"Even the incessant negativity of Ms. Frost is valuable, because it gets people looking at Freemasonry, and when they see that we are not the demons she paints us, they may decide to join, or at least not to carry the naysayers' water for them." — Bro. Theron Dunn, March 3, 2008About an hour ago, investigative reporter Sandy Frost posted to her website an article reporting that 19 Masonic members of the Royal Order of Jesters will be called as witnesses in a federal case involving "their first hand knowledge of prostitution, minor prostitution, use of illegal drugs and/or entry into Indian reservations by [Richard] Schair (plaintiff) and/or his customers."
The libel/slander complaint was filed on May 11, 2007 by Richard W. Schair and Wet-A-Line Tours, L.L.C., plaintiffs, who allege that they were libeled and slandered by Amazon Tours, Inc., defendant, owned by Philip Marstellar, President.
As the case gears up for trial, defendant Marsteller maintains that his statements he and his company made about the plaintiff are true. He answered the complaint by stating that his business did not make false statements against Schair, that Schair is not entitled to any relief due to the "doctrine of unclean hands," and demanded a jury trial.
The Jesters allegedly traveled to Brazil for a fishing expedition. The court documents show that each of the 19 Jesters "was a customer of the Plaintiffs who fished with the Plaintiffs in Brazil during approximately late August/September 2007. Based on the Wet-A-Line Tours, L.L.C. website, he [each of the Jester witnesses] is believed to be a member of the Royal Order of Jesters as were all other participants on this trip. He is expected to testify that there were twenty Jesters who paid for their trip and that he was one of the nineteen that ultimately participated. He is expected to testify that two boats were supplied by Plaintiffs, one for the Jesters and one for twenty or so girls who accompanied the Jesters. He is expected to testify that the 'activities' of the Jesters that week and the nature and extent of services provided by and/or arranged by Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs' representatives. He is also expected to authenticate the many hours of videotape and still photographs taken by Defendants of the Jesters' 'activities' during the 'fishing' trip. He is expected to identify by way of photographs and association the members of the Jesters group, the identity by name or by description of the girls aboard, the ages of the girls aboard and the exact nature of the activities viewable in the video tape."Five female witnesses, ages 13-16 at the time, are listed only as "Jane Doe", and are expected to testify that they "ha[ve] personal knowledge of prostitution, minor prostitution, use of illegal drugs, and/or entry into Indian reservations by Schair and/or his customers."
Read Sandy's article, and follow the links there to photos of the fishing trip, to the federal complaint, to the complete witness list, and more.
Image 1: Photo taken by Jester and federal witness Don Anderson of a dancer at the Boi Bumba Show at the Tropical Hotel, first posted on the Wet-A-Line Tours photo gallery
Image 2: T-shirt design available at the Jester Phun Store
Previous stories on The Burning Taper about the Royal Order of Jesters:
- Billiken, God of things as they ought to be
- Royal Order of Jesters 'exposed' by investigative reporter Sandy Frost
Masons | Royal Order of Jesters | Brazilian Fishing Expedition | Freemasonry | Burning Taper | BurningTaper.com
I am not going to comment on the allegations presented against the Jesters, because until I saw one of the images in this article, I had not decided for or against the group.
ReplyDeleteHowever, after seeing the second image and following the link, I will tell you what I think about an organization affiliated with Masonry using such images to promote/display their membership.
Masonry is certainly not crude, perverted, or some neanderthal stag club.It is apparent to me, after doing some research on the Jesters this evening, that this is what the club is.
I am not against this kind of club, but I am against Masonry being affiliated with such a club.
mainstream Masonry at its best. Wait until the senate finance committee hearings start. The mainstream self-righteous Freemorons will run to hide.
ReplyDeleteWow, the Jesters I know are all over 70 years of age. I can't imagine (don't want to imagine) any of them with prostitutes or doing drugs.
ReplyDeleteThis has to be an isolated incident.
Enoch Rodriguez
Phoenix no.8 AF&AM
"This has to be an isolated incident."
ReplyDeleteRight it can't be true... I have heard for years this type of thing was going on in my area. So sure its isolated its happening more often than mainstream wants you to believe
First of all, we would all do well to wait until the facts are in. Doesn't 'innocent until proven guilty' apply anymore? Jesters are NOT 'mainstream Masonry'. NO appendent body represents Freemasonry. Why is there no articles on the Halcyon legal ranglings? Where is the information on that? IF the Jesters are caught in illegal actions, they need to be punished. Same with Halcyon. The rush to judgment without trial here is as bad as the French revolution.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not see how the Jesters represent Masonry. Their actions do not seem Masonic to me. That is still beside the point. Innocence until proven guilty is something that protects all citizens of this country in theory (application may be different on occassion).
ReplyDelete"I am not against this kind of club, but I am against Masonry being affiliated with such a club."
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly, Silence. As for 'senate finance committee hearings', bring it on. No Mason true to his word has anything to hide. There might be a few rats found in the woodpile. If so, it could use a good airing-out. I do not doubt that the majority of Freemasons will be clear, as I do not doubt that a few rats will appear.
Freemasonry, notwithstanding, still survives. It wouldn't be the worst thing that we've faced, and the existence of GLs are not necessary to Freemasonry. I doubt the GLs will ever go away, and I certainly hope that they do not. It does not matter-I am a Freemason, no matter the existence of my lodge, my GL, or anything else.