Descriptive SummaryMSS 2408George J. Throckmorton Papers,
1985-2001Throckmorton, George J., 1943-L. Tom Perry Special Collections9 boxes (7 linear feet)Utah police investigator
and forensic examiner. Contains case files, research materials,
and photographs relating to the Mark Hofmann criminal investigation. Additional
materials include oral histories, legal materials, book manuscripts, and
related ephemera. ProvenanceGift of Mr. George J. Throckmorton
AccessClosed to research until 31 December 2005.
Conditions of UseIt is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary
copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from George J. Throckmorton Papers must
be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the Special
Collections Board of Curators.
Preferred CitationInitial Citation: MSS 2408; George J.
Throckmorton Papers; 20th and 21st Century Western and Mormon Americana; L. Tom
Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University.
Following Citations:MSS 2408, LTPSC.
Biographical HistoryIn March 1967, Mr. Throckmorton joined the Ogden City Police
Department, Ogden, Utah. As a member of the department’s regular patrol
division, he developed an interest in forensic science. To further develop his
knowledge, Mr. Throckmorton enrolled in several home study courses offered
through the Institute of Applied Science in Chicago, Illinois.
After a year and a half with the Ogden Police Department, Mr.
Throckmorton filled a vacancy in the department’s crime laboratory. While
working in the Ogden City Crime Laboratory and taking night classes at Weber
State College, he decided to attend school fulltime. He left the Ogden Police
Department and concentrated on his studies at Weber State. Before completing a
degree, he was offered a teaching position at the Institute of Applied Science.
Accepting the position, he moved his family to Chicago, where he specialized in
fingerprint and handwriting analysis. After nine months at the Institute, the
Throckmorton family returned to Utah. Mr. Throckmorton was again hired by the
Ogden Police Department crime laboratory. By the fall of October 1970 he was
filling the role of document and handwriting examiner for the Weber County
area.
While continuing to work fulltime for the Ogden Police Department, Mr.
Throckmorton again enrolled at Weber State College, where he received his
bachelor’s degree in criminalistics in 1975. During his tenure with the Ogden
Police Department, Mr. Throckmorton also took specialized handwriting
identification courses from the United States Secret Service.
Desiring further education, Mr. Throckmorton left the Ogden Police
Department for a second time and moved to Washington State, where he attended
the Washington State University's graduate program in Police Administration
with an emphasis in criminalistics. Upon receiving his master’s degree in 1976,
Mr. Throckmorton relocated his family to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he found
employment with the state crime laboratory as a questioned document examiner.
While with the state crime laboratory, Mr. Throckmorton proved himself to be a
capable examiner and was assigned the additional duty of laboratory
supervisor.
Later Mr. Throckmorton was transferred to the State Attorney General’s
office, where he took part in white-collar crime investigations. In 1985,
during Mr. Throckmorton's tenure with the attorney general’s office, two bomb
slayings in Salt Lake City, a document known as the Salamander
Letter, and the name Mark Hofmann captured the public’s attention.
Mr. Throckmorton’s investigative experience in document examination
led him to question the validity of the media’s many statements regarding the
authenticity of the Salamander Letter. Further research into the
matter led Mr. Throckmorton to contact the county attorney’s office and alert
them to the possibility of Mr. Hofmann’s involvement in forgeries. The county
attorney’s investigative team found merit in Mr. Throckmorton’s observations
and requested that he be temporarily assigned to the Hofmann investigation.
This temporary assignment resulted in his spending the next sixteen months
deeply immersed in document analysis.
Together with the help of his colleague, William J. Flynn, Mr.
Throckmorton developed new paper and ink testing techniques that ultimately
exposed Hofmann as a master forger and provided the prosecution with a solid
motive for the bombing murders. Since the Mark Hofmann investigation ended in
1987, Mr. Throckmorton has assisted in many major criminal investigations in
Utah, including the Lafferty case and the Troy Kell case.
From January 1994 to July 1995, Mr. Throckmorton directed the Weber
State University crime laboratory. Mr. Throckmorton has, for sixteen years,
been active in the Southwest Association of Forensic Document Examiners. In
addition to his term as President, he has also served on the executive board of
directors for the association. Mr. Throckmorton is also a member of the
American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Currently Mr. Throckmorton is Director
of the Salt Lake City Police Department Crime Laboratory.
