All that can presently (September 2019) be gleaned about Frank J. Gurney from sheet music covers and by internet searching is that he has 6 works published between 1895 and 1897.
Of ragtime interest is
Dance of the Nighthawks (1897) published by
M. Witmark and Sons, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, USA.
Surfers are welcome to contribute information about this composer.