The San Francisco call., 1909-08-21
JOHN De IANCEY
GIVEN DISMISSAL
Investigation by Grand Jury Re-
suits in Disgrace of Admin
istrator's Attorney


OAKLAND, Aug. 20.-John S. de
Lancey, attorney for Public Admins
traitor George Gray, was dismissed
from service today by the latter as the
result of disclosures that followed the
looting of the estate of A. L. Pound
stone, the Grand Army veteran, whose
property was handled by the public
administrator.
De Lancey is out of town. At his
Office it was reported today that he
was on vacation near Livermore. A.
j. Flood, clerk in the office of Public
Administrators Gray, has been missing
for more than a week, though Sheriff
Barnet has tried repeatedly to find him
by telegraph. Flood said he was go
ing to Seattle with his wife when he
left Oakland.
The grand jury, which began yester-
day its investigation into the affairs
OF the Poundstone estate. will meet
again next Tuesday, when it is expect
ed that indictments will be returned.
AS 70 the nature of the testimony that
has been taken and as to the probable
outcome of the matter the greatest
reticence has been maintained. Dis
trict Attorney Donahue refuses to dis
cuss the evidence.
DE LANCEY SIGNS CHECK
1t was learned today, however. that
De Lancey's connection with the forged
receipt for S115 was not so innocent
as he protested when he was before
the grand jury yesterday This re-
eeipts bore the name of E. James Fin
ney, local undertaken, and was ap-
proved by the probate court In the
course of the administration of Pound
stones estate. Finney declared It a
forgery when, he was confronted with
Il. Poundstone was buried in the pot
ter's field at the expense of the county.
on the same day that Finney's name
was signed to the receipt De Lancey
signed check in favor of Finney for
$160 for a legitimate claim for another
estate. Finney signed a receipt for
this amount. His signature was traced
from this receipt to the one for s115
that was charged against the Pound
stone estate. Whether Flood or De
Lancey traced 1t Is not known. Flood
got the receipt from Finney, giving
him De Lancey's check. according to
the latters testimony. He gave it to
De Lancey later. Both of them had the
opportunity to do the tracing.
GRAY DENIES RESPONSIBILITY
Public Administrators Gray has dis
claimed all knowledge of the handling
of the Poundstone estate. 1t was han
! died, he said by De Lancey and Flood.
In fact, 1t was Gray's custom to trust
the pair implicitly. He even went 80
far as to give Flood written authori-
cation to sign warrants on the county
treasury for him. De Lancey had the
! power to sign checks and did so habit
ually. District Attorney Donahue has
said repeatedly that he believed Gray
| to be innocent of any wrongdoing, and
| the grand jury at its meeting of yes
| terday gained the same Impression
| though several of the members were
! inclined to blame him for knowing SO
| little of the business he was elected to
transact and for which he is respon-
! sible,
! The investigation into the affairs OF
| the public administrators will not pause
with an examination into the Pound
stone estate. 1t is believed that irreg-
ularities exist in other estates, and
! Donahue has ordered experts to go
! through all books and accounts of the
| office. Experts will also be put to
work on the books of the county clerk
which are checks on those of the pub
! lie administrator.
De Lancey and Flood have been noto-
rious as recetraek gamblers for years
De Lancey especially was a habitue OF
the track, and he bet large sums. He
made no secret of II. Floods opera
tions were more modest than those OF
| his superior. but he took little pains
to conceal the fact that he went tC
the racetrack often and gambled there
De Lancey has been prominent In
politics and in club life in Oakland for
| a number OF years He married g
| daughter of w. H. McKinnon, an Oak
land real estate dealer.