Finney Finish

When plump young Ronald Tucker Finney, prize bond broker of Emporia, Kans., was spending money few men in Kansas outdid him. He owned two Arabian thoroughbreds, a Bellanca monoplane, a fleet of automobiles, a Wild West show (101 Ranch), a floodlighted tennis court. When he was arrested for forging nearly $1,000,000 worth of municipal bonds (TIME, Aug. 21) he precipitated a scandal such as few Kansans have ever begotten. But when his father, Warren Wesley Finney, bank president and pillar of Emporia society, was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to from 36 to 600 years in jail (TIME, Dec. 11), it looked as if for once Ronald Finney was to be outdone.

Fortnight ago on condition that he be sentenced to no more than 15 years, Ronald Finney pleaded guilty to 31 counts of forgery and the sale of forged bonds. Last week he appeared in court to receive his sentence. The county attorney recommended to the court that he receive a 15-year sentence. Looking down sternly from his bench Judge Paul H. Heinz refused to be a party to the bargain.

Turning to the prisoner Judge Heinz demanded whether there was any reason why sentence should not be pronounced.

"No reason," said Ronald Finney, "except the agreement . . . that sentence would not be greater than 15 years."

"Would that make any difference as to your guilt or innocence?" "My rights," Finney insisted, "have been disregarded in having me plead guilty under an agreement that was not kept."

Refusing to allow the plea of guilty to be withdrawn, Judge Heinz sentenced Ronald Finney to from 31 to 635 years in jail. Like his father he announced he would appeal.

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