European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday August 25, 1990 the stars and stripes Page 73 killed 12 Hurt in Houston plane crash Houston apr three men were killed and 12 were injured when a private air plane crashed on Takeoff and burned at Houston intercontinental Airport on thursday officials said. The twin engine Grumman go 59 Turboprop carrying employees of Houston based Rowan drilling co., crashed at 5 21 . About a mile South of the airports main terminal Complex said Airport supervisor Frank Haley. The air plane had been headed for new Orleans. The fuselage was Tom nearly in half and a fire scorched sections of the aircraft. Two of the injured men were airlifted to Hermann Hospital while 10 others were taken by ambulance to other hospitals Haley said. Their conditions ranged from stable to Good Hospital officials said. The employees had been returning from a tour at the company a offshore Oil rigs in the North sea said Robert Coryle vice president of Rowan drilling. Coryle said they had flown on commercial airlines from the North sea Region to Houston and were taking the company a private aircraft to their Homes in m Mississippi and Louisiana a a we re trying to ascertain who was on the aircraft a a Coryle said. Quot we believe they All were  the three dead were All in the cockpit and were believed to be the planets three crewmen said Jay Evans Harris county assistant medical examiner. The names were not immediately available. A everybody else is going to make it a a Evans said. It was unclear whether some of the injured escaped the wreckage on their own or whether All were rescued by firefighters. Evans said the aircraft appeared to be taking off in a North to South direction but it was unclear whether the aircraft had become airborne before it crashed. . Lynn a Houston police Accident investigator said it appeared to him that the plane skidded from the runway crossed a Grassy median and then a taxiway before crashing and burning companies from four other fire departments were dispatched to the Airport said Airport firefighter . I Quot a a a it a Harris county medical examiner Jay Evans inspects wreckage of plane that crashed at Houston on thursday. Mcclelland. As night fell workers moved in portable lights while police and other emergency vehicles ringed the area. Pieces of propeller littered the taxiway and a Small Patch of grass near the aircraft was blackened. Remnants of firefighting foam were scattered about. The plane was virtually broken in half. The left Wing was burned away and All that remained of the left engine was a skeletal Shell. The runway involved was closed briefly but Airport operations were not otherwise affected said Airport spokesman Hoyt Brown. Legion Post that rejected Black agrees to allow him to Columbia . Apr an american legion Post a closed since it refused to admit a Black Vietnam Veteran last month a has agreed to allow him to reapply the state american legion commander said thursday. The Veteran Thurman Thompson said he planned to submit another application. A what i would Hope is that those who did no to want me they would re evaluate their thoughts and situations Quot Thompson said. �?o1 Hope that everything ends on a positive  Norris Kinion the state commander for the american legion said the Fred a Sexton Post 1 in Florence 80 Miles East of Columbia would be permitted to resume its Normal activities if it accepted Black members. The Post was suspended last week Al Ter it was disclosed that six members of the Post had decided not to accept Thompson because they did no to want Blacks joining their group. The Post has More than 200 members. Thompson a former Navy Petty officer and signalman who served in Vietnam in 1972-73, works for the general electric co. At the time of the vote against Thompson the Post required just two votes to reject an applicant. But the Post changed its bylaws tuesday to allow a majority vote on All applications Kinion said. The chapter s suspension has not been formally lifted he said a but they re being permitted to function until such Lime As the investigative committee can make its  the committee looking into the Case was to meet at the annual convention of the american legion that started Friday in Indianapolis Kinion said. Al Stein commander of the Florence Post did not return a phone Call thursday afternoon. The posts rejection of Thompson prompted several members to resign Maria Lewis the posts Secretary was fired from her Job As the county veterans affairs officer. She had opposed Thompsons membership on the grounds that the posts bylaws prohibited integration the other american legion Post in Florence Post 228, has no by Laws on race but All of its members Are Black. Until Thompsons move to join Post i the two posts had remained effectively  american legion has had Black members since the  was created in 1919. 4 members of insurance family sentenced Baton Rouge la. Apr a Federal judge on thursday sentenced four members of the family that controlled Champion insurance co. To prison terms. Champion left si50 million in unpaid claims that sparked criminal investigations of stale officials. . District judge Frank  sentenced Patricia King fit her the wife of  owner John Ficher jr., and Tina Ficher the w Ile of Naaman Ficher to six months in prison. John Ficher s daughters Meredith and Ashley received 5-Ntonth sentences. Ai 1 four had pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting mail fraud. The women also were lined $10,000 each and ordered to serve two to three years probation after their release. They were told to surrender to Federal authorities by sept. 1 7. Champion the third largest insurer in the state collapsed in june 1989, leaving behind millions in unpaid Auto claims. Its owners distributed at least $250,000 to politicians during the 1987 election year authorities have alleged. . Attorney Raymond Lan Ionica said thursday that criminal charges would be filed against elected a facials hut refused to give names. Insurance commissioner Doug Green has pleaded innocent to charges the laches illegally funded his 198 7 Campaign and then conspired Wilh him to cover up the company a precarious financial situation. According to earlier testimony payments also were made to state reps. Sherman copelin Joe Dempil and Melvin Irvin. Copelin and Dempil have denied taking any Money from the Fiche s. Irvin Lias not commented. No charges have been filed in connection with the alleged payments. John and Naaman Ficher were ordered earlier to begin serving 46-month prison sentences by monday on pleas they made. An Fri agent testified during the sentencing hearing that the fathers gave Money to Ihnn gov. Edwin of towards in 1987. Towards has said he returned the Money because he could not find a Legal Way of using it for Campaign purposes. Famo Nicu said the prosecution of the Eichers a will not cure the tragic state of the insurance Industry m this  Louisiana has been wracked by insurance company insolvencies Lor the past several Vears. A �800,000 Coffee makers being recalled Washington apr the Proctor Silex co is setting aside a several million dollars Quot to provide replacement Toffee makers to an estimated 800,000 Consumers who purchased a Model mow declared a fire Hazard company officials said thursday. Arnold Dreyfus the company chairman declined to say exactly How much the recall would Cost. Commenting in a Telephone interview from Proctor Silex Headquarters in Richmond va., Dreyfus said the recalled models were made in 1985 and 1986 and have since been discontinued Proctor Silex says it believes the recalled Coffee makers Are Subj eco to potentially dangerous overheating because their thermostats and Thermal fuses May malfunction the toll free number set up by the company to 1-8 10-341-3.3.13. The company said it had received 181 reports of tire involving the Coffee maker it was sold nationwide in thousands of commercial outlets including Sears and . Penney co. Inc. The recall includes Coffee makers with Model numbers that begin with a4 or a5 and series numbers that end with 58 or-68. Recalled Sears counter Craft and Sears Kenmore co fee makers Are models 360 480293 and 360.4802/2. Retailed . Penney Coffee makers have the Model number 784-2 178h or g and a number ending m 58 or 68