European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 7, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday january 1989 the stars and stripes Page 5 $20 million seized in . Drug bust new York a police on thursday seized nearly $20 million mostly in $20 Bills and arrested 11 alleged members of a colombian drug Cartel in what officials claimed was the largest Cash haul in the history of the War on drugs. It is the largest Cash seizure in a drug Case in the world Robert Stutman head of the drug enforce ment administration s new York Agency said at a news conference among dozens of Ordinary Brown boxes brimming with $20 Bills. The $19 million in neatly stacked $20s and some $ 100 Bills was found in boxes inside a passenger Van at a Queens warehouse Stutman said. An additional $630,000, three loaded sub machine guns a pistol and detailed business ledgers were seized after task Force members executed search warrants at two private Homes in Queens and in Kings Point on Long Island. The accounts showed they were doing about a $1 million a Day in Cash by Selling cocaine throughout the City Stutman said. The 10 men and one woman arrested in the raids were believed to be members of the Cali drug Cartel which Law enforcement authorities say controls co Caine distribution in the metropolitan area. Police commissioner Benjamin Ward said losing the Money would barely cause a Ripple in Cartel operations and stressed that these kind of seizures even record seizures would not solve the drug problem. There Are still three More legs on the table that have to be addressed and they Are cutting demand giving treatment on demand to addicts and Preven Tion through  authorities believe the Money was heading out of the country to be laundered. All of those arrested were charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics said Ann Driscoll of the . Attorney s office. The task Force is made up of members of the Dea City and state police. New York City police commissioner Benjamin Ward flanked by City state and Federal officials announces the seizure of $20 million the most Ever taken from alleged drug pushers at one time. Reagan backs big pay boost for top officials Washington a president Reagan has decided to approve a 50 per cent pay increase for 2,500 top Federal officials including members of Congress and will urge lawmakers to bar outside income such As speaking fees a spokeswoman forthe president said thursday. Reagan could have modified the proposal made last month by the commission on executive legislative and judicial Sala Ries. Unless both the House and Senate vote to head off the pay increases they will take effect 30 Days after the plan is submitted to Congress with the proposed fed eral budget on monday. The commission recommended that members of Congress and Federal District judges who now make $89,500 a year be paid $135,000. The House speaker would go from $ 115,000 to $ 175,000, and majority and minority leaders from $99,500 to$155,000. Top executive Branch officials such As Cabinet members would get raises from their current $99,500 to $ 155,000. The commission also recommended that Congress raise the president s pay to about $350,000 from the current $200,000, which has been fixed since 1969. However that would not take effect until 1993 because of a Constitution Al prohibition on raising a president s pay during his term. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader called it the greatest salary grab in government  or. Reagan has put an end to any further pretence that he wants his Federal deficit reduced Nader said in a statement. He has thumbed his nose at the vast majority of the Ameri can  rep. Vic Fazio,d-calif., said he was pleased at the Nader president s decision. This is a pay raise for All the top level Federal officials. But of course we take All the heat Fazi said. The nonpartisan National taxpayers Union delivered petitions opposing the raise to the White House thursday with13,000 signatures. The White House press release said since 1969, salary Levels for senior fed eral officials executives legislators and judges have declined 35 percent in constant dollars while the compensation of workers in the private sector has kept Pace with  in addition a White House spokeswoman said the National institutes of health had trouble attracting qualified scientists. The recommendations directly affect2,500 top Federal jobs and indirectly Impact 10,000 High level positions. Town aghast at murder suicide Mendon Iii. A residents of this Small farming Community were trying to understand thurs Day Why a 27-year-old Mother drowned her 8-year-Olddaughter in a Bathtub and then shot her three younger children and herself. People keep asking me Why like i know the answer and i Don t. And everyone is asking themselves what if we had. Known we could have tried to help " said neighbor Karen Dingerson. The bodies of Sheila Epker and the four children were found by her husband Greg Epker 32, when he returned Home wednesday from work authorities said. The couple s eldest child 8-year-old Casey was drowned. Mrs. Epker and the three other children daughters Shannon 5, and Mandy 2, and 1-year-son Lance were shot in the head with a .22-caliber re Volver said Adams county sheriff Robert Nail. The children were Sweet cute just As cute As but tons. The oldest one was always ushering the other around Dingerson said. Epker was being treated for Shock at St. Mary s hos Pital in the county seat of Quincy 10 Miles to the South. Mendon is about 140 Miles Northwest of St. Louis. He s completely mystified Nail said. He can understand it  there were few clues to a motive for the five deaths he said. Mrs. Epker had no known history of mental problems and the. Family apparently had Only minor financial problems. But the Quincy Herald whig reported thursday that St. Mary s Hospital had sued the eukers Over $3,900 in Bills accumulated since 1980. The Hospital won the judgment and Epker s wages were Garnishee dec. 28, the newspaper said. Neighbors said the family had lived for about seven years in their modest one Story House on the outskirts of this town of nearly 1,000 residents. They described mrs. Epker As a slender blonde woman outwardly cheerful but having Little Contact with neighbors. All but the eldest child apparently died without a struggle the sheriff said. Mrs. Epker apparently tried to strangle Casey before drowning the child in the Bathtub Nail said. Authorities believe she then took her three younger children into the Kitchen where she Laid out pillows and blankets and turned on a Gas stove in an apparent attempt to asphyxiated the family. We believe that because that did t work quickly enough because of despair she took them into the living room one by one and shot them Nail told reporters. Casey s classmates at at Mendon elementary school were bewildered said principal Dean herring Addinga psychologist was standing by. I Don t see something As tragic As this passing Over in a couple of Days. It s something we will be dealing with for a while herring said. In the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. Jan. 7, 1949 the Commerce department Dis closed it had secretly Gray balled More than 150 . Exporters suspected of illegally shipping War potentials to the soviet Union. 30 years ago today. Jan. 7, 1959 a British court issued warrants for the arrest of 19 pacifists who invaded and tried to Stop construction at an Raf base near Swaffham England where american Thor missiles were to be mounted. 20 years ago today. Jan. 7, 1969 because the International longshoremen s association went on strike the defense department authorized the military sea transport service to ship foreign made privately owned vehicles of servicemen. 10 years ago today. Jan. 7, 1979 a Federal investigation concluded 11 american made helicopters were smuggled to rho Desia the previous fall while they were supposed to been route from Israel to Singapore