The morning call., 1895-02-14
JOHN G. CHASE, AN EXPELLED
FORESTER, SUES THE CALL .
FOR $4,000.
HE SAYS HE is NOT GUILTY.
COURT STAR OF THE MISSION
SUsTAINs THIS JOURNAL IN
EXPOSING HIM.

story OF his peculiar hnanclal transactlons'
Mr.. Chase modestly asked the Superior
Court Yesterday to award him damages in
the sum of $4,000.
In his petition Mr.. Chase declares that
THE CALL made damaging charges against
him which could not be sustained. He
denied that he had ever drawn dollar
illegally from the exchequer of Courts
Washington and Enterprise or from the
funds of Paragon Circle, Companions of
the Forest He denied that he embezzled
any funds whatsoever or that any one de-
sired to have him arrested for any offense
whatsoever.
The announcement of the suit pub
hshed in the evening newspapers was
generally commented upon in several of
the courts of Forestry, which met at 102
O'Farrell street last night This was espe-
cially the case in Court Star of the Mis-
sion No. 7197, the meetings of which were
frequently attended by Chase. He ap-
peared to be a jealous worker for the or
ganization, and fretted the ears of mem
bers with harangues on reform and
progress. Mr.. Chase's ideas of reform and
progress became, later on, subjects of dis
cussion among his companions, and when
his questionable transactions while acting
as chief ranger of Court Enterprise be-
came known the doors of Court Star of the
Mission were closed against him forever.
The suit brought by Chase against The
CALL formed the subject for an animated
discussion when Court Star of the Mission
met last night. Chase was characterized
in the debate as a hypocritical scoundrel
who had disgraced the entire order on this
coast, 1t was stated that The CALL had
not only published the truth concerning
him, but that it had dealt with him in a
very lenient manner.
The following resolution signed by Will
liam eastman, John Wendt, Henry
Philippsen, Henry Downie, w. o. Wilcox
and Thomas f. Tanning was offered and
adopted by the court without dissenting
vote:
WHEREAS, It appears that Court Enterprise
No. 1905, Ancient Order of Foresters, has be-
come almost bankrupted through the agency
of John &. Chase, who, since his connection
with that court, has been expelled from the
order by the executive council for fraudu-
lently obtaining sick benefits; and whereas,
THE MORNING CALL did, in its capacity as q
leading newspaper of San Francisco, publish a
truthful account of the said John G. Chase's
fraudulent manipulation of the funds of Court
Enterprise No 1905, Ancient Order of Forest
ers; therefore, be it
Resolved That Court Star of the Mission No.
7197 extends its heartfelt sympathy to Court
Enterprise No. 1905 in this its hour of trouble,
with the assurance that this court will assist
Court Enterprise to its fullest extent; and be it
further
ReSoIUed, That THE MORNING CALL, which has
been for years the friend of local fraternal So
cieties, be heartily commended for its fearless
exposure of John G. Chase, who, during his
connection with the Ancient Order of Forest
ers, proved himself to be unreliable, untrust-
worthy and dishonest, and be it further
Resotued, That the Interests of Forestry,
which have been injured and disgraced by
John G. Chase, demand that his efforts to
coerce THE MORNING CALL into paying him
$4,000 damages for the said publication
against him receive the condemnation of
every member of our order, and that every
true Forester will furnish THE MORNING CALL
with such evidence as he may possess in sup
port of its published statements regarding the
dishonesty of John G. Chase.
1t was ordered by the court that the reso-
lutions be sent to the executive council for
its signature and Endorsement.
The quarterly report of the executive
council, which was issued last month, con-
tains on page "a the official announcement
of John G. Chase's expulsion from Court
1905, the cause given being in the follow
ing words: "Fraudulently obtaining sick
benefits" 1t was on this authentic testi-
mony that THE CALL based it's article, Civ
ing in detail the story of Chase's rascality.
On the same page stands the name of
John G. Chase Jr., expelled from the same
court for conduct unbecoming a For
ester"
Secretary J. Falconer last night made
the following statement, which was taken
down verbatim:
"The announcement that John G. Chase
has sued THE CALL for $4,000 damages is a
surprise to me, knowing as l do the fnan-
ciaI condition of Court Enterprise after he
left it. 1t was currently reported, and the
records bear out those assertions, that
Chase was manipulating the funds of the
court in questionable manner. Consid-
cradle dissatisfaction arose among the
members of the court, by reason of his
practices, and charges were openly made
that he was fraudulently appropriating
sick benefits. The matter was called to
the attention of the executive council in
August, 1894, which took up the charges
preferred against him by Court Washing
ton, and referred them to special COM
mittee of nine, selected from three courts,
including Court Star of the Mission, Court
Star of the West and Court Eureka. This
committee was composed of P. J. Cole, w.
J. Thorp, Joseph Hagan, f. w. Boulware,
s. P. WEIGH, George J. Berger, G. M. Shore
B. f. Hall, A. Butler.
1.-THE committee held several meetings,
at which mass of testimony was given.
1t Was shown specifically that Chase had,
while acting as chief ranger of Court Wash
ington, awarded sick benefits to himself,
notwithstanding there was proof that he
was not even i'll at the time; that he
allowed himself commission of So for
each new member brought in by him, in
direct violation of the rules of the organi-
zation. 1t was shown that he presided at
some of the meetings during the period of
his alleged illness and drew benefits there
for, and an examination of the secretary's s
books showed great many erasures made
by acid.
''The evidence was conclusive to the
committee and his expulsion on the charge
of fraudulently obtaining sick benefits was
decided upon. ALI the courts were notified