Woman Embezzles From OES Chapter

The Evansville Courier & Press reports 37-year-old Susan Hilgeman pleaded guilty Monday to felony charges of forgery and conspiracy to commit theft. Her sentencing is scheduled for April 24, when she could receive up to 11 years in prison for the combined charges.

Hilgeman's mother, 80-year-old Marilee Garrison, is also charged with conspiracy to commit theft in the case and faces a July trial. Both Susan and her mother were officers in Order of the Eastern Star, a Masonic women's organization.

Indiana State Police arrested the women last April after a yearlong investigation prompted by other officers in the chapter who contacted police.
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
LOL , my Old Chapter it would have been a misdemeanor ! Not enough in the bank account to embezzle , they would have been better off stealing from the Girl Scouts .
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
they don't make eough money?
No James they do not . They are a dying group of old women , some Chapters have not taken in new members for many years . And those taking in new members are few in number and nowhere near enough to stem the flow of losses due to deaths .

Most Chapters I know of do not have to pay rent or bills in the lodges they meet so they keep their dues as low as $20 per member . This barely covers Grand Chapter assessments and leaves them little in the bank .
 

Gary2112

Troll Stomper
Staff member
No James they do not . They are a dying group of old women , some Chapters have not taken in new members for many years . And those taking in new members are few in number and nowhere near enough to stem the flow of losses due to deaths .

Most Chapters I know of do not have to pay rent or bills in the lodges they meet so they keep their dues as low as $20 per member . This barely covers Grand Chapter assessments and leaves them little in the bank .
Case in point, The chapter that used to meet at my Lodge would up merging with another chapter in my district (which is in another county) just to survive.
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
Many are doing this . It would serve the OES well to open their doors to all women and remove the requirement of the MM relationship .

They can still keep the requirement of Master Masons as members to remain under the umbrella of the Fraternity . Though they are getting hard pressed to find Master Masons interested in it any more . Most Chapters I have seen have the same 2 or 3 brothers in the Worthy Patron/Associate Patron chairs , they just take turns every year and even they are getting long in the tooth .
 

Gary2112

Troll Stomper
Staff member
Many are doing this . It would serve the OES well to open their doors to all women and remove the requirement of the MM relationship .

They can still keep the requirement of Master Masons as members to remain under the umbrella of the Fraternity . Though they are getting hard pressed to find Master Masons interested in it any more . Most Chapters I have seen have the same 2 or 3 brothers in the Worthy Patron/Associate Patron chairs , they just take turns every year and even they are getting long in the tooth .
Yup... I agree.
 

Zack

Active Member
Why not just let them fail? I feel the same way about lodges. If , for whatever reason, a lodge or chapter is unsustainable let them go under. It is nothing new, lodges have been folding since the beginning.
All this "propping up", making it easier to join, etc is just prolonging the inevitable.
IMO.
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
Why not just let them fail? I feel the same way about lodges. If , for whatever reason, a lodge or chapter is unsustainable let them go under. It is nothing new, lodges have been folding since the beginning.
All this "propping up", making it easier to join, etc is just prolonging the inevitable.
IMO.
I agree with you Zack , I was just being ....ummm....diplomatic . I have absolutely no qualms seeing them close their doors . Or Masonic lodges for that matter .
 

Ashlar2006

Masonic Mafia
I will be honest , the Chapter in my lodge at one time was required to pay the water and gas bills to offset the use of our building . As of 4 or 5 years ago , they could not longer even afford to do that . Many of us are tired of them not carrying their weight and ready to see them go .
 
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