European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes . Saturday july 23,1994 some irked by handling of Dalton s confirmation by Che new York times Washington a when president Clinton announced last year that he had picked John Dalton to be Secretary of the Navy he praised the nominees a True leadership ability As a Texas businessman. Three months later the Senate confirmed Dalton without dissent or debate. But there was a part of Dalton a background that most senators were unaware of that his longest managerial tenure had been As the head of a Texas savings and loan the Seguin savings association that failed at a Cost to taxpayers of at least $100 million. Nor did they know that Federal regulators had asserted in a $3.8 million settlement of possible civil charges that he had violated state and Federal Laws and committed a Gross negligence As a Aguiri s president chief executive officer and chairman of the tog n com Mittie and Board of directors. Some senators now say that Dalton a confirmation hearings were mishandled. They say his savings and loan troubles Alt of which Are spelled out in court records should have been publicly disclosed and debated. Instead knowledge of his background was restricted not Only by White House officials but also by the Senate armed services committee which dealt with those troubles Only in a closed hearing. Quot sen. Howard Metzenbaum a Ohio who is not a member of the committee says he was never told of Dalton a stewardship of a failed savings and loan and would have wanted to be informed. A a it a the kind of thing you done to sweep under the Rug a said the senator a frequent critic of savings and loan operators speaking on condition of anonymity some senators say they think the decision to limit knowledge of Dalton a background reflected a bipartisan reluctance to confront the legacy of the savings and loan crisis openly. A a a a a a a a a a a a. A a a Dalton defends both his record and the handling of his nomination. A despite the adversity i experienced in the savings and loan business i am proud of my record a he said. A the confirmation process thoroughly explored my  and sen. Sam Nunn d-ga., chairman of the armed services committee defends the use of a closed session to consider Dalton a business dealings saying it was the most efficient Way to consider the matter thoroughly and respect the confidentiality of executive Branch background material. Others on the committee have had second thoughts however including sen. John Warner r-va., a former Navy Secretary himself who in a speech on the Senate floor delivered the committees recommendation that the nomination be confirmed. In an interview last week Warner said Dalton a performance As Navy Secretary had confirmed the committee s judgment in approving his nomination. But the senator also1 now believes that discussing the savings and loan matter Only in a closed session was a mistake. Quot frankly in retrospect a he said a it was the responsibility of the committee to put references to his savings and loan in the Public  the stars and stripes10 year Sago july 23,1984 a a comprehensive congressional Survey concluded that the military a readiness to fight was declining and that . Forces could not sustain combat against the. Soviet Union or Many lesser Powers. .20 year Sago july 23,1974 a a the British High commissioner on Cyprus Sard fighting continued on the Mediterranean Island for at least one hour past the cease fire deadline agreed to by Greece and turkey.30 year Sago july 23,1964 new Yorkus two Republican senators severed connections with the gop presidential a nominee Barry Goldwater 40years ago july 23,1954 a the chief of the. West German Security police vanished from West Berlin presumably kidnapped by communist agents the government announced. -50 years ago today july 23 19 4 4 the Rod army overruns Pskov the last major. Town of the prewar soviet Union in German hands farther South soviet troops Battle the germans in the streets of Lublin Poland. Moscow announces the formation of a Quot National liberation. Committee Quot for Poland. In Italy american soldiers push into the districts of Pisa South of the Arno River. . Marines Advance to Point Aderup on Guam source 2194 Days of War w h. Smile publishers inc the world almanac of world a War ii Bison books corp Isai Apin fort Bragg . A an army sergeant who had served As an Honor guard in the White House was convicted and Given a life sentence for trying to rape a lieutenant then killing her when she resisted. Sgt. First class Ervin Graves was found guilty thursday of shooting 2nd it. Lisa Bryant in the hallway of the army dormitory they shared. After a sentencing hearing Friday morning the military jury affirmed the mandatory life sentence gave Graves a dishonourable discharge ordered him to forfeit All pay and allowances Rind reduced his rank to private. Graves 34, will be eligible to apply for Graves parole in 10 years. The death penalty was not an option because the jury verdict was not unanimous. The jury deliberated 2vi hours thursday before convicting Graves of premeditated murder felony murder attempted rape and assault while attempting rape. Bryant 21, was a newly commissioned officer who had graduated with honors from Princeton a month before she was killed. She was paying Back an Roth scholarship and planned to attend Harvard Law school. She