Show MAYOR ADMITS FINCH SIGNED PACT ON JAIL Chief Denies He Will Profit by Prisoner F Food od Contract Hasty explanations came from three principals in the the city's jail food controversy Thursday as an aftermath of n a a heated commission meeting in which Mayor E. E B. B Erwin was put on the spot by two fellow fellow fellow fel fel- fel- fel low commissioners George D. D Key ser and Harold B. B Lee e. e The explanations in substance contained an an admission from Crom Mayor Erwin that the contract for feeding prisoners as originally drafted bore the name of ot Chief of Police Harry L. L Finch a matter he denied Wednesday They also included de denials denials de de- nials from Chief Chef Finch that he would profit as a result of the contract contract con con- tract between his former restaurant partner R. R E. E Rogers and the city The controversy was an outgrowth outgrowth outgrowth out out- growth of a contract entered into by the city at a commission meetIng meet meet- Ing lag at which Mr Keyser Keyzer and Mr r. r Lee were absent with Mr Rogers to fee city jail jall prisoners The contract contract con con- tract provided for tor 12 cents a a. meal for tor prisoners constantly confined and 18 cents a meal for tor prisoners who worked Memories lemorIes Diverge Mr Keyser said the original contract con con contract tract bore the name of oC Chief Finch Samuel F. F Nicholls city auditor agreed Mayor Erwin denied It There Is nothing more to say about it the mayor said ald Thursday We found ourselves In a position where new equipment had bad to be in in- stalled The party there Mrs Margaret Margaret Mar Mar- garet B. B Swope was unable to supply sup supply ply it Chief Finch and Mr Ir Earley U.S. U. U J. J S. S Earley police department manager manager man man- ager interpreted the ordinance as being mandatory mandatory- that the chief feed prisoners The equipment was Installed in installed installed in- in stalled and we had intended to submit submit sub sub- mit a contract In the name of Mr FInch but state law seems to prohibit prohibit pro pro- hibit anyone in the chiefs chief's position from engaging in such a contract c That is how Mr Rogers became In In- In So far tar as I know he Mr Rogers has no connection with the chief on this matterI matter motter I 11 have business experience sufficient suf suC- to convince me that the neton net neton neton on a gross business of DC 00 a a month Is not enough for anyone anyone to to 10 V or squabble ble la about o t. t Finch Chief denied having havInga a par tide Ucle of financial l Interest in la the the deaL Partners for tor Years Year Dick Mr Rogers and I have been partners rs for years in real estate Chief Finch Finci said But It ItIs Itis itis Is all tied up In corporations and that is isas as close as we have been In the first place city ordinances sa say the chief of ot police shall feed city elty jail prisoners The state law however seems opposed to that arrangement We Mayor Erwin and Chief Finch talked the matter over and andI I believe the mayor mentioned Dick I called him up up- and he said ha he would take it As far as the contract is ls concerned con concerned con there is not enough in it to pay for a lot of adverse erse publicity Mr Rogers has been a citizen and a taxpayer here for lor years and ond I am ant satisfied that he be will let the thing go rather than be placed in an nn embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing em em- position because of ot a wrong interpretation Denies Denes Chief Involved Mr Rogers denied that Chief Finch had anything to do with the prisoner feeding leeding adding that THe only thing I can do is go and see see Mr Keyser Keser and Mr Lee and explain matters The mayor and chief could do that just as well as me There is ls nothing wrong with the prisoner feeding contract as far as asI as asI asI I can see aee They wanted a change asked me if It I would like to have haveit it and I told them I would Together In Realty Mr Finch and I have some business business busi busl ness relations on real estate but that is all Meanwhile in the office of ot the cit city auditor work of preparing a form to aid bookkeeping and ond accounting accounting ac oc ac- ac counting of jail feed bills was somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what hampered when renovators moved into the office and dispossessed clerks It was Vas reported however that the form torm would be ready and submitted submitted sub sub- to the mayor maor and city commission com corn m mission sion not later than early next week Mr Nicholls was instructed by bythe bythe the mayor to prepare the tho forms |