Born May 26, 1943, George J. Throckmorton was raised in South Salt
Lake, Utah. Mr. Throckmorton married Caroline Gallucci on November 22, 1966.
Together they have raised four children.
Scope and Content NoteSeries 1, “Criminal Investigation,”
includes three sub-series. Sub-Series 1, “Case
Files,” documents Mr. Throckmorton’s investigation of suspected Hofmann
forgeries. Sub-Series 2, “Investigative
Research / Notes” contains materials related to Mr. Throckmorton’s
investigation of Mark Hofmann. Documentary materials include an audio tape of
Mr. Throckmorton’s initial forensic examination of the Hofmann forgeries;
materials and documentation relating to Mr. Throckmorton’s forensic testing of
papers and inks; and photocopies of known Joseph Smith, Jr., handwriting
samples. Sub-Series 3, “Printing Plates,”
includes printing plates created and used by Mr. Throckmorton to duplicate the
forgery process.
Series 2, “Trial (Homicide),” includes four
sub-series. Sub-Series 1, “Official
Investigative Documents,” includes photocopies of subpoenas issued during the
Mark Hofmann investigation. Sub-Series 2,
“Preliminary Hearing,” contains two official preliminary hearing transcripts.
Sub-Series 3, “Plea Bargain,” includes Hofmann
interview notes; official transcripts of Hofmann interviews; and photocopies of
the Hofmann plea bargain, and post sentencing report.
Series 3, “Writings, Recollections,
Interviews, and Correspondence,” includes five sub-series.
Sub-series 1, “Personal Recollections,”
contains an audiotape of Mr. Throckmorton discussing the Hofmann investigation;
an audiotape of an interview with William Flynn; an unpublished manuscript
submitted to the journal Forensic Sciences; and a transcription of
an interview with Mr. Throckmorton. Sub-Series
2, “Publications,” includes manuscripts and materials related to the
publication of Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery
Murders. Sub-Series 3, “Interviews and
Public Presentations,” include a series of audiotapes, interviews, and
presentations done with Mr. Throckmorton and Judge Paul Grant.
Sub-Series 4, “Writings,” contains a series of
photocopied articles and student papers. Sub-Series
5, “Correspondence,” includes correspondence with Charles “Bud” Hamilton
and Richard P. Lindsay.
Series 4, “Photographs,” includes six
sub-series. Sub-Series 1, “Photographs—Crime
Scene and Investigation,” contains crime scene photographs from the Mark
Hofmann case. Sub-Series 2, “Photographs—Case
Files,” contains photographs of known Hofmann forgeries;
Sub-Series 3, “Photographs—Publications,”
contains photographs for the publication “Salamander: The Story of the
Mormon Forgery Murders; Sub-Series 4,
“Slides—“Crime Scene and Investigation,” contains crime scene slides from the
Mark Hofmann criminal investigation; Sub-Series
5, “Slides—Case Files,” contains photographs of known Hofmann forgeries;
Sub-Series 6, “Negatives,” contains negatives
of documents from the Hofmann investigation.
Notes on ArrangementSeries and Sub-Series typically follow a numerical order (i.e. Box 1,
Folder 1). However, to meet preservation requirements, audiotapes, photographs,
and ephemeral items are housed in separate archival containers. To accurately
represent their location in the Papers, and to preserve the original order of
these historical materials, all audiotapes, photographs, and ephemeral items
are listed in the appropriate collection series or sub-subseries. This means
that, on occasion, Box and Folder numbers will not appear in numerical
sequence.
