Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 5, 1993 TAG: 9305050191
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C5 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: STAUNTON LENGTH: Medium
Meanwhile, contributors said they were ripped off. "I guess I'm the world's biggest sucker," said Chester Cole.
Cole, a former teacher at the military academy, and another Augusta County man, R.M. Rodgers, said they were duped out of $8,400.
In mid-January, Harold and Judith Moore of Arlington announced their intention to buy and restore Augusta Military Academy, which closed in 1984. They said the project would cost $10 million to $15 million.
The Moores, her son, Scott Barden, and his friend, Joshua Hunley, set up the Fort Defiance Foundation to raise millions more for an endowment.
Alumni began questioning the legitimacy of the effort in March. In an article in the alumni newsletter, Edwin Click of Fort Defiance advised against contributing money to the Moores.
But the academy's owner, Cecil Culbertson of Haymarket, said then that he was still optimistic the sale would go through. Cole said the Moores apparently had the financial support of an exiled Egyptian prince who wanted to send Egyptian orphans to the school.
But Hunley was arrested at The Watergate hotel in Washington, charged with fraud. He, Barden and Judith Moore are accused of bouncing a $16,000 check drawn on the Fort Defiance Foundation for advance room payments. The three were given a luxury suite and ran up a $14,433 tab, hotel security officer Robert King told The Daily News Leader of Staunton.
King said the security staff detained Barden on April 23 but let him go because he said he wanted to pick up the money to pay the bill. He never returned. Moore fled down a flight of steps when officers weren't looking, and "that left Hunley holding the bag," King said.
Efforts by reporters to contact Harold Moore over the past several weeks have been unsuccessful. Amtrak officials confirmed that he is still employed as a train attendant with a base salary of $17,500.
Culbertson's son, Doyle, said last week that the Moores had defaulted on their contract agreement to provide $35,000 and pay off the $40,000 back-tax bill. He said he considered the deal void.
Augusta County said in a legal advertisement that it will start trying to sell the property May 25 to collect delinquent taxes.
The Moores had said they would attend a reunion of Augusta Military Academy on Saturday, but didn't show. There no longer are phone listings for the Fort Defiance Foundation or the officers.
Jack Spitler of Arlington told alumni Saturday that Barden and Hunley haven't paid $1,500 due for back rent on an apartment he owns in Falls Church.
He told alumni that he came to the reunion to "warn people."
by CNB