The San Francisco call., 1909-09-08
FRIENDS MAKE UP
HEAVY SHORTAGES
Lacking 100000, Attorney de
Lancey Raises Cash by
Campaign About Town

OAKLAND, Sept. Pacing a short
age of $4,000 in his accounts when
eummarily ordered by Judge Brown to
deposit all funds in the hands of the
public administrator with the county
treasurer Attorney John S. de Lancey
was compelled TO raise the money by a
lively campaign among his friends, ac-
wording TO testimony given before the
grand jury last week and made public
today.
The testimony regarding the shorta ge
was given by Miss Marian Stevenson,
ietenographer in Public Administrator
heorse Gray's Office, who had her in
Sormation from a. J. Flood, Gray's con-
dental clerk, and by J. A. Munro, DE
Lancey's favored auctioneer. who was
strongly urged 10 contribute $4,000.
, WANTED GRAY TO CONTRIBUTE
During the course of the negotiations,
according TO the testimony, De Lancey
attempted to force Gray to contribute
SIC, 600 by threatening Gray with IN
oictment for receiving interest accu-
mulated by estates, proceeding OF
which Gray was ignorant. That De
Lancey had collected interest from
numerous savings banks and used it to
various ends is now believed TO be well
established in connection with the in
Nestigat tions Of his acts. He may have
deposited considera BILE sums TO Gray
private account. Gray resisted his de-
mands for cash. but in giving his tes-
tinouy again displayed that he was
entirely out of touch with his Office af-
fairs. GRAY said he did not know
whether his final accounts would be
short $4,000 or $4,000.
Bulky copies Of the testimony before
the grand jury were furnished De
Lancey today when he appeared before
Judge Brown for arraignment on the
five counts on which he has been IN
dieted He entered a plea of not guilty
70 the original indictment on the ground
OF having passed a forged funeral
claim for $115 to the court, after Flood
was said to have committed the
forgery Attorneys Chapman and
Frick then secured a weeks delay be-
fore pleading to the four indictments
returned last week Flood got week s
delay on the forgery charge also.
OARGIE PUTS Up CASH
The testimony showed that Miss
Stevenson was told by Flood that
County Clerk John P. Cook. w. Z.
Dargie and W. H. Mackipnon, father in
law TO De Lancey and John de Lancey,
De Lanceys own father had made good
the amount which he lacked. This was
before Gray had made a demand upon
De Lancey for the return of the money
and before Gray knew Of shady trans
actions going on under his nose, ac-
cerding TO the testimony.
Miss stevenson also testified that De
Izncey was entirely responsible for the
senasannuaI reports of his Office and
that her work and that of Flood in
connection with it was entirely clerical
AUCTIoNEER WAS oI3DURATE
/ A. Munro. auctioneer, and Walter
I.eimert gave details of business trans
actions with De Lancey. Munro saio
he had offered De Lancey $1,000 casr
for 13I acres Of land near Midway. be-
longing to an estate, at a privately ar
ranged sale. and had paid w. H Mac
Iinnon 500 to keep him from raising
the bid. After he secured the ranch
he became involved in g suit to quiet
title fled by q neighbor. Munro said
that Mackinnon made strong repre-
sentations to him of the necessity for
giving $4,000 to help De Lancey, and
Nunro's refusal led to some warm Ian
guage between them.
Leimert testified that. though he was
unsuccessful in a bid which he secured
for the property of Catherine Sypolt
De Lancey. whom he did not know was
Gray's representative. told him that
the law allotted Leimert $412.50 COM
mission providing De Lancey got hall
of il. Relying on De Lancey's knowl-
edge of the law, Leimert consented
and received s20e.
IGNORANT OF OFFICE AFFAIRS
Cray admitted to the grand jury that
he had no means. of finding out how his
own accounts stood. De Lancey otter
told him that he had $4,000 or $4,000
due in fees, and whenever Gray needed
money he wrote check for the
amount against his public account
cashed il and deposited II TO his private
account Nor did he know how De
I-ancey stood with his fees, but was
often told that they had accumulated
in large amounts.
Details of the alleged ernbezzlemeni
by De Lancey Of $4,000 from the estat.
Of George Hite Cook and his subse-
ouent alleged Justification of his re-
port on two. occasions added to ar
erasure cencealing the missing sum as
charged, followed in full. Flood and
Miss Stevenson protested before the
grand jury that they had nothing tc
do with the transaction until Flood
finding ii out, was warned by De
Lancey TO keep his mouth shut or D,
Lancey would "get him." De Lancey
also abused his brother in law, accord
ing to Flood, for newspaper accounts OF
his difficulties in getting the money