European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 12, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday May 12, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 5cavazos travel record being probed by the los Angeles times avast Yungton a the department of Justice is investigating the official travel of former Secretary of education Lauro f. Cavazos including the possible improper use of a frequent flier Bonus Points to pay for trips taken by his wife Peggy sue officials said Friday. Government regulations require civil servants to turn Over such bonuses to the government. For the last year the . Department of education inspector general has been investigating whether the former Secretary abused those and other travel rules the involvement of the department of Justice indicates that the inspector general s review Quot determined that the matter warranted further investigation according to government sources. The investigation could prove embarrassing for the Bush administration which already is under fire after. Revelations that White i Louse chief of staff John ii. Sununu used military jets for personal trips. Thursday the White House banned the use of Mili tary air Tatt Tor most of Summit s travel and ordered lint to Clear All future flights in Advance. Cavazos who resigned last december took 50 trips Between the time of his appointment in August i Oss by former president Reagan and june 1000 government records show. Cavazos was forced from office largely because his performance did not measure up to tie requirements of a Boss who w shed to be remembered As the a education president a administration officials  found innocent in right to die Case by the los Angeles times Detroit a an elderly California Man who said that lie Only helped his tar Minally ill wife commit suicide was acquitted of murder charges Friday in a Case that right to die proponents said should Send a message to prosecutors and lawmakers a a i knew in my heart what i did was right a said Bertram r. Harper 73, after the verdict. A but whether the Law would Sec it that Way i did no to  Harper his 69-year-old wife Virginia aft her 40-year-old daughter Shanda Mcgrew travelled from Loomis calif., to Michigan last August because they believed that assisted suicide was Legal in Michigan. Harper admitted helping his wife asphyxiated herself but prosecutors contended that he had a crossed the line from assisting his wife to murdering her. Harper choked Back tears when the jury for woman read the verdict reached after less than two hours of deliberation. A Happy Mother s Day a said Hugh m. Davis one of Harper s attorneys after the trial. He called the acquittal a a Triumph of the family and a Triumph of  Mcgrew called the verdict a the happiest moment of my life i just feel like he a been vindicated and my Mother can rest in peace now a she said. Defense attorneys and the prosecutor in the stars and stripes portrayed the Case As extending into the controversial right to die   in several states Are grappling with. Derek Humphry executive director of the pro Eutha Misia Hemlock society said that the verdict a sends a message to prosecutors that they re not going to get a conviction with this Type a of offence Quot the jury ignores the Law and  a moral  a. Quot the Oregon based Hemlock society is backing initiatives in several states that would narc it Legal for a physician to administer death causing drugs to terminally ill patients who wish to die. During the trial Harper admitted that he had pulled a plastic bag Over his wife s face after she had taken an overdose of sleeping pills and fallen asleep. He and Mcgrew testified that Virginia Harper who had liver cancer first had pulled the bag Over her own head they said they lifted the bag up several times after she became uncomfortably warm. He said he made the decision to pull the bag Over her face the final time Quot before the trial began prosecutors offered to let Harper plead guilty to manslaughter and be granted probation. Harper said that lie turned it Down because a was far As i was concerned 1 had not committed a crime. I was not going to plead guilty to something i had t  10years ago May 12, 1981�? Peter Sutcliffe confessed killer of 13 women in the Yorkshire England Ripper Case testified monday he was a selected by god to kill prostitutes because they were a the scum of the Earth and responsible for his emotional problems. 20years ago May 12, 1971 a California gov. Ronald Reagan s wife said she is so bitter Over the controversy raised about her husband s income taxes that she Hopes he does no to run for Public office again and added that she has found politics to be dirty. 30years ago May 12,1961 a congressional investigators said the Pentagon took 3vfe years to decide How High overpasses Are needed to allow proper clearance when transporting military weapons on the nations interstate highways calling the delay a a textbook example of How a government should not be run.�?�. 40years ago May 12, 1951 a a 20-year-old West Berliner admitted he a a sold his Girlfriend to soviet sector police for five Marks. She had accompanied him to a night club in East Berlin where she was arrested. West i Berlin authorities had no idea Why she was wanted by East police. Bertram Harper leaves a Detroit court roam with his stepdaughter Shanda Mcgrew. Space station travel sweepstakes brought Down by Texas officials Houston apr two entrepreneurs who run a sweepstakes that promised to Send someone rocketing to the soviet space station agreed to halt their contest Friday in return for the dismissal of criminal charges against them. Under an agreement signed with the Harris county District attorneys office. David Mayer and Janies Davidson founders of space travel services inc., said they would not run a similar scheme in the state and would Forward any proceeds to the county and the state a sometimes things done to work out exactly the Way you wanted them  Mayer said. A we done to think we a did anything wrong. There a no Way we could resolve that without going through a lengthy and an exceedingly expensive  with much fanfare last december Mayer and Davidson announced a the ultimate adventure a a sweepstakes prom Ising the Winner a seat on a soviet spaceship and a week s stay aboard the soviet space station Mir. To enter the random drawing people were told to dial a 90 1 tale phone number for a fee of $2.99 or enter the contest for free by mail. Assistant District attorney Russel Tim Beville said the sweepstakes Drew about 10,000 Telephone Calls before it was halted after 24 hours. Mayer and Davidson were charged with operating an illegal lottery in Texas. Turbe Villa said the lottery was fraudulent because there was no Way it could raise the Money to fulfil its contract with the soviets. He said the contract called Lor payment of $ 30 million to the soviets and $2 million to the broker of the trip. Space Commerce inc. A a that a before they paid any of tit air overhead Quot Turbeville said. A if you figure that out it s roughly one family in five in America signs up to Fly. And that would never  t Turbeville said Mayer and Davidson have about $30,000 on hand half of which is owed to the operator of the 900 Telephone service. The rest will lie split by tie attorney general s office Ami county District attorneys office. The callers will not receive refunds. Turbeville said lie thought the agreement was the fairest Resolution. Quot these were two very enthusiastic Well intentioned Youngmen who had relied on some bad advice a he said. A they had a written opinion Froman out of state lawyer telling them it would be Legal. T he lawyer was  Mayer said the company still has a contract with the soviets but. Would not elaborate on Imp it might be fulfilled. Space 1 Ravel services a Lew weeks ago opened an office in Omaha neb., Mayer said. Manhole cover thieves endanger Detroi ters Dei Ron up1 a Detroi ters Are watching their Steps these Days because of a rash of thefts of manhole covers. In the past three months a City official said sewer scavengers have stolen 400 to 500 manhole covers leaving dangerous gaping holes behind. Quot a about 40 of the cast Iron lids were Sto. Len in a single Day recently in a six Block area on Detroit s West Side said James Heath of the Detroit water and sewerage department. The manhole covers weigh 112 pounds or 240 pounds depending on the Model and Cost from $35 to $50 to replace. Cilicia is believe the. Lids Are being sold to scrapyard which sell them for scrap for about $10 to $15 each or less. Heath said some thieves have used winches but others masquerading As construction Crews have used their Hare hands. Although no serious injuries have been reported the recent thefts prompted the police department Liis week to order its patrol officer to be on the Lookout for thieves. Executive Deputy police a thief James Bannon also is asking the Public for help in finding the thieves whose trucks ride Low from All the weight. Heath said the City plans to take a Cue from Michigan Bell and Detroit Edison which secure their covers to keep people away from the wires and equipment underneath. Heath said he never thought such a precaution would he necessary Given what is underneath the City a manholes covers