European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 30, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes saturday. September 30.1989 fort Stewart suspends mortar firing probes continue into artillery accidents fort Stewart a. A the army suspended the firing of mortars at fort Stewart while it searches for the cause of the explosion that killed two soldiers handling one of the weapons. Officials from the army safety Centeral fort Rucker. Ala., were investigating thursday s Accident in Georgia and an other Accident the Day before a fort Sill qkla., where an errant artillery Shell killed three soldiers and wounded 24. There was no relationship Between the accidents which involved different types of weapons said it. Colonel Herbert Blanks Public affairs officer for the safety Center. The 4.2-Inch mortar that exploded c9uld have been faulty or one of the victims might have made an error setting the timing fuse on the device said maj. Donald w. Keeling a fort Stewart spokesman at this Point we really Don t know what happened but they were the ones handling the munitions. Keeling said. A mortar is a Short barrelled Cannon that can be fired from a position on the ground or from fittings aboard a vehicle. Its Shell contains shrapnel. During training exercises Keeling said mortar tubes arc loaded by two per son teams. One team member sights the weapon and the other loads the explosive propel Lant and drops the round into the muzzle. The propellant is designed to detonate when the Shell hits the Bottom of the mortar tube. It was not known at what Point the Shell exploded in thursday s Accident. At fort Sill a four Man team of investigators picked their Way through the Accident scene pulling shrapnel from Trees and nearby buildings and poking into a 2-foot wide 1-foot deep Crater left by the stray Shell. Three types of howitzers 105mm, 155mm and 8-Inch guns were being used in target practice at fort Sill on wednesday. Investigators must deter mine which gun the Shell came from and whether the firing error was human or mechanical said Brig. Gen. Clyde a. Henrics director of the army safety Center. If it s human it could be in Stan Dards in training in leaders in individuals or any combination  Hon Nies said. We re not in the blaming process. For punitive measures. This is  base officials said the explosion occurred 700 to 1,000 meters beyond the target site. The Shell landed about 10 Yards from where a group of trainees were lined up in formation preparing to move to their next exercise. The army identified those killed bythe blast As pvt. I Jimmy n. Mccain 21, of Troy Ala. Pvt. 1 Edward l. Zastrow 18, of Lester Prairie Minn. And spec. Thomas p. Boyle 25, of Ventura Calif. Staff sgt. Scottie Harris of Rockmart ga., and pvt. I David Saltsman of Day ton Texas were in critical condition Early Friday. In serious condition were pvt. 1 David Adams of Vinmont Ala. Pvt. 1 Troy Emmons of Hubbard neb. Pvt. 1 Charles Mccrossen of Mason  pvt. 1 David my chem of Wichita kan., officials said. Seventeen other soldiers remained hospitalized 15 in stable condition and two in Good condition. One Soldier was released on thursday said col. William Gonzales commander of the Reynold army Hospital. Gonzales said others probably would be released by Friday. The fort Stewart soldiers who died Are pfc. Marvin Edmond 22, of fort Worth Texas and spec. 4 Scott Reynolds 27, of Grace Tingir Iowa said Dean Wohlge much another base spokesman. Admitted to bar Willimin Din dumans a citizen of the nether lands has become the first foreigner admitted to the bar in Vermont. The slate s supreme court on Friday upheld her Challenge to a Law that had barred foreigners from practising Law in Vermont. Record $2 billion cocaine seizure made at los Angeles warehouse los Angeles a Federal authorities said they made the biggest Sci Tirc of cocaine on record at a warehouse Friday finding at least 20 tons of the drug valued conservatively at $2 billion. About $10 million in Cash also was seized said Ralph Lochridge a spokesman for the drug enforce ment administration. He said at least 20 tons were found and authorities thought they might locale even More. Lochridge said it was by far the biggest cocaine Sei Zure in history. The Domestic record until now has been 8,700 pounds a Little More than 4 a tons seized in hollowed out picnic furniture in fort ,Fla., in november 1987. In Colombia there is a 12-ton seizure on record. The cocaine was seized at a warehouse in a Light Industrial area of Sylmar a Section of los Angeles in the North san Fernando Valley about 25 Miles from downtown three men whose names were not immediately re leased were arrested