On January 23, 2000, I received a letter via the Internet from an individual who claims to be another victim but who wishes to remain anonymous. In his letter, the individual corroborated everything that I alleged to the Boys Club when I first contacted them in 1996. Moreover, he provided information indicating that the Boys Club knew about the crime immediately after it happened, which means they did nothing for the other boys who had been hurt. I was outraged. I was outraged that the Club had known about the crime all along and yet had demanded so much proof from me, and I was outraged that the Club had done nothing to help me thirty-seven years ago. In striking back, I raised the cost of settlement considerably and I demanded an immediate resolution.
BY FAX
January 24, 2000
Dear Attorney Malone:
Yesterday afternoon, Sunday, January 23, at 12:07 PM, an individual contacted me and identified himself as one of the other boys who were victimized. He said that he was raped anally and orally, that it happened both within the Charlestown clubhouse and outside of it, by the same two men, and that he was beaten as well. Like me, this gentleman has extensive medical documentation of his injuries, which were mostly physical and required a lengthy hospitalization. He went on to give me information proving that the Club knew about this incident immediately after it happened.
If the Club knew about the crime immediately after it happened, then they know who did it, and they have known all along. Moreover, after learning of it, they did nothing to help the other boys.
Either you have known about this atrocity all along, which adds an extremely sinister character to your correspondence with me the past three years, or the Club has been lying to you.
My demand is for $300,000. I will accept nothing less. You have forty-eight hours to give me your answer. If you decide to settle my claim, you will have five business days in which to sign an agreement with me. If you sign an agreement with me, you will have another five business days in which to make payment. If you do not respond by 9 AM on Wednesday, January 26, or if you respond with any answer that is not definitive, I will take your answer to be “no,” and I will go my way.
It would be a grave error for anyone to second-guess me at this point. I will not give you two chances to answer my demand, and I will not extend any of the deadlines.
At this time, I wish to restate my pledge to cooperate fully and unconditionally with the Club for the remainder of my life as a condition for settlement.
Sincerely,
[signed]
James Chester
The Club did indeed respond within forty-eight hours and immediately raised their demands as well. An eyewitness was no longer enough. Instead, they wanted the perpetrators.