The San Francisco call., 1910-01-15
FLOOD SENTENCED
FOR fORGERIES
Denied Probation Despite Good
Recommendations of Grand
Jury and Prominent Men

OAKLAND Jan. 14-Probation was
denied A. j. Flood, clerk of former Pub
lie Administrators George d. Gray, by
Judge Brown today, and he was sem
fenced to Folsom for a year. Flood
wept as Judge Brown talked TO him
before sentence was passed, it being
apparent that the request for probation.
which was strongly urged on the court
for Flood, had not met with approval
Judge Browns refusal TO grant Flood
probation was tempered with the inn
posing of the minimum penalty and a
promise that if Floods prison record
should warrant it he would indorse an
application for parole rs soon as half of
the sentence should have been served.
Several sessions of the court were
held since Flood pleaded guilty to forg-
ing the signature of A l.. Poundstone,
civil war veteran. TO a receipt and
thereby securing s115 of the dead mans
money for himself At each of these
sessions strong representations were
made by prominent men that Flood was
worthy of probation. The grand juhy
that indicted him voted unanimously
TO recommend him for probation on the
ground of the stand he had taken after
the discovery of his crime and the other
defa1cations in the office of Public Adj
ministrator Gray.
CONFESSED AND TESTIFIED
Flood came home from Seattle at
that time, gave himself UP to the po-
lice, confessed ell and gave the grand
jury and District Attorney Donahue all
the assistance he could to clear up the
tangle that existed and to convict John
s. de Lancey, Gray's attorney, who is
now serving six year sentence in San
Quentin for embezzling $4,000 from
the estate of the late George Hite Cook.
District Attorney Donahue recon-
mended probation. So did Rev John K.
Mclean. president of the Pacific theo-
logical seminary; Rev. E. f. Baker.
former pastor of the First Presbyterian
church, and a least dozen more men
prominent socially, professionally and
financially They gave testimony that
they had known Flood for years and
that he had always previously lived an
upright life.
Before he passed sentence Judge
Brown commented on this strong back
ing OF the convicted man, but declared
that he had to follow his own judg
ment. which was that Floods offense
and the circumstances surrounding the
commission of it We're not such as to
deserve probation. lie said:
ATS III fhOIEtl
Il wish that l could bring myself to
think as do the many good men who
have spoken here asking that the de-
fendant. Flood, be not sent to the peni-
tentiary They have spoken of his good
character and told how he was always
honest and upright until he got into the
public administrators office. | believe
that that is true. | believe also that
Flood has already been sufficiently pun
ished il he alone were to be consid-
cred by the disgrace brought upon him
and his family But / must consider
also my duty as judge to pronounce a
sentence that shall protect society as
well as the convicted man. / can not
believe that to place this man on pro-
baton would effect this. and though it
is hard to disagree with the district
attorney of this county, with the entire
grand Jury and with the many high
minded men who have spoken here in
Floods behalf. j must follow my own
Judgment in this matter.
Floods acts involved series of dis
honest transactions. The crime to
which he pleaded guilty was one of
many which have come to light. and
which he did with his eyes open.'
1t was at Floods request, made by
his attorney. Lin s. Church. that he
was sent to Folsom in preference to
San Quentin.