European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 18, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Pago 5 record crowds Jam Mardi gras Blowout new Orleans a Mardi gras exploded Inlo a fran a or drinking danc ing parading and partying As hundreds of thousands of revellers poured into the streets tuesday to celebrate the end of carnival season. Bui to spectators were killed in unrelated Parade accidents. An 11-War-old Hoy was crushed by the wheels a a 1 actor Trail or Rig hauling a float a a suburban new Orleans Parade while an unidentified Man in his Early 20s Irving in jump on a float apparently lost his grip and was killed police said. They were the firm fatal accidents involving floats since 1984. Police spokesman John Marie said the canal is reel crowd was the by Gecsi he had seen in is  traditional Esti mate is that n million people fill streets in the Eity and suburbs each year. Despite the accidents which also included two incidents in which people were injured badly enough to be Hosni . Police described the crowds As generally Well behaved. Co slums ranged from elaborate to Hardy there. One woman wore Only de eals above tier Waist. Admiring passers by and float riders tossed beads to her. Inc woman who identified herself As Michelle said the revellers left her decals alone. They like to Louch them but they Don t take them  she said. Along canal Sircel crowds were curb to curb. Pushing backward As floats or marching units went by and surging for Ward again after they were pad. Officially the Day concludes at mid Ghl with Lite i clings of the courts of Rex and Comus inc signal that Mardi gras has Given Way to Ash wednesday and 40dass of Conlen pc Nanee. As Rex and Comus Are exchanging pleasantries Al their Lily Ball uni he inc Ken Rolf carnival leads i pundit Roush downtown new Orleans. Formed police officers announce Over bullhorn thai French Quarter streets arc being re opened to traffic and cleanup Crews so everyone has to unmask and stay on the sidewalks or inside the bars. Mardi gras fat tuesday started slow and cold this year but warmed up quickly. By midday temperatures hit 60 under Clear skies families who staked out picnic spots on the wide St. Charles Avenue median watched Lite parades visited with friends and grabbed for trinkets. The boy who died Michael a do proc. 11, of Marrero. Was crushed by the wheels of a Racior Trail or Rig hauling a float tuesday afternoon in Grcina said a 1h or Lawson the suburb s pol Iee chief. Witnesses said the truck was driving slowly when Michael ran out and reached under the wheels to grab one of the trinkets Lawson said. About two hours later an unidentified Man in his Early 20s was killed after he ran up to a truck float in new Orleans traffic and leaped Between the cab and inc float. He lost his grip and slipped beneath the tires lie was pronounced dead at inc scene. Another Man was injured when he was knocked Inlo the path of a Floal by the Surg ing crowd and a police officer was Hurt trying to arrest a Drunken Driver. Both men were hospitalized and in Good condition. In inc French Quarter raucous Early risers wandered in and out or bars that never close jazz clarinet St Pete Fountain s half fast walking club costumed us clowns was the first of 17 officially listed parades to take to the streets. It started about b . And arrived in the French Quarter about 3vi hours later creating Mardi gras gridlock on Bourbon Street. Weinberger sceptical of soviet policy changes Washington a former de Fine secret airy Caspar Weinberger says he is sceptical Over whether fundamental policy changes arc taking place in the soviet Union and whether Mikhail Gorbachev has solid prospects f "1 keeping his Post As top Leader. In Ink we have to he very careful if we assume there Are major policy  Weinberger said. I Don t know How firmly scaled is the present regime. I Don t think any of us really know that. To not sure anybody would he Al Lowed to he general Secretary of the communist 1 any of the soviet Union who is very different from leaders of the  Weinberger told the Washington foreign correspondents association tuesday. Delays in Gorbachev s promised withdrawal of soviet forces from Afghanistan suggest that things Are not All that changed in the soviet Union Wein Berger continued. "1 Don t see any change in world domination As their  supporting this is current talk of a 10 month timetable for soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan even though it took the red army Only two weeks to occupy the Central asian country at inc end of 1979 and should take two weeks or four Al the oils id to get Oul he said. The sincerity of Gorbachev s offer can Only be judged when