On Sunday, January 23, 2000, I received the following letter from an individual who wishes to remain anonymous. One week later, I telephoned the Club’s attorneys at Palmer & Dodge and read the letter to them. That same day, I faxed them a copy, as it appears below, in redacted form. Two weeks later, in response to my disclosure, the Boys Club sent me a letter denying me — once and for all — the financial assistance I have been seeking from them for the past three-plus years. Citing my refusal to divulge any information that could be used to identify the author of the following letter as their reason, they also stated that they would not engage in any further correspondence with me because I was unwilling to share information with them. (I would like to point out that I have shared volumes of information with the Boys Club and, in return, they have never given me one iota of information.) As for the letter itself, the Boys Club indicated that they did not believe it because they could not validate its authenticity. They also stated that, given the magnitude of the atrocity that I have alleged, someone within the Club organization must have heard something of this crime — despite the passing of three decades — but that no one has. In response, I sent my last letter to the Club’s attorneys and told them that a member of their Board of Directors knew the individual who sent the following letter and could indeed validate the authenticity of the letter. The Boys Club organization ignored my last letter, and, true to its word, terminated all correspondence with me.
January 23, 2000
James,
I was one of the boys at the Stay-At-Home day camp at the Charlestown Boys Club in the summer of 1963.
In my coping with the situation, I entered [graduate school] and eventually went on to become a [professional]. Later on I entered [another profession] . While I did not have the after effects that you had, I did have the experiences that you had that summer. I was both orally and anally raped and beaten by the two “gentlemen” in question. Both at the Boys Club, and off-site. In fact, I have not given it any thought since I entered college until I was notified of your allegations. Someone to whom you sent the 11-June-1999 letter to contacted me since he knew that I was an unwilling participant of the “extra-curricular” activities of the Boys Club that summer (in fact he was a friend of mine growing up when I moved out of the Charlestown area).
At this time, I am unwilling to reveal any more information about myself (I have already given you too much information that a little bit of work by a private detective could dig up my identity). The only ones that know of what happened to me at that time are my parents, my parish priest at the time (now deceased), and my friend to whom you sent a copy of your letter…. But when I found out about your letter, and then was able to do a bit of research and find your website I could relate to what was going on (I have scars on my body from the surgeries that I had to have due to the physical damage that occurred to me during that summer, and the memories of the long hospitalization that followed). But I am lucky to have not had the psychological suffering that you have had to endure.
I wanted to “come out of the closet” about the situation, and wanted to let you know that you “were not alone”. Now that it is nearly 37 years later, I am not sure if I am willing to dredge up my past and jeopardize the life I have built as a “phoenix out of the ashes” of that summer and the surgeries and recuperation that occurred until the winter of the following year. I am not sure if I am prepared to do anything more than what I have done in this letter. But I wanted to let you know that I am there for you.
From reading your website it appears that nobody has come forward corroborate [sic] your story. In fact the only “corroboration” that is mentioned is Dr. Wool who can only relate what you told her. Which is “useless” since she was not an “eyewitness” to the situation (as the Boys Club responded to you). It is so long ago, I can not say that I remember you so I can not corroborate what happened to you specifically. But, I also experienced the same thing that summer so I can corroborate the actions of the “parties in question” . But, at this point I can not publicly corroborate the events. I have worked hard at rehabilitation physically from the physical damage. I have dealt with the psychological damage in prayer and with much time discussing things with my [priest] for 7 years, from the time of the event until about 30 years ago. The phone call from the person you sent the letter to brought back all of those memories. But they are my past, and bringing them out and disclosing them publicly for “all the world to see” could destroy all of the life that I have built since then.
I am very sorry that I can not do more. I truly wish you luck. I hope that some other person who can corroborate what happened that summer. [sic] Either one of the other victims, or the surviving perpetrators (if either are still alive). If you need someone to talk to, I am here for you. But other that that, I am not able to do anything at this time.
I fear that the information I have shared with you in this letter will cause harm to come to me or my family. With the details of this letter, I am sure that your private investigator could dig up my identity without too much difficulty. But I will deny anything if I am confronted, if it will do anything to jeopardize the life that I have created since the incident.
God bless you,
Anonymous
Affidavit of James Chester
AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES CHESTER
I, James Edward Chester, Jr., after first being duly sworn, do depose and say that:
1. I am 47 years old, and I currently reside at 10C Winn Park, Woburn, Massachusetts 01801-3021.
2. I have been pursuing a personal injury claim against the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston since September 16, 1996, when I first contacted them.
3. On January 23, 2000, I received a letter via the Internet from an anonymous sender, John Doe. In his letter, John Doe corroborated allegations that I brought against the Club in 1996.
4. On February 2, 2000, I provided Judith A. Malone (Palmer and Dodge LLP), attorney for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, a copy of John Doe’s letter.
5. I redacted from John Doe’s letter all information that could be used to identify him. I redacted the information because John Doe stated in his letter, “I fear that the information I have shared with you in this letter will cause harm to come to me or my family.” I did not redact any other information from the letter.
6. I understand that my fabricating or conspiring to fabricate John Doe’s letter is an act of fraud that could result in my criminal prosecution, which could subject me to a term of imprisonment.
Signed under the pains and penalties of perjury this 2 day of February, 2000.
[signed]
James Chester