The San Francisco call., 1909-09-11
EVENTS THE COUNTIES BORDERING OF SAN FRANCISCO
RESIGNS OFFICE
THAT Hf NEGLECTED
Public Administrator Gray Re-
linquishes Position When
Closely Pressed

OAKLAND, Sept. 1o-Pubiic Admin
istrator George Gray handed his resig
nation to District Attorney Donahue to-
day after a committee from the grand
his position, following the exposures
In his efiee.
Gray's voluntary retirement saved
the fling of an action to oust him
through the courts, a proceeding which
had been fully determined upon had
he resisted. The resignation will be
presented to the board of supervisors
Monday and will be accepted. DIR. III.
B. Mehrmann, former county coroner,
is said to be in line for the position,
and his appointment, it is reported,
will probably be made at that time.
Gray will be allowed at his own re-
quest to settle every estate which he
now has in his hands, and he has
stated that he would set an expert
accountant at work upon the records
and be personally responsible for all
moneys involved.
RESIGNATION WAS DEMANDED
Gray's resignation followed a session
of the grand jury, which was adjourned
at 12:45 o'clock this afternoon after
he had been in consultation with mem
bers of that body for an hour. At that
time the demand for his intentions
was made and he said he would re-
sign. The earlier part of the meeting
had been devoted to the examination
of bank employees. This inquiry re-
vealed the fact that nearly $4,000 in
terest which had been paid on cash
deposits credited to Gray's official ac-
count had not been traced. Future in
vestigation, unless something unfroe-
seen creeps out, will be devoted to
this phase, but the indications are that
no more indictments will be returned.
Gray gave out a lengthy statement
explaining that his private business
affairs had taken his time night and
day for the last three years, and that
in trusting Attorney John de Lancey
so implicitly he had only followed the
precedents set by other administra-
tors, public and private, throughout
the state. He had been compelled to
leave the compilation of reports, the
fling of records and all the court work
to his attorney, and until the first
disclosures Gray protested he had had
no intimation that anything was wrong.
Gray was positive that he had not
knowingly received money that was
not due him, and he said that in many
small estates he had surrendered his
claims to fees in the interests of heirs.
Promising to straighten out every ac-
count and pay every cent due, he
nevertheless felt that his private duty
to his family outweighed the claims
upon him which the public held.
GRAY MAKES STATEMENT
Gray said:
II have never at any time during
the seven years of my official life as
public administrator received one cent
that was not due me, and in many in
stances where the estates were small
and the heirs poor / nave given my
commission fees in the estate to them.
II regret very much tnat the busi-
ness affairs of the office are not as
good as thought they were, but / am
going to give every effort to straighten
out every matter in my Office SO that
no estate in my charge will lose a
dollar"
All business devolving upon Grays
successor will be new, Gray having
his arrangements to wind up the old
we'll under way.
George Mackinnon, De Lanceys
brother in law, and w. H. Mackinnon.
his father in law, who were supposed
to have direct knowledge of De Lam
cey's entangIements. were subpenaed,
but were not called into the grand
jury chamber. John de Lancey Sr. and
d. j. Hall, another relative of young
De Lancey, were also in attendance. but
did not testify.
BANK ATTACHES EXAMINED
Among banking attaches who were
examined were c. F. Hale. cashier of
the Bank of San Leandro; r. d. Parrish,
clerk of the South Berkeley bank;
Golden L. Downing, deputy to Receiver
James p. Edhoff of the California
bank; D. A. Bullmore of the Bankers
trust company; c.. N. Walters, as
sistant cashier at the First national
bank; Van F. Obermuller of the Bank
of Hayward; c. F. Hale and S. c. Scott,
teller of the loan department of the
Farmers and Merchants bank. H
Mcclellan, deputy county auditor, and
Deputy County Clerk w. III. Master
son were also witnesses. Martin
Weaver, decrepit civil war veteran,
was carried into the grand jury room
by attendants and was briefly ques-
toned regarding the supposed looting
of the estate of another veteran, but
his weakness was so great that salts
a actory reDlfeS could NOT he SacurSd