The morning journal-courier., 1908-05-01
ADMITS GUILT THROUGH LAWYER Former Lake Vice President Confesses Authorship
 of Anonymous
 Epistles,
NO MORE OPEN SESSIONS
Investigation of Lllley's Motives hl Priyate-Niay Yet Call for EIec- trlc Boat Companys
 Books.

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 Washington, April S0-The investl- gatlon into the legislative methods employed by the Electric Boat com pany directed by the house of repre- sentatives under q resolution introduce ed February 20 last by Representative George l.. Lilley of Connecticut, is end ed so far as open sessions of the spe- cial house committee which has been conducting it are concerned. The clos, ing hours of the case were dramatic. Frederick Brown Whitney, an attorney at law, admitted that he was the au- thor of the anonymous letters of Feb ruary B and February l5 to the repre- sentative of the Detroit Free Press and State Senator Frank Ednborough of Michigan, which have figured so prom | lncntly in the investigation
 The admission of Mir Whitney was made in the form of an affidavit which was read by his counsel, ex- United States Senator Thurston of Nebraska. Mir. Thurston explained that Mir Whit ney is i'll in the Garfield hospital, this city, and that it would be impossible I for him to appear before the commit | tee. In the affidavit Mir. Whitney stat ed that from 1901 to 1904 he was clerk to the committee on naval affairs of the house of representatives, that shortly after he became second vice. president of the Lake Torpedo Boat l company, which position he retained until May l9, 1906; and that he is now 1 yicepresdent of the Lake Submarine complny. an independent organization | The reasons for writing the anonymous letters were given by MT Whitney as follows:
 That of his own initiation he under took what appeared to him at the time to be not improper methods to have brought to the attention of congress the methods which he believed had been pursued by the Electric Boat company in the endeavor to secure through congressional action what might be termed exclusive legislation which would shut out competition and lprevent the Lake Torpedo Bot, com. pany from competing in tho United States for submarine torpedo boat construction
 Mir Whitney says in his affidavit that when he sent these anonymous communications he had good reason to believe that resolution would bc introduced in the house of represen- tatives for an investigation of the methods of the Ele ,tric Boat company and it's predecessor the Holland Boat company He further says that he sent newspaper clippings to some members of the naval committee and may have sent to Representative Lil- ley before February 20, 1908, the date of the introduction of Mir Lilleys res oluton of inquiry, newspaper clip pings including the figures of alleged excessive cost of submarines, namely
 sl.4fG, G,296.60, which he attempted to compile from the testimony of Admir- al Bowles before tAe naval commit tee of the house in 1902. In conclus- ion the affidavit states that Mir. Whit ney has no personal Knowledge from which he could give any evidence tc sustain any of Mir. Lilleys charges
 In announcing tho close of the oper
 sessions of the committee Chairman Boutell said that the question of th, production of the letters of Representa- tive Lilley and the books of the tw,
 submarine boat companies will he de tetmiaed by the committee after careful examination and an analysi of the evidence on which the deman,
 for the documents was based He als
 said that all the witnesses who's
 names were suggested by Mir. Liley {,
 the committee have been examined an, ? that the company has called on It's owl
 account all witnesses who, it thought
 could cast any light whatever upon tn n issues raised by Mir Iillcy's charge : and also point out if possible the mo q lives lying behind the unsuetaine . charges.
 s There still remain, continued Nil ,, Boutel, "a few Additionally signed let q ters handed in by Mir Lilley, fel Y anonymous, and one or two affidavit y which have not been made the basis Q
 any evidence taken by this committee - On careful examination lt appears tha }. these suggestions relate either to dea d members of the house of representa- e tives who died in full honor and respec
 of their fellow men, CT else these mat = ters relate to remote congresses an
 raise questions with which this com il mittce has no power to deal"
 | The report of the committee proba | bly, will not be presented to the hous for some time. It is the intention ( | the members 10 make an exhaustiy | examination of all evidence and docr | ments submitted, and should they dc | eide to demand the production of til | letters and books referred to the repoi