Subject TracingsPeopleHoffman, MarkGenre/FormLettersPhotographsOral historiesSubjectForgery--United States--Case studiesMurder--United States--Case studiesContainer ListSeries 1: Criminal InvestigationSeries 1: Criminal InvestigationSub-series 1: Case FilesSub-series 1: Case FilesBoxFolderContents
11Case Files— “Anthon Bible”
19862Case Files— “Anthon Transcript”
1980-19863Case Files— “Anthon Transcript” No Date4Case Files— “Betsy Ross letter”
1984-19865Case Files— “Bithel Todd letter”
19866Case Files— “Book of the Common Prayer”
19867Case Files— “Call of the Wild”
1984-19868Case Files— “David Whitmer letter”
19869Case Files— “Deseret Currency”
198610Case Files— “E.B. Grandin Contract”
198611Case Files— “Emma Smith Hymnal”
198612Case Files— “General Durham”
198613Case Files— “Isaac Galland [promissory]note”
198614Case Files— “Jim Bridger [currency] notes”
198615Case Files— Joseph Smith letter
198616Case Files— “Joseph Smith III Blessing”
1981-198617Case Files— “Josiah Stowell letter”
198618Case Files— “Lucy Mack Smith letter”
198619Case Files— Maria and Sarah Lawrence
198620Case Files— “Oath of a Freeman” No Date21Case Files— “Oath of a Freeman”
1985-198622Case Files— “Oath of a Freeman” No Date23Case Files— “Oath of a Freeman”
1988-199021Case Files— “Ron Morris Collection”
19862Case Files— Second Anointing
19863Case Files— “Spanish Fork [currency] notes”
1982-1986 Case Files— “Spalding land deed”
19864Case Files— “Spanish Fork [currency] notes”
1982-19865Case Files— “Thomas Bullock letter”
19866Case Files— “White [currency] notes”
19867Case Files— “White Salamander Letter”
1986Sub-series 2: Investigative Research/NotesSub-series 2: Investigative Research/NotesBoxFolderContents
71Investigative Research/Notes— Audiotape One (1) 60
minute tape and transcript. Throckmorton dictations on examined Hofmann
documents. Crime Lab,
January 14, 198628Investigative Research/Notes— Chronology October 1985
to
June 19869Investigative Research/Notes— Contracts and
Miscellaneous Forgeries No Date10Investigative Research/Notes— Evidence Lists and
Pre-Trial Documentation ca.
1986-198711Investigative Research/Notes— Forensic Examination
Notes ca.
198612Investigative Research/Notes— “Handwriting Systems”
Photocopied articles on handwriting styles No Date13Investigative Research/Notes— Hawaiian Book of Mormon
Examination
October 21,198614Investigative Research/Notes— “Ink”
1984-198615Investigative Research/Notes— Jessee, Dean
198516Investigative Research/Notes— “Known Handwriting
Samples” Handwriting samples of Mark Hofmann and others
198617Investigative Research/Notes— “Known Joseph Smith,
Jr., [handwriting samples]” Photocopies of Joseph Smith Jr. handwriting samples
No Date18Investigative Research/Notes— “Miscellaneous Known
Documents” Photocopies of documents and writing samples known to be authentic
No Date19Investigative Research/Notes— “Miscellaneous
Questioned Documents” List of forgeries; and questioned documents and writing
samples No Date31Investigative Research/Notes— “New York Trip”
June 19862Investigative Research/Notes— Paper Samples No Date3Investigative Research/Notes— Photograph Indexes
Indexes refer to photographs that are not part of this collection No Date4Investigative Research/Notes— Rendell, Kenneth W.
19865Investigative Research/Notes— Reports Department of
Treasury
October 29, 1985 and November 27, 19856Investigative Research/Notes— Reports Federal Bureau
of Investigation
January 21, 1986 and January 27, 19867Investigative Research/Notes— Reports McNeil, Roderick
January 19878Investigative Research/Notes— Reports Hamilton,
Charles No Date9Investigative Research/Notes— Stampless Cover Letters
Ca. 1840-1850 stampless cover letters No Date10Investigative Research/Notes— Scanning Electron
Microscope (S.E.M) Tests
198611Investigative Research/Notes— Tested Papers
1840’s stampless cover letters used for
forensic testing
198612Investigative Research/Notes— “Typewriter Examination”
Research relating to Mark Hofmann’s typewriter No DateSub-series 3: Printing PlatesSub-series 3: Printing PlatesBoxFolderContents
313Printing Plates— Instructional Materials Step-by-Step
process of making printing plates No Date14Printing Plates— Two small lettered printing plates.