withdrawal is Complete. When they be left and inc afghan people can have the kind of gov cram pm they want he added. Weinberger who was succeeded by Frank Carluci late last year described inc new look at the Kremlin As surface  Gorbachev smiles from Lime to Timite wears much belter clothes and he s younger and apparently in better health than past leaders he said. The principal change i see in the so Viet Union is thai they arc now actively courting world Public opinion campaigning for a favourable world press and this is so new and so novel that they Are getting it he continued. Whal prompted this soviet Effort Weinberger said was they were very much surprised and stunned Ham hey could not Sway Western Public opinion enough to halt nato s deployment of medium Range Pershing and cruise nuclear missiles in Western Europe Al the end of the 1970s. Weinberger said nato s deployment of the missiles and the buildup of . Military strength that he presided Over helped persuade the soviets to agree to Long standing . Conditions in the medium Range arms control talks thai culminated in the treaty signed by Gorba Chev and president Reagan last december eliminating medium Range missiles. Weinberger restated his support for thai treaty calling it an embodiment of what Reagan had been seeking since 1981. Opposition to the treaty in the West he said is not against provisions of the pact bul mainly about what might come later what it might Lead to finl momentum might do. The Denu Clariza Tion of Europe and so  Groom charged in Bride s death los Angeles Al a newly married woman whose husband reported she was blown off an Ocean liner by Strong winds during their hone Moon cruise � As strangled Coroner s officials said. The Coroner s announcement came As the woman s husband Scott Robin Kaswin 36, of Santa Monica was formally charged with murder said Mary Mcmumm an. Spokeswoman for the . Attorney s office. Mai Murphy a Deputy Coroner in san Diego coun. In. Said Karen Wall Koston 2. Died from Iran Gula lion associated with drowning which was Mclerr Mcd to be a  doctors performing the autopsy found bruises on mrs. Boston s neck and other signs she had been in a struggle before she died the couple were married feb. 4 in Las vegas. Ncy., and embarked shortly afterwards on the mexican cruise the won in a contest said Koston s father by Roston from his Home in Lorida. The coast guard found the woman s body saturday afternoon floating in the Pacific Ocean about 44 Miles Southwest of san Diego. Officers of the cruise liner Star dancer said Hoston told them his wife was blown off the deck by Strong winds while jogging Early saturday morning but inc ship s Captain Thomas Wildung said prevailing winds were Light. The coast guard said breezes were blowing Al about i Mph when a search for mrs. Roston was launched. Her body was taken to san Diego while the Star dancer continued on to los Angeles. Roslon was questioned by Fri agents upon arrival and later arrested for investigation of murder. The Star dancer is owned by Admiral cruises of Miami and registered in the Bahamas. The bahamanian government asked the Fiji to handle the investigation of the death which occurred in International Waters Roslon s father Lold the los Angeles times his son was t involved in the woman s death adding the newlyweds were very much in love. He kept idling her i love you but i have no Money and she would always answer 1 love you and we Don t need any Money the elder erosion said. Meanwhile the head of inc California chiropractors association said Roston who has been identified As a chiropractor by his Mother and Roommate is not licensed to practice either in a California or Florida where he lived until Las june this Man does not exist in inc annals of Chi Ropraz tics Jerilynn Kaibel said. Scuba sortie in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Feb. Is 1948 British troops used gunfire find tear Gas to quell Arab mob demonstrating in Tripoli against the Lori wish military administration of Libya. 30 years ago today. Feb. 18.1958 the air Force disputed a report to Congress which said the building of some . Air bases in Spain was nol militarily justified. The report claimed the Torrejon site was chosen because Spanish officials wanted an air defense station near their Capi Tal and a show place for Jet fighters. 20 years ago today. Feb. Is 1968 the beatles joined other Iran scan dental mediators a the Retreat of the maharishi Mahesh Vogi in the Himalayan Foothills of India. 10 years ago today. ,. Feb. 18,1978 Mclvin Dummar. 34-year-old for Mer Gas station attendant Lold a Salt Lake City Jurof his desert Highway encounter with a Man who he said identified hims Las Howard Hughes