The Washington herald., 1908-05-01

representative ASait6N viii not De plaGeu
In the position Of having any conscious
connection with the propaganda Of parti-
sans Of a rival company when he intro
duced his resolution IN the House on
February 20 and forced the investigation.
Mr.. Llley collapsed under the strain Of
developments and responsibility which
rested on him 20 prove his statements.
and he went South by steamer for rest
several days ago. Before leaving he had
acknowledged himself beaten, as well as
worn.
Confession Comes as Climax.
A theatrical climax to the investigation
was supplied in a written confession by
Fred Brown Whitney, formerly clerk Of
the Naval Committee Of the House. once
vice president OF the Lake Torpedo
Boat Company, and until now closely as
ISOLATED with Simon Lake in his work
abroad. whers he is building submarines
for European governments. Mr.. Whitney
signed his confession in the Garfield Hos
pital. In this city. where he is III in bed.
The committee tried for three weeks 10
get him in the witness chair. but certih-
Gates from attending physicians showed
that he was unable 10 appear,
Mr.. Whitney confesses that he was the
man behind the scenes. It was he who
wrote the anonymous letters in which
accusations were made prior to their
presentation TO Congress by Mr. Lilley.
was he who gave 10 certain news
papers the early articles Of a sensational
nature. Mr. Whitney directed an attack
on Representative Loud, OF the Naval
Committee, in Michigan. for which he is
now sorry. and he made the figures, rep
resented as graft in the contracts, that
appeared nysteriously in various places.
Believed Charges Were True,
The motive is given in Mr.. Whitney's
own words, his confession, which says:
"Deponent says that Of his own initia-
tive he undertook what appeared to him
al the time TO be not improper methods
10 have brought 10 the attention OF Con
gress the methods which he believed had
been pursued by the Electric Boat Com
pany in their endeavor to secure through
Congressional action what might be
termed exclusive legislation, which
would shut out competition and prevent
the Lake Torpedo Boat Company from
competing In the United States for sub
marine torpedo boat construction
Mr. Whitney recites the institution Of
his work by writing the anonymous let
ters to the correspondent OF the Detroit
Free Press. in which he foreshadowed
the sensation that was 10 be sprung in
Congress. and the later unsigned note 10
Frank Marlborough. State senator Of
Michigan. in which the integrity Of Rep
resentative Loud was attacked and a
course Of publicity outlined.
At this time he supplied representatives
of New York newspapers with typewrit-
ten statements in which his fictitious fig
ures. representing graft, were used. and
in one case the figures found their way
into print
Those figures were Mr. Whitneys IN
doing. He used them TOO often.
How Truth Came Ont.
They were put in one Of Mr.. Lilley's
resolutions, in document which Mr.. LII
ley presented as evidence. and in the
letter to Marlborough Experts discov-
cred that they were all written on the
same typewriter. Abner Z. Nef. Wash
ington manager Of the Lake Torpedo
Company. identified two OF the legiti-
mate productions as having been written
by him on his typewriter in the COM
pany's office, and ne recalled that the
figures were supplied by Mr. Whitney.
The anonymous writer was then known.
In this connection Mr.. Whitney explains
that he had access to the Lake conf
panys office, and he wrote the baneful
correspondence unknown TO any one. He
acquits Simon Lake and ali others Of
having any knowledge of his acts until
after the experts had testified.
Penitence for his action against Repre-
sentative Loud is expressed In Mr. Whit
news confession IN these words
That said deponent sent said communi-
cations and said statements 20 said news
papers believing that Representative Loud
had voted for an exclusive appropriation
for submarines of a certain type, but that
he subsequently learned that Representa-
tive Loud voted by letter for submarines
without conditions, and he deeply regrets
the wrong and injustice so done by him
to Representative Loud, who was inno-
cent of all suspicious entertained by de-
ponent concerning him."
Does Not agree with LiIIey.
In two ways Representative Lilley is
placed in an awkward position by one
part of Mr.. whitney's confession. First.
Mr.. Lilley had denied. respectively, that
any person had knowledge from him of
his intention to start an investigation be
fore he offered his resolution in the House.
or that he had been subject to any in
iuence outside of himself. Mr.. Whitney
submits:
'Deponent says that when ne sent
anonymous communications he had good
reason to believe that a resolution would
be introduced IN the House Of Repre-
sentstives for an investigation of the
methods of the Electric Board Company.
"Deponent further says that he may
have sent to Representative Lilley befor9
February 90 1908, newspaper clippings in
dueing the figures OF alleged excessive
cost of submarines, to-wit, s1,E76 2es. 60,
which Geponent attempted to compile
from the testimony of Admiral BOwles
given before the Naval Committee Of the
House Of Representatives in 1902"
In conclusion. Mr. Whitney shows the
exact status OF affairs at the end of two
months investigation in this simple
sentence:
Deponent further says that he has no
personal knowledge from which he could
give any evidence to sustain any Of the
charges OF Representative Liiley''
When you have lost or found ANYTHING