Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-01
WHITNEY MAKES CONFESSION
Attorney of Lake Boat Company
Wrote Anonymous Letters.
SENSATION IN LILLEY HEARING
He Was Formerly Clerk of House
Committee on Naval ARairs,
Then Became Omcer of
Boat Company.

WASHINGTON, April 9O.-The investiga-
tion into the legislative methods employed
by the Electric Boat company directed by
the house OF representatives and a resolu-
ton introduced February 20 last by Rep
resentative George L. Lilley of Connecticut
is ended as far as open sessions of the spe-
cial house committee which has been con-
ducting it are concerned.
The closing hours Of the case were dra-
matte. Frederick Brown whitney. an at
torney-at-law, admitted that he was the
author of the anonymous letters OF Feb
ruary 10 and 10 to the representative of the
Detroit Free Press and state Senator Frank
Marlborough of Michigan which have fig
ured so prominently in the investigation
The admission Of Mr.. whitney was made
in the form Of an affidavit, which was read
by his counsel, former United States SEN
ator Thurston OF Nebraska. Mr.. Thurston
stated that Mr.. whitney is i'll in the Gar
field hospital. this city, and that it would
be impossible for him. to appear before the
committee. In the affidavit Mr.. Whitney
stated that from 1901 TO 1904 he was clerk
to the committee on naval affairs of the
house of representatives. that shortly there
after he became second vice president of
the Lake Torpedo Boat company, which po-
sition he retained until May 10. 1906; that
he is now vice president of the Lake SUBJ
marine company, an Independent organiza-
ton.
MIR. whitney's Reasons.
The reasons for writing the anonymous
letters were given by Mr. Whitney as fol-
lows:
That Of his own initiative he undertook,
by what appeared to him at the time to
be not improper methods, to have brought
to the attention of congress the methods
which he had believed had been pursued
by the Electric Boat company in their
endeavor to secure, through congressional
action. what might be termed exclusive
legislation which would shut out competi-
tion and prevent the Lake Torpedo Boat
company from competing in the United
States for submarine torpedo boat con-
struction.
Reference is also made to ANONYMOUS
communications sent by Mr.. Whitney to a
New York newspaper and the affidavit
continues:
Said deponent sent said communications
and said statement TO said newspapers, be-
lieving that Representative Loud had voted
for an exclusive appropriation for sub
marines Of n certain type, but that he
subsequently learned that Representative
Loud voted for submarines without condi-
ton. and he deeply regrets the wrong and
injustice so done by him to Representa-
tive Loud who innocent of all sus-
picions entertained by deponent concerning
him.
Mr.. Whitney in his affidavit saws that
when he sent these anonymous cor7munI-
cations he had reason to believe that
resolution would be introduced In the
house OF representatives for an investiga-
tion of the methods of the Electric Boat
company and it's predecessor the Holland
Boat company. He further says that he
sent newspapers clippings to some MEM
bers of the naval committee and may have
sent some to Representative Lilley before
February 20, 1908. the date Of the introduc-
tion of Mr.. LiIley's resolution OF inquiry.