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William Willett Jr.

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William Willett
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 14th district
In office
March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1911
Preceded byCharles A. Towne
Succeeded byJohn J. Kindred
Personal details
Born
William Forte Willett Jr.

(1869-11-27)November 27, 1869
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedFebruary 12, 1938(1938-02-12) (aged 68)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Resting placeEvergreen Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York
Political partyDemocratic
EducationNew York University (LLB)

William Forte Willett Jr. (November 27, 1869 – February 12, 1938) was an American lawyer and politician who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1907 to 1911 and fourteen months in Sing Sing for conspiracy and bribery shortly thereafter.

Early life and education

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William Willett Jr. was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 27, 1869. He attended the public schools of his native city and then graduated from the law department of New York University, New York City, in 1895. He was admitted to the bar the following year and commenced the practice of law in New York City.

Congress

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Willett was elected as a Democrat to the Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses (March 4, 1907 - March 3, 1911).

On January 18, 1909, Willett denounced President Theodore Roosevelt in a speech that was so outrageous that he was ordered to sit down, and the House voted 126 to 78 against allowing him to continue.[1] On January 27, the House, by voice vote, expunged the speech from the Congressional Record for "language improper and in violation of the privileges of debate".[2]

Willett did not stand for renomination in 1910.

Conspiracy and bribery

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Willett was indicted in 1912 on charges that he paid Democratic Party leaders for a seat on the State Supreme Court. In 1913, he was convicted of conspiracy and bribery.[2] After exhausting his appeals he served 14 months in Sing Sing.[3]

Real estate

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Willett then went into the real estate business.

Death

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Willett died in New York City on February 12, 1938, his body interred in Cemetery of the Evergreens, Brooklyn.

Electoral history

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1906 election: District 14[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Willett Jr. 17,675 46.3%
Republican Frank E. Losee 10,006 26.2%
Independence Charles E. Shober 8,110 21.3%
Socialist Richard Morton 2,328 6.1%
Prohibition Albert Wadhams 40 0.1%
Total votes 38,159 100%
1908 election: District 14[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Willett Jr. (incumbent) 21,643 52.2%
Republican Emanuel Castka 14,189 34.2%
Socialist Phillip H. Schmitt 3,055 7.4%
Independence Herbert Wade 2,485 6.0%
Prohibition Joseph. H Ralph 69 0.2%
Total votes 41,451 100%

References

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  1. ^ "Roosevelt Scored- Representative Willett Makes Sensational Attack", Washington Post, January 19, 1909, p.1
  2. ^ a b Mark Grossman, Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia of Scandals, Power, and Greed (ABC-CLIO, 2003), p.369
  3. ^ "Willett, William Forte Jr.." Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia of Scandals, Power & Greed. Amenia: Grey House Publishing, 2008. Credo Reference. Web. 15 August 2012.
  4. ^ The New York Red Book, 1907. 1907. p. 617. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  5. ^ The New York Red Book, 1909. 1909. p. 638. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 14th congressional district
1907–1911 		Succeeded by

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

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