Wednesday, October 19,1983/The Battalion/Page 9 Secret Agent Wife passed classified secrets to Soviet spies United Press International SAN FRANCISCO — The wife of accused spy James Har per gave him highly classified U.S. missile secrets allegedly sold to Soviet agents during a “marriage of convenience” |hich ended in divorce before she died of alcoholism, court re cords showed. The FBI said Harper, 49, a high technology consultant in California’s “Silicon Valley,” passed along “extremely sensi tive” secrets to Moscow which he jot for a period of eight years roni his wife. Hitman admits murders Ruby Schuler, who died last June at the age of 39, worked at Systems Control Inc. in Palo Alto, Calif., from 1972 until Au gust 1982 and had access to vir tually all of the firm’s top secret documents. FBI agents quoted her as tell ing a friend three months prior to her death that “there was a reason Jim and I got married and only he and I know.” The friend told agents Mrs. Harper added, “I can’t tell you or any one else what those reasons were and I never will.” Authorities indicated the 1980 marriage could have been strictly a business arrangement. The couple traveled together to a number of European cities where Harper could have met Soviet agents. The last trip was in 1981 and they were later di vorced. Harper, accused of selling Minuteman missile secrets to the Soviets for $250,000, remarried for a third time in Nevada last month. His wife, Penny Cook, vanished from their apartment last Sunday. The FBI complaint against Harper quoted John Cunning ham, a U.S. Army ballistics mis sile expert, as placing the value of the stolen secrets “beyond cal culation.” Santa Clara County records show that Ruby Schuler died last June 22 of cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism. The records said she weighed 80 pounds at the time of her death, compared with her normal 128 pounds. Harper said in court Monday he intended “to cooperate with the government in every way I can.” He was ordered held with out bond and a preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 27. New commuter airlines established for Texas United Press International AUSTIN — The Texas Aero nautics Commission Tuesday certified three new commuter airlines for the state, including two passenger helicopter ser vices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The commission also approved changes in service for four other intrastate air carriers. The new commuter services include Lone Star Helicopters, Inc., which plans to establish scheduled passenger service be tween the Fort Worth Continen tal Helipad, Dallas Love Field, Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Air- port and the Dallas Reunion Center Helipad. A second helicopter carrier, Regional Helicopter Airlines, was given authority to serve D- FW Regional Airport, Dallas North Airport, Addison Air port, Dallas Market Center Heli-. pad and Fort Worth Heliport. > United Press International MADISON — A San Antonio man charged with killing the wife of a policeman has admit ted five to 10 contract killings, Assistant District Attorney Stephen Bablitch said Tuesday. Bablitch made the statement at the initial court appearance of Joseph M. Hecht III. Hecht, 23, was charged with first degree murder and armed burglary in the shooting death of Carolyn Hudson, 37, Friday. || Bablitch said the five to 10 "contract executions” took place “in various jurisdictions.” He said Hecht received about $10,000 for each one. The criminal complaint against Hecht said he told Madi son police he was paid $9,300 for the Hudson killing. Hecht was held on $375,000 cash bail, and bail for Andrew Slickman, 31, who allegedly drove the getaway car, was set at $175,000. Slickman, also from San Antonio, was charged with being a party to first degree murder and armed burglary. Authorities would not com ment on who hired Hecht to slay Carolyn Hudson, the wife of Bullock expects budget in black irt United Press International klJSTIN — Comptroller Bob Bullock, slapping down earlier fears of a budget deficit as high as$500 million, predicted Tues day the state treasury will be $15.1 million in the black at the end of the 1984-1985 budget period. ^“The worst of the state’s eco nomic slump is behind us,” Bul lock said in presenting his re vised revenue estimate to state officials and legislators. “There aren’t any pennies from heaven in this economic forecast, but there aren’t any hailstones either,” he said. Last summer, state budget officials expressed fears that dwindling oil and gas severance taxes and sales tax collections could leave the state with a $500 million shortfall in a $30.8 bil lion two-year budget period. Bullock said his revised re venue estimates showed oil sev erance taxes were up slightly t&leg j-XL is pr fisla icwea 1 rds & jotards Is ikirts ) CfcC^Ctr^CSiSi