The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-21
Police Investigation Into the
Petty RObberieS May Result
in Sensational Exposure
Superintendent Bunker Declares
Examples Will Be Made of
Guilty Students
Suspicion Has Been Cast Upon
Several More Prominent
Pupils of Institution

BERKELEY. Jan. 20.-That the drag
net of the police in the investigation OF
the wholesale thievery that has been go
ing on al the Berkeley high school, re-
sulting in the summary expulsion of
Gerald McKinlay. son of Congressman
Duncan E. McKinlay; Herbert Merritt.
related to some of Berkeley's most prom
inent families, and william Stone. and
the suspension for an indefinite period
OF Wallace Scott. ali less than II years
Of age. viii encompass some Of the girls
of the school. was the statement today
OF Frank F. Bunker. superintendent of
schools Of this city.
Bunker declared that the boys caught
would be prosecuted to the fullest ex-
tent Of the law
MANY GIRLS IMPLICATED
The superintendent declared that ow-
ing to the nature Of some Of the thiev-
cry reported TO him. guilt pointed to
the girls in the school, and they would
be prosecuted as severely as the boys
expelled and those now under investi-
cation by Marshal vollmer and his de-
tectives
Conditions at the high school," said
Bunker this afternoon, ARE so appall-
ing that the board took their action
last night only after the most careful
and thoughtful consideration. Their de-
cision was drastic. but the moral tone
OF the school must be raised and the
students brought back TO the funda-
mentals Of honesty and truthfulness.
Complaints have lately been received
from various parents, and these were
largely the cause Of the Investigations
begun about week ago. That others
are implicated in the thefts is GER
tainty some Of whom are believed TO
be girls, and if caught they will be
dealt with as harshly as the boys.
~Thievery at the school must be
stopped, and the board is prepared to
20 TO the utmost extreme TO put an
end 10 il. The prosecution Of the boys
IS now in the hands Of the police, who
have been asked by the board to bring
the matter Of the thefts before the
courts"
ABSENCE EXCUSES FORGED
II 4EAElOtJtQ AD4dA that DGSA4CS dn
inquiry into the connection of the girls
Of the school with thefts, Investigations
were being conducted along the lines
Of alleged fOrgeries of excuses for
hardness and absences.
Principal Morris c James ascribes
the craving for luxuries as the cause
Of the downfall Of the boys punished.
He declared that all Of the parents
Of the boys were in prosperous circum-
stances and necessity was not the
mother Of the boys mistakes. Gerald
Mckinlay, son of the congressman Of
that name, he said, was a very quiet
boy and seemed TO have considerable
spending money. he characterized his
acts as more blameworthy than those
Of the other boys. McKinlay, he de-
clsred, was the leader of the gang
of boys who operated in the school
with skeleton keys.
Acting on the advice Of the board,
James officially read the decision Of
The school in regard TO the expulsions
before the students Of the school this
morning. The boys were called into the
assembly room for one reading and
later The girls were similarly warned
James took occasion TO state during
The sessions what the board was pre-
pared 10 do If other culprits were
caught.
STUDENTS TO TAKE UP MATTER
The student body of the high school
will further take the matter up at its
next meeting. Friday, when resolutions
supporting the action OF the board
will be passed. No names viii be men
toned In the resolutions, but It's gen.
eral terms viii be couched in unmistak-
able language that the students disap-
prove OF the conduct Of the four boys
apprehended and ratify the measures Of
the school board.
The fact that many of the boys Of
the school are also members Of the
Berkeley Y. N. c. A. has caused the
police and the school authorities to
seek for light at this end of the thiev-
cries. All OF the boys involved in the
thefts were members Of the local or
Eanizati0n. and Mckinlay admitted to
the police that one Of his skeleton keys
fitted ali the lockers in the gymnasium
Of the association. McKinlay and Scott,
however, have not renewed their mem
bershfp in the Y. NJ. c. A this year
There have been many thefts of
money and various other articles from
the association headquarters in Allston
way, two blocks from the high school,
and the police are now engaged in con-
Meeting the stealing at the high school
and those at the Y NJ. c. A. Secretary
+. A. Jackson stated this afternoon
that there was little possibility OF the
boys Of the high school being found
--.. "a, 49,