No Date61Printing Plates— Instructional Plate No Date2Printing Plates— Jim Bridger Currency Note No Date3Printing Plates— Oath of a Freeman No DateSeries 2: Trial (Homicide)Series 2: Trial (Homicide)Sub-series 1: Official Investigative DocumentsSub-series 1: Official Investigative DocumentsBoxFolderContents
315Official Investigative Documents— Subpoenas Six (6)
Photocopies of investigative subpoenas
December 1985 - January 1986 16Official Investigative Documents— Subpoenas—
Investigative Subpoenas Subpoenaed documents concerning Steve Christiansen and
Mark Hofmann No DateSub-series 2: Preliminary HearingSub-series 2: Preliminary HearingBoxFolderContents
317Preliminary Hearing—William J. Flynn hearing
transcript
May 7, 1986 18Preliminary Hearing—George J. Throckmorton hearing
transcript
May 12, 1986Sub-series 3: Plea BargainSub-series 3: Plea BargainBoxFolderContents
72Plea Bargain— Audiotape Throckmorton dictation of the
Hofmann interviews as they were related to him by others
January 23, 198741Plea Bargain— Interview notes
February/March 1987 2Plea Bargain— Interview notes Annotated copy of first
fourteen pages found in the official Hofmann interview transcripts Vol. I No
Date3Plea Bargain— Interview notes List of Hofmann forged
autographs; interview notes No Date56Plea Bargain— Mark Hofmann Interviews Volume
I Official Hofmann interview transcripts
February 11-May 27,19877Plea Bargain— Mark Hofmann Interviews Volume
II Official Hofmann interview transcripts
February 11-May 27,198744Plea Bargain— Plea Agreement Copy of Mark Hofmann plea
bargain agreement
January 7, 1987 5Plea Bargain— Post Sentencing Report
March 1987Sub-series 4: Prison RecordsSub-series 4: Prison RecordsBoxFolderContents
46Prison Records—Restricted Visitation Records; Decree
of Divorce No DateSeries 3: Writings, Recollections, Interviews, &
CorrespondenceSeries 3: Writings, Recollections, Interviews, &
CorrespondenceSub-series 1: Personal RecollectionsSub-series 1: Personal RecollectionsBoxFolderContents
73Personal Recollections— Audiotape Throckmorton
Recollections— As I remember (2) 60 minute tapes
February 19864Personal Recollections— Audiotape “Bill Flynn on
Hofmann” Throckmorton’s interview with William J. Flynn No Date47Personal Recollections— Article manuscript Unpublished
manuscript submitted to Forensic SciencesMay 19888Personal Recollections— Book of Hofmann Part
I Two copies Unpublished work (2 copies) No Date 9Personal Recollections— Cover Art No Date10Personal Recollections— Hands of Hofmann
Transcription of Oral History
March 29,1989 (2 copies) Sub-series 2: PublicationsSub-series 2: PublicationsBoxFolderContents
411Publications— Book Draft 1 Salamander: The Story
of the Mormon Forgery Murder Rough draft; annotated No Date 12Publications— Book Draft 2 Salamander: The Story
of the Mormon Forgery Murders Rough draft; annotated No Date
13Publications— Publicity Tour Schedule and list of
expenditures
198864Publications— Salamander: The Story of the
Mormon Forgery Murders Signed by all authors and Mark W. Hofmann;
contains many forged signatures by HofmannSub-series 3: Interviews and Public PresentationsSub-series 3: Interviews and Public PresentationsBoxFolderContents
75Interviews and Public Presentations— Audiotape K-TKK
Radio Interview Two (2) 60 minute tapes
March 5, 19876Interviews and Public Presentations— Audiotape K-TKK
Radio Interview One(1) 60 minute tapes Interview is not focused on Mark Hofmann
case
August 1, 1989 7Interviews and Public Presentations— Audiotape 2000
Sunstone Symposium Panel Recording One (1) tape
August 3, 2000414Interviews and Public Presentations— Grant, Paul Notes
from a presentation given by Judge Paul Grant, presiding judge for the Mark
Hoffman trial
May 31, 198715Interviews and Public Presentations— Publicity
Pamphlets
1988-200016Interviews and Public Presentations— Southwestern
Association of Forensic Document Examiners
July 7, 198717Interviews and Public Presentations— Southwestern
Association of Forensic Document Examiners
October 9-11, 1987Sub-series 4: WritingsSub-series 4: WritingsBoxFolderContents
418Writings Photocopied articles
1986-198819Writings Photocopied articles
1992-200051Writings— Farnsworth, Kenneth Jr. The
Investigation of the 1985 Mark Hofmann Forgery the ‘Oath of a Freeman”
Salt Lake City homicide police officer’s report to American Antiquarian
Society.