entered the military out of respect for her father retired col. Wilbert Bryant now a Deputy education Secretary for Virginia a a in a the one who encouraged her to get the Roth scholarship a he said thursday. A not a Day goes by not an hour goes by that i done to think about my daughter. The wounds will never heal from  Lisa Bryant and Graves lived on the same floor in Hardy Hall an. Army dormitory for soldiers on temporary duty. Graves a native of Omaha neb., enlisted 15 years ago and Rose to membership in the old guard a prestigious spit and polish unit that provides Honor guards for the White House and Arlington National cemetery. He pleaded innocent and did no to testify. Relatives of Graves and the victim who testified at the sentencing hearing sought an answer to Why he killed but received none a statement read into the record by Graves attorney Norman Allen expressed Graves sorrow and remorse but gave no reason for the killing. A just like the Bryants i can to explain it. The Only person who knows is Lisa Bryant a Graves wife Renee testified. Prosecutors said Lisa Bryant was talking on a pay phone july 10 when Graves Hung up the phone and marched her Down the Hall to his room. As they entered prosecutors said she made a break for Freedom a and was is. To Down with four blasts from Graves .357-caliber magnum. A a the victims earring was found in Graves room and several of her hairs were found in his shoes and socks. Gunshot residue was found on Graves hands the steering wheel of his car and the victims  keeping Columbia in record orbit time from the associated press space Center Houston a rain off the Florida coast Friday kept Columbia and its menagerie of sea creatures and bugs in orbit an extra Day and will make shuttle endurance champions out  seven astronauts. The offshore storms violated Nasa flight rules by encroaching within 34v Miles of Cape canaveral Fla., thwarting plans to touch Down at the Landing strip there. The Crew was told to try again this morning. The delay Means Columbia will remain in orbit at least 18 hours longer than the previous shuttle endurance Recordon 14 Days 12v minutes set by another Columbia Crew last  s furniture was a steal Beverly Hills Calif. People Here May not have liked the Way Wayne Robert Reiner decorated his mansion but they could hardly fault his taste. Police say Reiner burglarized at least 14 posh Beverly Hills and West los Angeles Homes to furnish the mansion he was building in nearby Bel air. Reiner who told police he was an accountant was charged with burglary and Possession of stolen t property. After spotting Reiner on june 22 at a House that was for Sale a real estate agent later noticed things were missing and called police. Police said they found St million in stolen property in reinerus mansion and in his Beverly Hills  kills intruder. Tulsa okla. T four Brothers were Home alone when a strange Man burst in the boys scattered. The eldest a just 13 a went for his Stepfather a .357-caliber magnum and fired through the bedroom door striking the Man in the Chest. The intruder stumbled into the front Yard and collapsed dead. A we taught him where to aim at the door if the door rattled Quot said the Stepfather Gary Miner. A the d id exactly As he w As in St Ruchte d. A District attorney David Moss ruled it a a pretty Clear Cut justifiable shooting. He also ruled out charges against the parents for allowing the 13-year-old,. Jarrod barries and his Brothers Access to the gun. The break in occurred in the Middle of the Day wednesday in a quiet Middle class  boy like satan Tampa Fla. A born with the same claw hands and stump legs As their father two children of a sideshow performer known As the lobster boy hoisted themselves to the witness stand thursday and described their father As a brutal  the was like satan himself. Very cruel very. Cold hearted very sadistic a Cathy Berry testified at the trial of her Mother Mary Stiles. Stiles is charged with murder for paying a teenage neighbor $1,500 to shoot and kill her husband Grady Stiles jr., two years ago. She must rely entirely on her own words and those of her children to convince a jury that years of abuse left her no Choice. Experts who were ready to testify that she was a battered spouse acting in self defense were disallowed earlier in the Day by judge William Fuente who ruled that Stiles was not in imminent danger at the time of the slaying. Late on thursday Stiles took the stand for the second time in the two week trial acknowledging that her husband did not abuse her the night of the slaying but saying previous threats against her had made it a Case of kill or be  accused in blast Charleston . A Masc Lee Hensley or. Expected a mysterious gift to pop out of a Box sent by his business partner. The present turned out to be an explosion so powerful it killed Hensley a son blew off his Nephew s hands and cracked the foundation of a nearby House. On thursday a jury convicted Danny Ray Gullett of Federal explosives charges for sending Hensley a Box of dynamite that he claimed held a blow up doll. Prosecutors said g Ullett tried to kill Hensley to collect on a $150,000 insurance policy he had bought months before the blast. He faces a life sentence. Gullett 41, had promised 1 Lensley a mysterious present boasting he a would get a bang out of the gift a assistant . Attorney Charles Miller said during the trial