The San Francisco call., 1909-08-19
DEAD MANS COIN
WANTONlY STOLEN
LoOting of Veterans Estate to
Be Made Subject of Special
Grand Jury Probing

OAKLAND. Aug. lS.-The alleged
footing Of the estate Of the late A. l.
Poundstone. a Grand Army veteran. will
be called to the attention of the grand
Jury tomorrow by District Attorney
Donahue Public Administrator George
D. Gray viii be examined. as will his
attorney, John s. de Lancey. This
former disclaims all knowledge of the
handling Of the estate, saying that he
'intrusted it to the hands Of De Lancey
and his clerk, A. J. Flood De Lancey
passes the responsibility TO Flood. The
latter is out of town.
The alleged looting of Poundstone's
estate was accomplished by means OF
forged bills. One of them for Sis
for funeral expenses, to which the
name of Z. James Finney. a local un-
dertsker was attached, was today pro-
nounced by him TO be rank fabrica-
ti0n. POundstOne was not buried by
Finney. He was inferred in the pot
rer's field at the expense of the county
This was proved today by District At
forney Donahue. who had the remains
exhumed Yet his little estate of $500
which went through the hands of the
public administrator, was charged Sis
for the funeral
BURIED IN POTTER'S FIELD
Poundstone died at the county in
Urinary in March, 1907. His remains
Eryere buried on the hillside behind the
hospital Later il developed that de-
lcedent had $500 in an Oakland bank
The estate was then administered by
1.-The public administrator. Poundstone
had no relatives nor friends, and moth
.ing more was heard of his money until
"a few days ago. when J. A, Colquhoun
ia prominent member of the Grand
Army, took steps to have his body
moved 10 the Grand Army plat in
Mountain View cemetery. He says he
found that the little balance of S62
which had been left after the public
administrator ofice had handled the
case, had reverted to the state. and he
thought that the county of Alameda
under the circumstances, should refund
at least $50. District Attorney Dona-
hUe's attention was called to the mat
ter, and il was then that the forgery
of Finneys name and the apparent
looting of the estate came 10 light.
Donahue issued a statement today
in which he denounced the looting OF
the old soldiers estate as a cowardly
crime. He said that no expense nol
trouble would be spared to punish the
person who is guilty.
EXHUME SOLDIERS BODY
Public Administrator Gray accompa-
pied Donahue 10 the county infirmary
and was present when Poundstone'
body was exhumed. Il was found in &
plain wooden box, such as paupers
bodies usually occupy. Finney wa:
then called on by the county officials
and asked to explain his bill He de.
MED that he had ever buried Pound
stone and pronounced the receipted bill
that bore his name clumsy forgery
There was no resemblance between his
own signature and his name on th'
bill. he said.
Flood left Oakland a week ago witt
his wife. ostensibly for Seattle. Sine
the discovery of the looting of Pound
stones estate Gray has tried repeated!
TO get in communication with him, bu
has failed.
District Attorney Donahue has sub
mitted Finney's bill to a handwriting
expert, Carl Eisenschimmel. who viii
also be a witness before the gran,
jury.
District Attorney Donahue said:
J. A. Colquhoun. a prominent member Of th,
and stated that member Of his post wa
frmary and q balance Of S66.92 Of his estate
escheated TO the state Of California, and desires
10 know from me If it would be possible 10
the county Of Alameda 10 advance $50 TO NOV
the body from the potter's held to the Gran'
Army plot in Mountain View cemetery.
became interested in his undertaking and
in order 10 find what estate was left, we wen
ever the papers and found that the soldier
name was A. I. POundstOne and that he die,
al the county infrmary IN March. 1907, sup
posed pauper, and his remains buried b,
the inhrInary authorities in the potter's field.
BRANDS RECEIPT FORGERY
Later it developed that Poundstone had $50
or deposit in q local bank. This money wa
administered upon by Public Administrato
Gray. Among the papers we found a receip
from Undertaken Z. James Finney for $li5 70
burial expenses and plot. I declared this bill
10 be an outrageous overcharge, and Mr.. Finne
was called upon for explanation. He cam
10 my Office and stated that he had handled n
such case ] showed him his receipt which pur
ported 10 have been signed by himself in
bold hand. He branded the receipt as q for
gerry and further stated that he had never ha
anything 70 do with Poundstone's burial.
So that mistake might occur yesterday
caused the body OF Poundstone 10 be exhume
in the presence OF Public Administrator Gray
the records shown a plain wooden box.
I called upon Gray for an explanation, and
appears that Gray intrusted the handling of tn
estate entirely TO Attorney John de Lancey an
clerk named Flood. and knew nothing what
ever about the forgery until I called # to hi
attention.
am satisfied that this old soldiers estat
has been looted by some one who thought tina
inasmuch as the old man died friendiess an
alone the crime would never be detected
/ intend TO submit the matter to the gram
Jury tomorrow and no time nor expense will b
spared 70 punish the person who is guilty Of thi