October 22, 19882Writings— Utah Lighthouse Ministry
1985-19863Writings— Wright, Bill Document Collecting
Exposed University student’s school paper
December 17, 2001Sub-series 5: CorrespondenceSub-series 5: CorrespondenceBoxFolderContents
54Correspondence— Hamilton, Charles “Bud”
19865Correspondence— Lindsay, Richard P
March 2, 1999Series 4: Photographs, Slides, and NegativesSeries 4: Photographs, Slides, and NegativesSub-Series 1: Photographs— Crime Scene and Investigation,Sub-Series 1: Photographs— Crime Scene and
Investigation,BoxFolderContents
81Crime Scene— Car Bombing
October 16, 1985: Onlookers #1-4 Burnt car
–ground still wet from fire department #5-11 Burnt Car #12-19 Items found in
front trunk #20-21 Items found in rear trunk #22-30 2Crime Scene— Car Bombing
October 17,1985: Toyota MR2 comparison
car—day after #31-40 ATF sifting through debris—day after #41-45 Burnt car in
storage #46-47 3Crime Scene— Judge Building
October 15, 1985: Exterior of building
with police tape; onlookers form neighboring building #48-53 Bomb Damage #54-61
Bomb Evidence #62-67 Exterior and interior sometime after bombing #68-75
Christensen’s office desk and wall hangings #76-78 4Investigation— Evidence Seized evidence laid out in
Salt Lake City Police Department gym #79-91 Hofmann family Toyota mini-van
#92-94 Oath of the Freeman receipt removed from mini-van #95 Papyri and
document from bombed car. #96-98 M. Hansen Radio Shack receipt address #99-1045Investigation— Hospital Mark Hofmann and his injuries
105-1166Investigation— Mug Shots-- Restricted Mark Hofmann
January 29, 1987: #117;
October 2, 1990 #118-119,
November 5, 1993: #120-121 Photo Lineup
Mug Shots #122-139 Sub-Series 2: Photographs— Case FilesSub-Series 2: Photographs— Case FilesBoxFolderContents
87Case Files— Documents
1985-1986 #221-242 8Case Files— Documents
1985-1986 #243-268 9Case Files— Documents
1985-1986 #269-293 10Case Files— Documents
1985-1986 #294-318 11Case Files— Documents
1985-1986 #319-338 Sub-Series 3: Photographs— PublicationsSub-Series 3: Photographs— PublicationsBoxFolderContents
812Publications—Salamander: The Story of the
Mormon Forgery Murder Photos published in book #142-151 Sub-Series 4: Slides— Crime Scene and InvestigationSub-Series 4: Slides— Crime Scene and
InvestigationBoxFolderContents
813Crime Scene— Car Bombing Burnt Car #152-156 Onlookers
#157-158 Items found in front trunk #162-163 Items found in rear trunk #164-169
ATF sifting through debris—day after #170-17314Crime Scene— Judge Building Exterior of building #174
Bomb Evidence #175 Christensen’s office wall hangings #176-17715Investigation— Evidence Seized evidence laid out in
Salt Lake City Police Department gym #178-186 Hofmann family Toyota mini-van
#187-188 Oath of the Freeman receipt removed from mini-van #189 Papyri and
document from bombed car. #190-192 M. Hansen Radio Shack receipt address
#193-19416Investigation— Hospital Mark Hofmann and his injuries
#195-200Sub-Series 5: Slides— Case FilesSub-Series 5: Slides— Case FilesBoxFolderContents
817Case Files— White Currency Notes and Seal Seal of the
12 Apostles #201-206 Close-ups of seal mark on note #207-220Sub-series 6: NegativesSub-series 6: NegativesBoxFolderContents
91Case Files— Documents —RESTRICTED
1985-1986 #339-358 2Case Files— Documents —RESTRICTED
1985-1986 #359-378 3Case Files— Documents —RESTRICTED
1985-1986 #379-398 4Case Files— Documents —RESTRICTED
1985-1986 #399-418 5Case Files— Documents —RESTRICTED
1985-1986 #419-438 6Case Files— Documents —RESTRICTED
1985-1986 #439-458