New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-13
COLONEL FORNEY ON TRIAL.
CHARGES READ YESTERDAY BEFORE The
COURT OF INQUIRY.
THE TAKING; OF TESTIMONY BEdON-ri'o"0'
OF COAL CONSUMPTION IN THE BAooM-
LYN MARINE BARRAcKs-THE
TRIAL. LIKELY TO LAST
A WEEK.


co,oro, r,nss Forney before the Court OF IN
ourv which hold It's second session In the court
martial room, In Building No I. In the Navy ia'u'
veqterdav forenoon. heard the complaints Win.
had been preferred against MIN by ooo"e' -
wood the commanding officer OF the MARINE .p,
and made answer to them. The court asse'""
ocIock with Captain Winfield 8. Schey as pres'-
49,. ~, o,har roembers being Commander James
,,roo, ord paw Inspector George A. Lyon WIN
= ,or,ona,t Iitt,eton w T. Waller as judge-auVo-
cate There were no regular charges against |o'o"e'
Forney the specifications on which ."e uo"i' "
called being the complaints mentiohen. i"eS "
forth that the property OF the post had been kept
I'm a loose manner, that the reports OF the piope''
on hand had never been properly hieo' anu wa,
the negligence of the commanding officer. Coione'
Forney had been fragrant. that no inventory OF '"e
post furniture had been kept since 'oiohci r''0,
took command Of the barracks. ana that ne hiu
failed TO obtain receipts from officers for the "'
eminent furniture in their private quarters a's''
that the books and reports OF the post property
bod haan a, bad,v kept while the Colonel was IN
command that the list OF lost and missing ar,icies
vas undujy large Furthermore there was shott-
age OF 2T3 muslin sheets and 5H piiiow-cases VIM"
the supply department had receipts for, bu' lor
which Colonel Forncy had failed to account.
In reference to the quantity OF coal usen' ABOUT
which there have been many ruinors the coi-
plants set forth that at one time seventy Da''eis
Of coal were taken from the Government stores ana
delivered at Colonel Forneys private resdehee' ms
happened during the time OF the pnzZaiu III 1901
and although the Colonel Is said TO nave helpea
himself to Government coal on other occasions' ''is
IS said to be the largest single amount taken a' one
time and Is said to be chargeab.e entirely to the
extremely cold weather. The Coloners reports OF
coal on hand were not satisfactory. and his action
In dra wing out the full amount allotted 10 MIN each
month was not necessary. Another serious charge
"a that articles that were condemned and reported
as sold were taken up again ana charseu III INC
Coloners report to the Department
There is also q complication over defective chiIn-
ney in the marine barracks. and according to the
charges Colonel Forney made false report In an
sysr to Colonel Heywood's questions. and said that
he had obeyed the orders from Washington and
directed that the chimney be not used. According
to testimony which Is expected from Lieutenant
Moses and other officers. however. this Is said to be
false as 1t is asserted that the Colonel gave per-
mission to the lieutenant to try the chimney ana
The first witness was Lieutenant Thomas y. Wood,
of the Marine Corps, who gave figures from the ac
in some quarters of the fiscal years 1893 and 1894
the Colonel had saved coal from the amount al
latter year he had overrun his supply, and had
used the amount which had been previously saved
rectine that all supplies left over from each quar-
ter shall be turned into the general stock and be
william r. stayton counsel for Colonel Forney,
of qesf Sons Forns M
was detached from the yard in April last. had
not been taken into account when the measure
ments were taken On which the charges In refer
ence TO that matter were made and was busy with
the witness when the court adjourned The IN
dulry will be resumed at II O'Clock this morning
x large number OF witnesses have been summoned
and il Is not expected that the trial viii be finished
before next week. The witnesses include Leuten
ant-Coonel John II. Hgbee. now In command OF
Passed Assistant Engineer Reynold 7. Hall Ser
geant James Gallagher and Lieutenant George t.
Reed adiutant and Inspector of the Marine Corps.
n the charges made by Colonel Haywood are
proved Secretary Herbert will probably take charge
Of the matter and. although II IL not expected
that the Colonel will be compelled TO retire from
the service IL Is not probable that he VIII escape
punishment for carelessness and lack of military
discipline.