From AlanF.
In response to requests for information on the alleged homosexuality of former GB member Ewart Chitty and the alleged
pedophilia of former GB member Leo K. Greenlees, I’m posting some information I’ve gleaned from various sources over the years.
I
have no doubt that some JW apologists will scream bloody murder about this stuff. “It’s all just unverified rumor and you can’t prove
anything!” they’ll say. Well, I’ve verified the basic fact that Chitty was dismissed from the GB for homosexual tendencies, and that
Greenlees was dismissed for child molestion, through several former Bethelites who had close friendships with GB members and other
high WTS officials. I've also spoken to certain other WTS personnel who I knew were in a position to know about Greenlees, and they
refused to deny my descriptions of what I think I know about Greenlees' molesting. In order to protect identities, I won’t say who
they are, but their testimony satisfies me. When I told one of these people several years ago that information about Greenlees was
being published on the Net, his comment was along the lines of, “Well good! It’s about time the truth about him is being made public.”
For
those inclined to discount the following information, keep in mind that the evidence, while third-hand or circumstantial, is from
a number of independent sources, and to an objective observer has the ring of truth. Also keep in mind that GB members don’t just
up and resign – they have to be forced out. Note how Greenlees for instance, just disappeared from mention in WTS literature after
1984, and a January 1, 1986 WT article (p. 13), soon enough after that to be extremely suggestive, commented that: "Shocking as it
is, even some who have been prominent in Jehovah's organization have succumbed to immoral practices, including homosexuality, wife
swapping, and child molesting."
If someone calls Brooklyn Bethel and asks the Public Affairs Office about Chitty or Greenlees,
it’s likely that the response will be, “We cannot comment on such personal matters.” However, if one were to make inquiry about someone
who has never been accused of such bad conduct, and who is unlikely to be so tainted because of their general reputation, the PA Office’s
response would be outright denial. It would be instructive for several people to try this and report back.
Of course, anyone
with close ties to high WTS officials in Brooklyn can discreetly inquire; I’m sure the responses would either confirm or not deny
the charges against Chitty and Greenlees. However, I don’t expect that anyone with such connections would report the result on this
forum.
Ewart C. Chitty
Governing Body member Ewart Chitty (born ca. 1898) resigned his position in 1979. He entered the
London Bethel in 1921, began to work in "the office", and by 1938 held some sort of official position, as two 1938 Watchtowers have
him reporting to J. F. Rutherford on the attendance of Bethel family members at the "family" study. By 1942 Chitty was the secretary
of the International Bible Students Association (IBSA; the Society's British equivalent of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
of New York, Inc.). Somewhere along the line he was appointed as secretary-treasurer of the IBSA, which position he held until his
appointment to the Governing Body in November 1974. After his 1979 resignation from the GB, Chitty remained in Brooklyn working in
Writing Correspondence, so he was certainly in good standing. A 1981 Awake! article has Chitty making comments about people having
lost their love of neighbor and God. Apparently by this time Chitty was drinking heavily, according to close acquaintances. Likely
this contributed to his being dismissed from Brooklyn and reassigned to the London Bethel a few years later. There he worked at an
assignment of little responsibility, but was appointed an elder in a local congregation. Chitty died about 1993.
As to Chitty's
alleged homosexuality, the information I have is mixed. He certainly made some remarks in his 1963 life story in The Watchtower that
leaned in this direction. By then he had roomed with the same man for 30 years and just about gushed when speaking about him. See
the email comments below for one Brit's take on this. When in Brooklyn, Chitty seems to have preferred younger men as roommates. The
actual charge brought to the GB against Chitty was made by a former roommate and involved some sort of inappropriate conduct. The
GB concluded that Chitty had homosexual tendencies, whatever that means, and asked him to resign. Chitty could hardly do anything
but comply with the rest of the GB's wishes, since his only alternative would have been to leave Bethel at age 81 and after being
there for 58 years. It may well be that the GB didn't view Chitty as guilty of homosexual activity, since he remained a Bethel member
in Brooklyn or London, but it may also be that they made a deal: Chitty would remain quiet about where "the dead bodies" were buried
as long as the Society cared for him in his old age. Sounds like a good deal to me.
Leo K. Greenlees
Governing Body member
Leo K. Greenlees was forced to resign and leave Bethel in late 1984. He entered the Toronto, Canada Bethel in 1936, eventually becoming
treasurer of the Canadian branch and of the IBSA of Canada. In 1964 he went to Brooklyn Bethel, and in 1965 was elected as a director
of the Society's New York corporation. As a director Greenlees automatically became a "governing body" member when that body was formally
instituted in 1971. He often spoke at Gilead graduations, and was the concluding speaker for the day at the Watchtower Centennial
business meeting at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 6, 1984. A 1982 Watchtower mentions him as being on
the Teaching Committee of the Governing Body. Greenlees' last mention in Watchtower publications is in the December 1, 1984 Watchtower
where he is said to have passed out diplomas at the September Gilead graduation.
In late 1984, Greenlees was allegedly convicted
by the rest of the Governing Body of molesting a ten year old boy. My information is that the boy's parents had complained to the
Society and it took action. Greenlees was a friend of the family and often visited them. After leaving Bethel Greenlees served as
a Special Pioneer and eventually an elder in the "Downtown" congregation in New Orleans, Louisiana. He died in the late 1980s.
Interestingly,
the boy who Greenlees molested applied for Bethel service a few years later, around 1991, and was rejected. Watchtower leaders apparently
feared that other Bethelites would tell him the 'rumors' about Greenlees, not knowing that he was Greenlees' victim, and cause the
young man to know that justice had not been done. He might then have confirmed the rumors.
Sources :
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5466/greenlees-chitty-some-sources
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/ft5618/leo_greenlees/
https://www.theworldnewsmedia.org/topic/1678-leo-k-greenlees/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1oDowBxNDs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uP7UftOMTI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEup8CVDmPQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB2aljuY_-M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNvLxF56XPM
PEDOPHILIA: lawsuit against the Watchtower in Canada. Contacts :
Canada : http://www.higgertylaw.ca/; https://www.apmlawyers.com