for investigation of conspiring to distribute cocaine Lochridge said. He said the Dea had been investigating and con ducting intense surveillance for a year before mov ing in about Midnight. A new contest is afoot As Florida seeks out its toughest cockroach Orlando Fla. Up Roaches from five Flor Ida cities will take part in the toughest cockroach contest a training seminar for experts learning How to Deal with the durable critters. We keep changing our technology for killing Roaches and they keep changing theirs for staying alive said Phil Kochler a University of Florida entomologist and adviser to the Florida pest control association. Unless we keep developing new technologies or methods to overcome resistance gangs of  take Over our kitchens after dark he warned. The pest control association was to Host the Roach contest Friday in Orlando As part of the training sem Inar which focuses on handling disease bearing Roaches growing immune to pesticides. To find a Roach Tough enough to illustrate the Point about 50 Roaches from Orlando Miami Tampa Jack Sonville and Gainesville will be divided into four jars each containing a pesticide. Another control Jar will contain no chemicals. The town with the most Roaches alive will receive the dubious Honor of being Home to Florida s toughest Roach. Bakker credits god for lifetime partnership idea Charlotte . A pal founder Jim Bakker testified Friday that the fund raising technique at the heart of his fraud and conspiracy trial occurred to him in the Middle of the night As a vision or a  i think fund raising was my most burdensome Job Bakker testified. It never left me. You never Ever Ever get away from the pressure that you have to raise funds for next week next month next  when he left pal the budget was $ 160 million a year which 1 think boils Down to $3 million a week Bakker said. Under questioning by defense attorney George t. Davis Bakker described the roots of his pal ministry in a Low voice. At one Point when he looked at Davis the lawyer pointed for him to look directly at the jury. Neither his wife Tammy Faye nor his two children were in the courtroom when Bakker testified. After describing his Early years As an evangelist Bakker talked about his vision to build the 2,400-acre heritage Usa Christian Retreat. The vision from god was to build a Modem Christian Campground where people could worship attend seminars and workshops Bakker said. As the ministry grew he said we needed to build. In the Middle of the night i woke up. It was a vision or Adream i Don t know. God gave me the concept of the heritage grand partner Center and i began to sketch  he later described the same event. I woke up in the morning and began to write Down the concept of lifetime partnerships. I brought the concept to my staff and showed it to some vice presi dents and accountants. I asked them if it would work and they said  Bakker is accused of bilking followers of $158 million through the Sale of the $1,000 partnerships which typically entitled holders to three nights lodging a year in pal hotels near fort Mill . Defense attorneys have claimed the partnerships were not sales transaction Sand that the Money paid for them constituted gifts to the ministry. In their presentation prosecutors presented several pal partners who said they sometimes were turned away when they tried to use their lodging benefits. Prosecutors contend Bakker oversold partnerships and diverted $3.7 million of the Money to himself. Bakker resigned from his ministry in a sex and Money scandal in 1987 and is charged with 24 counts of fraud and con spiracy1. Bakker faces 120 years in prison and fines of More than $5 million if found guilty on All charges. Defense attorneys on thursday continued their Parade of witnesses testify ing to Bakker s character. By the end of the Day s court session at least 72 de sense witnesses had testified More than so of whom said they continue to have Faith in Bakker and described him As Aman of god. . District court judge Robert pot Ter clashed with defense attorneys wednesday Over the number of witnesses for Bakker. Potter said he usually allows Only five character witnesses during a trial but defense attorney Harold Bender said the witnesses were satisfied Backer important to Bakker s Case. Jurors heard thursday from satisfied partners. Sharon Creech a schoolteacher from Rock Hill ., described her stay at heritage grand hotel As the next bes thing to being. Close to  Lola Pinicy testified she recently changed her will to leave her entire estate to the bakkers. Since the defense began its Case on sept. 20, defense attorneys also have shown the jury videotapes of seven it programs