Evening star., 1952-04-11
Col. Charles R. Forbes,
Veterans Director
Under Harding, Dies

loSS VI IL
Col. Forbes, who lived at 270C
Connecticut avenue NV, had
oeen in poor health for many years
and underwent a major operation
in October, 1949.
AS a soldier in World War I,
he won the Croix de Guerre for
.heroism in France.
Later, as director of the then
Veterans Bureau, he was investi-
gated by the Senate after resign
ing in 1923.
As result of the investigation,
he served a sentence in Leaven-
worth Penitentiary for conspiracy
to defraud the Government.
Friends Believe Him Innocent.
After his release, he dropped
from public notice. For a time
he was a salesman of restaurant
kitchenware. But because of poor
health he retired and lived here
and in Florida until his death.
His wide circle of friends in
Washington never would acknowl-
edge his guilt, and long after his
imprisonment they insisted he was
the victim of associates. He was
described as a pleasant. easy
going man who placed great con-
lfidence in his friends.
Col. Forbes was born in Scot
land. He was brought to America
when he was a child and spent
his early years in New York ano
Boston. He attended Phillips
Exeter Academy, Cooper Institute
in New York, Columbia Univers-
Iity and the Massachusetts, Insti-
tute of Technology.
An engineer by profession, he
spent much of his life in the
armed forces. He enlisted in the
Navy when he was 16. Later, dur
ing the Spanish American War
he was in the Army and was a
sergeant in the Signal Corps from
1900 to 1907. When his enlist
ment ended, he went to the Pa
ciflc Coast.
Served at Verdun.
He went to Honolulu as con-
struction engineer on the Pearl
Harbor Naval Station in 1912. Two
years later he was made territorial
superintendent of public works
When World War I broke out. he
enlisted in the Army. Three days
later he was commissioned a
major.
He served in the Somme, al
Verdun, and Meuse- e-Argonne ano
Troyan in the Signal Corps. AT
various times during the war, he
was chief signal officer for the
41st Division, the Sd Division and
the 9th Army Corps. He was made
a lieutenant colonel in October
1913. He retired as a colonel after
World War I.
1t was in Hawaii before the wal
that Col. Forbes became ac-
quainted with Warren G. Hard
ing. then a Senator from Ohio
1t was a friendship that was des-
tined to alter his life.
Made Director of Bureau.
On March 81. 1921, President
Harding appointed Col. Forbes as
chief of the War Risk Bureau OF
the Treasury Department. The
Governments rehabilitation pro.
gram for veterans was growing
and in August of that year it be-
came the Veterans Bureau, pre-.
decessor of the present Veterans
Administration. Col. Forbes be.
came director Of the bureau.
But G storm broke in Congress.
shortly after he took over
Charges of mismanagement ant
. incompetency were made agains
the bureau. He resigned Febru'
ary 16, 1923.
Eight months later a Senat,
committee was named to inves
tigate the bureau and the in
quiry lasted two months. TIL,
committee counsel in 1924 filed
report with the Senate in which
he assailed Col. Forbes an,
charged that waste, extravaganza
incompetency and corruption ex
listed in the bureau.
A large part of the charge
before the committee related t,
allegations of graft in connection
, with location of hospitals an,
! contracts for their construction
Appeal Refused.
Col. Forbes proclaimed his in
= nocence of any wrongdoing an,
asserted the committee had re
fused to accept documentar,
evidence which would have ex
onerated him.
A few weeks after the Senat
received the report, Col. Forbe
:, was indicted by a Federal gran'
jury in Chicago on charges O
. conspiracy in connection with tn,
, hospital contracts. After a two
month trial, he was found guilty
sentenced to two years in prison
.. and a fine of $4,000.
He appealed. But the Suprem
Cour:. refused to review the cas-
and he entered prison on Marcl
20, 1926 He was released on No
vemrer Sc. 1927.
: Since that time he and hi
widow, Mrs Katherine T. Forbes
$ had lived here and in Florida. H
also leaves a daughter by a pre-
. vious mart iage, Mrs. Fred Barr,
|. of Hatborc. Pa.
I Funeral services will be held a
+ l pm. Monday at Fort Mye
Chapel, with burial in Arlington
{ Cemetery.