European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday May 19, 1990 the stars and stripes a Page 5 despite warnings wet texans i is a a. \ ,.- Quot i is u a this ranch House outside Dayton Texas was diked in thursday to keep out floodwaters of the swollen Trinity River. Camilla Cove Texas apr floodwaters from a rain swollen Lake gushed into the Trinity River at a record rate thursday As Many residents downstream stayed Home to guard against looters despite evacuation warnings. Missouri Mississippi Louisiana and Oklahoma also coped with continued flooding or braced for More. Oklahoma a governor dispatched National guard soldiers to help get feed to stranded cattle. A Louisiana Farmer began evacuating his 4,000 alligators to higher ground. And St. Louis prepared for floods from the Mississippi River expected to hit saturday. Rivers in Arkansas continued receding following record floods last week and Southern Illinois residents cleaned up from floods wednesday night. Flooding has caused at least 13 deaths in Texas and one in Oklahoma in the past three weeks. Floodwaters from Lake Livingston about 75 Miles Northeast of Houston were expected to inundate More than 200 Square Miles along the Trinity River. An Aerial inspection thursday determined that except for scattered subdivisions most of the damage was con f fined to pasture. Further downstream the Trinity remained within its Banks. At the dam operators increased the flow through a dozen floodgates to a record 100,800 cubic feet per second by midday thursday. The amount of water released from the dam Over the past three weeks would fill the Houston Astrodome 1,200 times officials calculated. About 7,000 people below the dam have been urged for a week to evacuate As floodwaters Rose but Only about two dozen had turned up at emergency shelters by thursday morning said san Jacinto county sheriffs Deputy . Mcgregor. Many people remained in their Homes Many of which Are on stilts and reachable by boat to guard against looting said Mcgregor. A so far we Haven to had any trouble a he said. However sightseers in boats had to be escorted away from Camilla Cove and Swift currents at the dam. A some of these people sure Are crazy a Mcgregor said. In Missouri gov. John Ashcroft declared Jackson county which includes Kansas City a disaster area and prom stay put ised to seek Federal assistance. Ashcroft flew Over a Section of Kansas City flooded by the big Blue River after two Days of heavy rain. A a in be been wearing sunglasses for the past two Days so no one can see that in a crying a said business owner David Hall estimating his losses at $2 million. In St. Louis City workers began piling up sandbags and setting up floodgates near the City a trademark Arch along the Mississippi. No major damage was expected. The Mississippi was 29 feet deep thursday and was expected to Crest at 4 feet above flood stage. Missouri a other major River the Missouri had already exceeded its 21-foot flood stage at Hermann where the River was at 31.7 feet thursday. It was expected to Crest at 33.5 feet Friday. Workers at Walter a a skeet Rogers Alligator farm near Natchitoches began evacuating 4,000 alligators before rising Waters could reach their Concrete pens. In Oklahoma gov. Henry Bellmon dispatched a helicopter and three National guard soldiers to the Southeastern part of the state to help get feed to More than 200 cattle. Rivers in Arkansas continued falling. Residents of Southern Illinois cleaned up from violent thunderstorms and localized flooding wednesday night. About 200 of the 1,000 horses at Fairmount Park in Collinsville were moved out of stables As knee deep water flooded the Racetrack cancelling races and keeping employees from leaving work. A the Only racing out Here Well have is boat racing a said lip Sheet seller Mike Dodd As he drank Beer on the porch of a nearby . Judge drops 180 charges against Helmsley new York up a a new York state judge has dismissed 180 counts of a 188-count tax fraud indictment against hotel Chain owner Leona Helmsley saying the charges constituted double jeopardy because of her Federal tax evasion conviction. Helmsley 70, was not satisfied however saying that All of the charges should have been dismissed by state supreme court Justice John Bradley. A they Are after my hide because in a Leona Helmsley a she told reporters thursday As she left the courthouse with her Legal entourage. The eight counts retained Are the same a offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree. Each has a maximum penalty of 4 years in prison. Helmsley has already been sentenced to 4 years in prison for her Federal conviction last summer. A jury found that had she cheated the government out of several million dollars in taxes by disguising renovations to her Greenwich conn., mansion As business expenses of the hotel Empire she runs with her husband Harry. Nearly All of the counts in the indictment Stem from activities at Dunn Ellen Hall the 26-acre estate. Bradley said a double jeopardy situation was created by the joint state Federal investigations in which Many of the same witnesses were presented to state and Federal grand juries. The eight counts Bradley left intact concern a condominium in North Hills n.y., and the Park Lake hotel in new York City. Bradley rejected Helmsley a arguments that All charges should be dropped. A it has Long been a concern of the Public that White Collar criminals not be coddled by the criminal Justice system a Bradley wrote. A mrs. Helmsley has already been convicted in Federal court of related crimes and the potential evidence of her guilt appears Strong. The importance of an a interest of Justice dismissal on Public Confidence Here w Ould be devastating a he wrote. Helmsley s Federal sentence is stayed pending Appeal. Her lawyer Alan Dershowitz is confident she will not spend a Day in jail. A we Are absolutely confident of overturning her tax conviction in the Federal court and confident of acquittal in state court a he told reporters. Both Helmsley and her 81-year-old husband who is due in state court May 23 for a hearing on whether he is competent to stand trial were indicted for evading about $1 million in new York income tax. Helmsley a spouse was ruled incompetent to stand trial in the Federal Case but there were subsequent reports in the new York Post that he helped his wife a lawyers prepare her defense. A Harry cannot stand trial. Its enough a his wife told reporters As she slipped into her limousine. . Drug agents break up big hashish smuggling ring vyv Vns Wei a a s Detroit apr Federal drug agents arrested seven suspects wednesday and said they had halted an International hashish ring stretching from Pakistan to Michigan. A this is the most significant hashish trafficking organization that we be immobilized a said Johnnie Granados a special agent with the drug enforcement administration in Detroit. A i can to remember an organization wider in scope that has generated wholesale profits As Large As this  Between 1979 and 1987, the ring moved More than 50 tons of hashish Worth More than $300 million authorities said. An Ann Arbor mich., Man was arrested wednesday but Telephone Calls to the Dea in Detroit Early thursday were not immediately returned to verify the charges. Investigators seized More than $50 million in assets from the ring including a $2.6 million Marina in Chesapeake va., five Long Island Homes Worth More than $5 million and $33 million from overseas Bank accounts Granados said. A 38-Page complaint issued wednesday in new York said the ring smuggled hashish from Pakistan by freighter or tugboat to the East coast then shipped the drugs to new York for distribution nationwide and in Canada. The ring also had links in Lebanon Syria Hong Kong Singapore Liberia Switzerland and other countries the document  the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. May 19, 1950 a the 12 Atlantic allies ended a historic deft use building meeting in London with a declaration from . Secretary of state Dean Acheson that the West wanted peace but would be ready to fight aggression.30 years ago today. May 19, 1960 a soviet Premier Nikita s. Khrushchev angrily accused president Eisenhower of deceit and likened him to a thief for permitting Aerial spying Over Russia. Spying20 years ago today. May 19, 1970 a defense Secretary Melvin r. Laird acknowledged that . Advisers had gone into Laos briefly with South vietnamese troops but assured a Senate subcommittee that the americans were prohibited from carrying out Large scale combat operations there. �?T10 years ago today. May 19, 1980 a Florida authorities declared a curfew stopped liquor and gun sales and ordered More National guardsmen and state police to Miami to quell rioting that claimed at least 10 lives and turned the City into a Battleground