CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Kanawha County jury sided Wednesday with the Grand Lodge of the West Virginia branch of the Masons against a former grand master who sued after he was expelled from the group, claiming the organization had violated its own rules.

The jury declined to award Frank J. Haas, an administrative law judge from Wellsburg, any damages, even though Kanawha Circuit Judge Carrie Webster ruled that the Masons breached its contract with Haas.

The jury also decided that the state's Grand Lodge and past Grand Masters Charles F. Coleman II and Charles L. Montgomery had not defamed Haas, placed him in a false light, or committed outrageous conduct toward Haas, who was also a past grand master.

Bob Allen, Haas' attorney, said after the verdict was announced that Haas was very disappointed, but accepted the jury's decision.

"We can take a lot of comfort that Mr. Haas took what he felt was the high ground, morally and ethically," Allen said. "I'm confident that he'll be able to move forward, knowing that he did the right thing. If that costs him his membership in Masonry, that costs him his membership in Masonry."

Charleston lawyer John Tinney, who along with his sons Jack and Jim represented the defendants, said they were pleased with the verdict.

"We, on behalf of our clients, are very pleased that the jury listened very carefully to the evidence, gave it mature consideration, and determined that there were no plausible claims against our clients," he said.

Following a six-day trial, the jury deliberated for about five hours on Wednesday before returning its verdict around 3 p.m.

Haas sued Coleman, Montgomery and the Grand Lodge of West Virginia in 2008, months after Montgomery issued an edict expelling Haas from the fraternal organization.

The trial provided a rare window into the centuries-old society, which is not entirely secret, although information about many of the rituals, practices and activities is reserved for members only.

Haas, who served as the state's grand master from October 2005 to October 2006, said that during his tenure, he tried to make West Virginia Masonry more inclusive in terms of nationality, race, disability, age and religion. He said he wanted to bring the organization's policies more in line with federal and state public policy.

Haas' progressive agenda, which came to be known as the Wheeling Reforms, passed at the Masons' annual communication that year in Wheeling. The vote -- in which some members, according to custom, had full votes and some had quarter votes -- resulted in a tie, with Haas casting the tie-breaking vote himself.

Days later, Coleman, who succeeded Haas as grand master, issued an edict setting aside Haas' agenda, citing voting irregularities that he and others had witnessed.

The state's Masons became bitterly divided over Haas' efforts, with some supporting the progressive reforms and others approving Coleman's decision to declare the vote unconstitutional and void.

But resentment over how Haas' reforms were put aside lingered, and after Haas' agenda was not taken up again at the annual communication in October 2007, Charlie Montgomery, Coleman's successor, continued to face questions about the matter.

The progressives found voice in a movement called the Masonic Crusade, some of whom used an online message board to discuss the issue, posting under pseudonyms such as "A Mason" and "I.M. Hiram."

On Nov. 19, 2007, barely a month into his term, Montgomery traveled to Haas' home lodge in Wellsburg, where he presided over its regular meeting. During that meeting, he confronted Haas over his involvement with the Masonic Crusade, according to testimony during the trial.

Haas said that Montgomery dressed him down and called him a liar in front of his father and his friends before pulling a typed edict out of his pocket and summarily expelling him. He claimed that this violated Masonic rules, which require the filing of formal, written charges, and provide a Mason with the opportunity to call witnesses and defend himself legally.

Montgomery testified that he gave Haas an opportunity to come clean about his involvement with the Masonic Crusade, and would not have expelled him if he had been honest.

After his expulsion in West Virginia, Haas established residency in Steubenville, Ohio, and was accepted into the Ohio Masons. West Virginia's Grand Lodge later severed ties with Ohio.

Another Mason, Greg Wentzel, testified that he set up the Masonic Crusade website, and Haas didn't know that he had, even though the two were friends.

Coleman and Montgomery adamantly rebutted any insinuation or allegation that their actions were motivated by racism. They said they wanted only to uphold Masonic law, which explicitly forbids changing rules without following proper procedures, as well as politicking or advocating for changes.

Any participation in the Masonic Crusade was un-Masonic conduct, and a grand master was well within his rights to take disciplinary action against anyone involved, they said.

Haas' lawyer Allen, himself a longtime Mason, said Wednesday that he had not experienced any repercussions as a consequence of representing Haas. But it has been difficult, he conceded.

"I would hope that one day, the ill will and the wounds between the parties will be healed. Mr. Haas certainly hopes that West Virginia will re-establish a relationship with Masonry in Ohio," he said. "But unfortunately, he's not in a position to make those decisions or make that happen."

Although the jury did not find in favor of Haas, Allen hoped that the issues raised during the trial would cause the state's Grand Lodge to re-evaluate its policies.

"I believe in Masonry too, and I'd like to see everybody get along," he said. "I am hopeful that one of these days that West Virginia will take another look at what [Haas] was espousing."

Reach Andrew Clevenger at acleven...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1723.