The San Francisco call., 1909-09-14
M[HRMANN CHOSEN
TO SUCCEED GRAY
New Policies Will Be Adopted
at Once in the Public ADJ
nlinistrat0r's Office

. - OAKLAND, Sept. 1s.-Dr. H B. Mehr-
mann of this city was unanimously
chosen today to fill the unexpired term
of Office of Public Administrators
George Gray, following the acceptance
of cray's resignation by the board OF
e. Supervisors. Mehrmann. on accepting,
announced that Attorney Abe p. Leach
:. would be his legal adviser. Attorney
:: Harry Leach. younger brother, viii
assist. Mehrmann also announced that
william Mcdonald, former assembly
& man. member OF the county board of
I education. and a school teacher at Liv-
ermore. had been chosen as clerk in A.
y. Floods place.
Mehrmann's official bond was fixed
at $50, coo. an increase of 100000 over
the amount Of security which had been
demanded Of Gray.
z. .MEHRMANN OUTLINES POLICY
-. IN outlining his plans. Doctor Mehr-
mann said that he would first attempt
TO restore public confidence in his office.
which had been lost by the grand jury
investigations which led to the in
:dlctment of John S. de Lancey and
Flood.
The first STEP" he said, will be the
depositing of all funds in the county
treasury, instead of adopting the for
'mer policy of scattering moneys widely
among savings banks Cash in the
treasury can only be reached by court
orders. not being in the names of indi-
xiduals. as was the former custom
Tbis was a measure of protection 10
the public. which had been strongly in
sisted upon by District Attorney Dona-
hue since first he assumed office, and
the resistance offered by De Lancey TO
this policy gave the earliest intimation
OF possible shortages, which afterward
were found to exist
Full publicity and rapid settling of
estates, with a minimum amount OF
charges were also outlined by Doctor
Mehrmannsas part of the policies of the
reorganized Office.
Mehrmann's nomination was pre-
sented by Supervisor Mullins and sec
. sonded by Foss. There was no other
candidate.
DE LANCEY PLEADS mot GUILTY"
=. Attorney John s. de Lancey entered
pleas of not guilty TO four indictments
remaining against him today and Judge
Brown set the date for his first trial
for October 13. District Attorney Dona-
=
trial next week, but on the protests of
Attorneys NJ. c. Chapman and A. l.
Frick the October date was chosen.
The indictments pleaded to were
those arising from the grand jury in
.vestigation of the handling of the es-
.. tate of George Hite Cook. from which
De Lancey. while attorney for former
. Public Administrator George Gray. was
said TO have embezzled 10000. In
addition he was indicted on three
" counts for the alleged erasure of an
entry of the amount in the public ad-
ninistrator's register and two alleged
=. subsequent faisifications of the semian-
:. nual reports Donahue agreed to an
. nounce the specific charge on which
:; the first trial would be held by Sep
tember p. The embezzlement charge
win probably be selected.
The entry of the pleas today pre-
eludeS the fling of technical attacks
on the forms of the indictments, and
Donahue assured himself that he had
provided against an attack alleging
prejudice on the part of individual
grand jurors. The avoidance of long
. preliminary delays ensuing with mo-
rions TO set the indictments aside was
.looked upon as decided gain for the
prosecution.
FLOODS TRIAL Is SET
A J. Flood. who as clerk in Gray's
Office. was indicted for the alleged for
gerry Of funeral claim, bat who con-
fessed upon his arrest. and has since
been of material assistance to Dona-
hue, pleaded not guilty to the solitary
count against him. His trial was set
for October %.
A rumor was started during the day
TO the effect that after De Lancey's
trial Flood would withdraw his
plea and plead guilty. relying upon the
mercy Of the court. Attorney l. S.
: Church said that he had instructed
Flood 20 tell the truth at every stage
as the best possible provision for him
self. IT was upon this statement that
the report was based.