European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 22, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday september 22, 1985 the stars and stripes. Page 7 100 haitian refugees thrown overboard horror Story investigated by immigration Agency Miami a As Many As 100 haitian refugees were tossed from a crowded rickety fishing boat by Crews paid to smuggle them into the United states and Are presumed drowned immigration officials report. The accounts came from seven refugees brought to Miami for medical treatment after the boat beached last month on a Barren bahamian Bland said Perry Rivkind District director for the immigration and naturalization service. It s a horror Story said Rivkind. The boat got heavy and they pushed them  the seven refugees who Are being held As illegal Immi Grants at the ins Krome Avenue detention Camp wrote a letter detailing the incidents. The account has been sent to ins officials in Washington and to the Border patrol anti smuggling unit. Rivkind said. The letter places part of the blame on a crewman who is also being held at Krome but he has denied any involvement the letter stated in part we have close family Mem Bers and friends whom he  the haitians said refugees began disappearing from the crowded boat after they would leave the packed under deck where they sat one Between the other s legs for the upper deck. In an interview with the Miami Herald one of the men making the charges Saintil presence said he lost four nephews and his godfather Between the time the 40-foot vessel left Haiti and when it beached itself at Flamingo Cay in the Bahamas in mid August. The moment you step out of the lower deck you Don t return anymore presence said. He said at one Point during rough weather when Many of the passengers were S.C. three crewmen descended to the lower deck with Sticks and picked out men who were brought on deck and then disappeared. Presence said he and other men hid behind women to avoid being picked. The Crew member who allegedly took part in the Inci Dent denied the accusations but told the Herald some of the haitians got crazy and jumped overboard voluntarily another refugee Theodel St. Jean 17, said he was beaten on the upper deck in an apparent attempt to push him overboard but said he escaped to the under deck and another Man was picked. There were 134 people aboard the boat when bahamian patrols found it. The letter writers estimated roughly that 80 to 100 people had disappeared from the vessel during the journey. The refugees in their letter said they had paid about $140 each to be smuggled into the United states. The seven who signed the letter were among 23 people airlifted by the . Coast guard to Miami for medical treatment. The seven had been awaiting a haitian ship that was to take the refugees Home. Many of the 111 returned to Haiti told similar stories to is. Embassy officials in port a Prince the Herald reported. Nader Calls insurance Industry spoiled brat Washington up consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the insurance Industry is acting like a spoiled brat for refusing to write policies for High risk clients including Day care centers taverns and nurse midwives. Nader told a Commerce subcommittee the insurance Industry is betting it can get huge rate increases by refusing to sell poli cies or demanding excessive premiums to sectors of the Economy it classifies As High risk. The insurance companies Are using judges and juries As their favorite whipping boy blaming verdicts and settlements for their troubles Nader said adding the Industry is acting like a spoiled  the insurance Industry should be More than a Cash cow he said. It should be a safety Bull to reduce the basis for  individuals and groups considered High risks include doctors architects midwives hotels taverns ski resorts Rural homeowners Long haul trucking and bus companies and Day care centers. Availability and affordability of insurance Are fundamental in today s society James  Florio in j., said. The Lack of either can ultimately determine who can buy a car who can Purchase a Home who can obtain child care and who can engage in  witnesses testified the expense and scar City of insurance coverage has forced my businesses to close or increase the Cost for Basic services. Robert Hunter president of the National insurance consumer organization said Maryland obstetricians recently faced a 70 percent insurance hike and malpractice insurance for lawyers and architects jumped from Between 300 percent to 900 percent. Day care centers face a 200 percent to 500 percent increase in rates Hunter said. The Federal government cannot sit idly by and let the insurance Industry bold Day care providers nurse midwives and others hostage in a Large game beyond the provid ers control he said. One Industry representative however said higher insurance premiums Are the re sult of higher administrative costs and huge losses. Lawrence Jones president of the Ameri can insurance association said property casualty insurance companies paid out $21 billion More in 1984 than they collected in premiums. Recent court decisions have created new