William Forte Willett

William Forte Willett Jr. (November 27, 1869 – February 12, 1938) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1907 to 1911 and later served fourteen months in Sing Sing Prison for conspiracy and bribery. A member of the Democratic Party, he contributed to the legislative process during two terms in office and represented the interests of his constituents during a significant period in American political history.

Willett was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 27, 1869. He attended the public schools of his native city, receiving his early education in the Brooklyn school system. He then pursued legal studies at New York University in New York City, enrolling in the law department and graduating in 1895. The following year, in 1896, he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in New York City, establishing himself as an attorney before entering elective politics.

Building on his legal career, Willett became active in Democratic Party affairs in New York. His professional background and party involvement led to his election to the United States House of Representatives. He was elected as a Democrat to the Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses, serving from March 4, 1907, to March 3, 1911. During these two terms, he participated in the legislative process in the House of Representatives and took part in debates and votes on national issues during the Progressive Era, a time of significant political and social reform in the United States.

Willett’s congressional service was marked by both active participation and controversy. On January 18, 1909, during his tenure in the House, he delivered a speech sharply denouncing President Theodore Roosevelt. The language of the address was considered so extreme and improper that he was ordered to sit down on the floor of the House, and the chamber voted 126 to 78 against allowing him to continue his remarks. Subsequently, on January 27, 1909, the House of Representatives, by voice vote, ordered that his speech be expunged from the Congressional Record on the grounds that it contained language improper and in violation of the privileges of debate. Willett did not stand for renomination in 1910 and concluded his congressional career at the end of his second term on March 3, 1911.

After leaving Congress, Willett’s career took a dramatic turn. In 1912 he was indicted on charges that he had paid Democratic Party leaders for a seat on the New York State Supreme Court, reflecting allegations of corruption in judicial nominations and party patronage. In 1913 he was convicted of conspiracy and bribery in connection with this scheme. Following the exhaustion of his appeals, Willett served a sentence of fourteen months in Sing Sing Prison, a notable fall from his prior status as a member of the national legislature.

Following his release from prison, Willett did not return to elective office. Instead, he entered the real estate business, remaining in New York and engaging in private enterprise. He lived out his later years in New York City, removed from the public prominence that had characterized his earlier career in law and politics.

William Forte Willett Jr. died in New York City on February 12, 1938. He was interred in the Cemetery of the Evergreens in Brooklyn, New York, returning in death to the borough where he had been born and educated and from which he had first risen to national political office.