Peoples Temple Collection; Box 12, Virtual item 17, Q289a- Jones reads news of 10/5/78, reveals poisoning plot against him

Digital Record

Identifier: ms-0183_12.17A

Staff Only

Digital Object (mixed_materials)

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Dates

Digitized: October 5, 1978

Creator

Jones, Jim (Jones, James Warren) (Person)
Peoples Temple (Organization)

Summary Note

The bulk of this tape consists of Jim Jones reading the news of the day from October 5, 1978 in Jonestown, but the most significant part of the recording is in the last 15 minutes, when Jones returns to the microphone numerous times – first with increasing stridency, then with a flattening lethargy – to complain that someone has attempted to poison his food. He has avoided the most severe effects of the assault because he didn’t eat all of the food, even though both he and an unnamed nurse became ill. He tries to determine who is behind the scheme – at one point, it seems he will discern the culprit by looking at pictures of Jonestown residents – and his threats become more dire. “You better quit trying to poison me,” he warns, “because I will be here to see you die by normal means. You’ll just die. Death process will take over, and it’ll be you that will be put six foot under, by your own thoughts, minds, and attitudes, by touching the anointed.” Full summary of the recording available at Alternative Considerations of Jonestown website, along with the tape transcript.

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