Hotel Ray

CC SA-BY Our Oakland

The Hotel Ray was a hotel at 10th and Washington, beginning with its construction in 1913 ¹ until at least the 1960s. Today the building is home to the Washington Inn.

The building was designed by A.W. Smith, built for owner R.W. Kinney, who had a plumbing business at 9th and Franklin. ⁵

As a long-time hotel, the Hotel Ray has its share of stories. One of the more colorful ones comes from 1951. Early on the morning of November 27, 1951, the night clerk, 78 year old Charles Cochrane, was robbed at gun point. After he was ordered to "turn over all the money in the place", the bandits got away with $38.50. But these robbers had been seen before, likely being the same ones who held up the nearby Hotel Harrison the day before. ² A few weeks later, Mary L. Trout and three young men were arrested in Berkeley on suspicion of being Oakland's "hotel bandits".

The gang had an interesting M.O. Mary not only drove the getaway car and acted as lookout, but she carried a vanity case, where the gang's guns were stored when not in use. In fact some of the members had been frisked by Oakland police following some incidents, but had been found "clean"...because Mary's case held the guns. ³

1912 drawing ⁵1955

Links and References

1. Buildings Rapidly Nearing Completion Oakland Tribune August 31, 1913
2. Two Gunmen Rob Tenth Street Hotel Oakland Tribune November 27, 1951
3. Woman, Youths Held as Oakland Hotel Bandits Oakland Tribune December 8, 1951
4. ohrphoto.dpoa3.028 Oakland History Center, Oakland Public Library
5. Plan Four-Story Building For Washington and Tenth Oakland Tribune October 26, 1912

• Finger is Crushed by Wagon and Pole Oakland Tribune November 18, 1914
• Arrest Women At Hotel Oakland Tribune December 23, 1914
• Hotel Guest is Found Lifeless Oakland Tribune September 20, 1917
• Writes Man "Good Bye," Ends Her Life Oakland Tribune November 5, 1918
• Wife Finds Woman in Bathroom, She Says Oakland Tribune December 2, 1919
• Correspondent Tells Why She Hid in Bath Oakland Tribune December 3, 1919
• Thugs Gag Hotel Clerk, Loot Safe Oakland Tribune November 18, 1926
• Husband No. 3 Asks Divorce Oakland Tribune January 26, 1930
• Bandit Talks German To Oakland Victim Oakland Tribune April 19, 1932
• Sailor Flees Fire, Overcome by Smoke Oakland Tribune October 3, 1935
• Cook Charged With Beating Woman Oakland Tribune December 2, 1936
• Corner at 10th, Washington Sts. Sold For $100,000 Oakland Tribune January 26, 1939
• Services for Casey Conducted Yesterday Oakland Tribune April 16, 1942
• S.F, Man Vanishes In Waves As His Wife Watches Him Oakland Tribune June 14, 1948
• Sleeper Burned as Mattress Catches Fire Oakland Tribune February 12, 1951
• Trial Date Set in 'Birthday Slaying' Oakland Tribune February 9, 1956
• Gunmen Gag, Bind Clerk in Hotel Holdup Oakland Tribune November 7, 1956
• Lodger Fatally Hurt In 4-Story Plunge From Hotel Oakland Tribune October 15, 1961