and unpredictable liabilities for property casualty insurers Jones said. The Cost of the civil Justice system is rising therefore the Cost of the nation s liability system must also  o Neill will repay firm for flight report says Washington a House speaker Thomas p. O Neill will repay the Beech aircraft corp. For a free flight the Washington Post reports. O Neill a mais. Took a free ride with Beech on july 19, travelling from Washington National Airport to Hyannis mass., o Neill spokesman Chris mat thews told the  confirmation came one Day after the House ethics committee voted to investigate another congressman s free plane  said o Neill would reimburse Beech at commercial rates. Delta air lines said the coach fare be tween Washington and Hyannis would be$202, or $162 Al night. House conflict of interest rules prohibit members from accepting gifts valued at More than $100 a year from any group or individual with legislative interest be fore  related to Beech authorized expenditure of $56.9 million for the Pentagon to buy 24 of Beech S.C.12 twin engine Turboprop aircraft to transport High ranking officers. On thursday the House ethics com Mittee announced it would launch a preliminary probe into 23 free Beech plane rides accepted by rep. Dan Daniel d  said last week that he had mis understood House rules on the subject and that he had sent Beech a Check for $1,127 to pay for the flights Between Washington and his Southern Virginia District. Daniel took the flights Over a period of three years without reporting them on his financial disclosure statements while at the same time he supported the Beech aircraft Purchase legislation As a senior member of the House armed services committee. The Post also reported that sen. Strom Thurmond r-s.c., another supporter of the Beech legislation also said last week that he had accepted a free trip in May from Page a Jet the Washington distributor of Beech aircraft. Thurmond said that because Page a Jet did not have a registered lobbyist or a political action committee he did not think it improper to take the trip. Who s that masked Man stick up was just a mix up Pensacola Fla. A Lionel Lee who had been working at a Down town construction site took off for a Coffee break but neglected to remove the Bandana he wore to keep dust out of his Mouth and nose. The oversight triggered a Chain of events and misunderstandings that led to High drama thursday in downtown Pensacola. When Joe May 62, saw Lee 28, with the Bandana Over his face he jokingly raised his arms. I saw this Guy walking Down the Street May said. He looked like the Lone Ranger he had a Bandana Over his nose and face. I very innocently raised my hands As a  but it did t look so innocent to Doug Baldwin a Pensacola police officer. Baldwin radioed for Back up support and ran Over to May. Sensing the officer s urgency May asked were you looking for that Fella where did he go Baldwin replied. May told him the masked Man had gone into a nearby department store. By then reinforcements were starting to arrive. We blocked All the entrances and exits said sgt. Rick steel of the Pensacola police department. We made Contact with the store manager by phone but they did t know anything was going  Lee meanwhile had pulled Down his Bandana when he went into Newberry s to get his Coffee. A few minutes later he walked out and was confronted by police. With guns drawn the officers yelled for him to hit the  he did steel said. We told him to put his hands out to the Side. He did. We cuffed  police then started asking questions pieced things together and released Lee. May was apologetic. If it s my fault i m sorry May said. But it s Good the cops Are right on the Job in t it wafer Fank spills 5 million Gallons in Florida Oakland Park Fla. A a three foot Wall of water gushed from a ruptured water tank swamping a six Lane Highway and leaving 1.5 million people with just a trickle of water pressure in their Homes. The ground level Lank one of several at the City of fort Underdale five Ash water Plant spilled 5 million Gal Lons of purified water Friday when it burst around 3 10 mn., said it. Gary Noe of the Oakland Park police. Noe said one of his officers was at an intersection of Power line Road a six Lane Highway when he saw a three foot Wall of water coming his Way from the direction of the water Plant luckily it was just prior to the Friday rash hour and there was not much traffic Noe said. No injuries were reported but the water damaged Railroad tracks and swamped several private and City vehicles he said. Noe said he did t know what caused the tank to burst. The Plant s been shut Down and they Are feeding water in from other plants in surrounding areas Noe said. He estimated 1.5 million residents of Oakland Park Wilton Manors Lauderdale by the sea and other areas around fort Lauderdale were affected. The water pressure to these people has been quite diminished. You re talking a trickle Noe said. I be talked to several people who can t flush toilets and can t get any water out of their  the Plant processes water from ground Wells before it is piped out for Public consumption Noe said