quite healthy I began to walk toward the main building
in the center of Jonestown thinking that considering everything this little place
was rather pleasant I could see how someone might want to live here reporter Tim Reid Hammond later described his
first impressions of Jonestown when we pulled into Jonestown my first impression was that this place had taken
a tremendous amount of work to produce to make something from scratch in the middle of nowhere was an impressive feat
there were hundreds of people around the pavilion and we were escorted there directly to the Reverend Jim Jones
47 year-old Jim Jones were a red sleeveless button shirt and light-colored pants for the occasion his
thick black hair was neatly styled back from his face hiding his eyes were his trademark aviator style sunglasses next
to Jones said his lawyers Jones greeted his guests and sat with them over a dinner of barbecued pork biscuits greens
and coffee he spoke candidly on-camera to reporters they were quick to notice his
peculiarities and speech impairments the way he stuttered and slurred his way through grants about conspiracies while
licking his lips the reporters believed Jim Jones was high on drugs the reporters asked Jones
about his threats of mass suicide he responded I only said it is better that we commit suicide than kill the four
concerned relatives who were allowed into Jonestown were able to reconnect with the loved ones they hadn't heard
from or seen in months but the reunion they'd been waiting for was prickly residents gave evasive
answers to important questions and some even accused their relatives of coming to Jonestown to kill them during the
welcoming dinner Ryan interviewed many Jamestown residents when the residents were discreetly shown a card instructing
them to not if they wanted to leave they kept their heads perfectly still at one stage Jim Jones brought a young
child over to meet congressman Ryan he had a mop of thick brown hair dark eyes and skin darkly tanned from the South
American Sun the child appeared shy his eyes were red and glossy as though he was on the verge of tears and his make
small contradicted his uneven eyebrows that gave the impression the boy was incredibly uncomfortable he was John
Victor stone the son of grace stone who had defected from the church years earlier when grace defected James
kidnapped the boy and moved him to Guyana grace had won custody of her son but Jones refused to hand him over
claiming the boy was biologically HIDs although an American court order compelled Jones to return the boy to his
mother he refused James knew if he ever returned to the US he would be arrested for non-compliance after dinner the
Jonestown entertainment committee put on a show of song dance and comedy for their guests within the people of
Jonestown there was a clear sense of camaraderie community and purpose laughter echoed around the pavilion news
that the Jonestown basketball team had just won its game in Georgetown was announced the crowd erupted in cheers
Tim Jones jumped to his feet and announced gleefully that's a coupe marceline Jones then introduced
congressman Ryan who stood and faced the large group of Jamestown residents of the event hanging about the stage behind
Ryan was a sign that read those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it
congressman Ryan began his speech quote very glad to be here I think all of you know that I am here to find out more
about questions that have been raised about your operation here and I can tell you right now that a few conversations
I've had with some of the folks here already this evening that whatever the comments are there are some people here
who believe that this is the best thing that ever happened in their whole life the Jonestown crowd erupted in booming
cheers and applause most gave a standing ovation the over-the-top show of joy was
deafening and continued on for longer than a minute before congressman Ryan put a stop to the noise and continued on
with the speech quote that's really a pleasure to be here I really appreciate the hospitality you've shown me already
my work here is important to me I know it's very important to you too I hope to be through here tomorrow sometime in the
meantime you're obviously having a very good time tonight I don't want to spoil any more with political speeches just
let me say thank you on behalf of my staff on behalf the press who are here and on behalf of the relatives who are
in here now for hosting us here this evening we really appreciate it thank you so much
during the congressman's speech Jonestown resident Vernon Gosney approached the NBC reporter Don Harris
who was walking by the edge of the pavilion Ghazni slid a small folded piece of paper under the fold of
Harris's arm the note fell to the floor and Ghazni picked it up and handed it back to the confused - reporter he
dropped something he said a child who saw the exchange started yelling he passed a note Ghazni
quickly merged into the crowds of people and disappeared Don Harris took the note to congressman
Ryan who carefully unfolded the paper away from Jim Jones's gaze in that moment congressman Ryan knew something
was very wrong on the paper was a hastily scrawled message that read dear congressman
please help us get out of Jonestown to be continued in part three [Music]

Case 60: Jonestown (Part 2)

[Part 2 of 3]

You may think you know the story, but do you…

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research and writing – Milly Raso Production, scoring – Mike Migas

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RESOURCES

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Brief Summary

Key points

Jim Jones's Transformation. Once a compassionate leader, Jim Jones became a paranoid tyrant.
The Mass Exodus. A sudden mass exodus from America to Jonestown led to chaos and overcrowding.
The Distressing Reality of Jonestown. Jonestown was not the promised paradise but a harsh reality filled with suffering.
Lunetta's Death. The passing of Jones's mother triggers a dramatic shift in his behavior and control.
The Siege of Jonestown. Jones manipulates residents into a state of paranoia and fear, leading to a six-day siege.
Mass Suicide Plan. Dr. Schaack is ordered to find a method for mass suicide, leading to a chilling realization.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Living down there was hard heavy work mostly with your hands.

A resident reflects on the challenges of life in Jonestown.

4:55WatchNov 20, 2018

Tension

72/ 100High tension

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