PASSINGS : William E. Fornoff; Figure in Agnew’s Downfall

William E. Fornoff, 70, the former Baltimore County official whose testimony caused Spiro T. Agnew to fall from power. Fornoff was second in command under four different Baltimore County executives the last of whom was Dale Anderson. He enjoyed a solid reputation until 1973 when he admitted that he had served as a middleman in funneling bribes from private contractors to Anderson. Fornoff’s admission triggered a federal investigation that led to allegations that Vice President Agnew, while he was Baltimore County executive, had accepted payoffs. Agnew eventually resigned as vice president. Fornoff pleaded guilty to one corruption count and was fined $5,000 and given a suspended sentence. Anderson served 13 months of a five-year prison sentence. In Baltimore on Tuesday of a heart attack.