0
♦
♦
0
*
Vo*. 82 No. 196 USPS 043360 14 pages
College Station, Texas
Wednesday. August 20, 1986
Reagan
to renew
sanctions
SANTA BARBARA. Calif <AP)
— President Reagan is expected to
renew his sanctions against South
Africa next month, but there are no
plans at present to take additional
measures against the white-ruled re
gime as demanded bv (amgress. the
president's chief of staff said I ues-
dav
Donald T. Regan, in Cailifornia
with the \acatHining president,
added that the administration was
leaving the door open “a little bit" to
taking new steps against South Af
rica.
President Reagan, the thief of
staff emphasized, “thinks additional
sanctions would not he the right wav
cans have “gotten the message" that
the United States is seeking an end
to apartheid
"Whether additional sanctions will
put more heat on them is a debatable
question." Regan said.
“As far as additional sanctions, we
have no plans at the current mo
ment." the chief of staff said “We
have no plans at this moment to add
anv sanctions to what we are going to
do on Sept. 9.“
Asked whether he intended to
leave the door open to additional
steps. Regan replied: “We don’t slam
the door on everv possihilm
Photo hr Amt homy S. Cmrper
Plenty Of Fish In This Sea
Members of Fish Camp Hensel practice the freshman wildcat' at a
sprit rails at Kvle Field Tuesday afternoon.
The freshmen and counselors, who are part of the second session of
the summer camp, practice veils and eat lunch on campus before leav-
"*§■ .
Declintng trade, all, gas slump hurt GNP
Senator: Tax decisions
can’t wait until January
gamesmanship and all those kinds of
tmtaft."
“They just don't want to deal with
the budget as it is and we are going
to wait until they deal with it." he
said of senators
The Farabee plan would require a
constitutional amendment, accord-
mg to Schlueter ■
sal “strengthens the position I
of us who believe we shouldn't be
arabee told reporters his propww. months
of thos^p ssflrtt f
passing a major appropriation bill
like House Bill I without it being
certified bv the comproller that the
funds are available "
Asked if his measure represented
a Senate move “to »et the House
talking about taxes. Farabee re
sponded. “I would hope that this
would cause greater consideration
for a balanced budget and meeting
<in\ shortfalls now rather than six
from now when the problem
far more critical.
Lewis said the Farabee proposal
would not help the House and Sen
ate work toward a compromise.
House discusses
legalizing some
forms of gambling
AUSTIN (AP) — Sen Ray Fara
bee introduced a proposal Tuesday
that he said calls upon the Legis
lature to make the “tough decisions"
now on a tax increase rather than
waiting until January as the House
leadership would prefer
One key House member said the
Farabee proposal looked like a bit of
"brMltfaaMMp."
Also Tuesdav. the House voted
preliminarv approval for two bills
that Speaker Gib Lewis said could
save SzM) million by offering incen
tives for state workers to retire early
and change state pay day from the
last day of the month to the first
working day of the next month.
Both bills face another House
vote, probablv todav
The House on Friday approved a
proposal that would slice some $750
million out of the current two-year
state budget but has not moved on
any tax proposal to make up a pro
jected $3.5 billion budget deficit.
A tax bill must originate in the
House although Lt. Gov Bill Hobby
said Tuesday that measures such as
pari-mutuel betting and a state lot
tery — “which may raise revenue" —
can start out in the Senate.
On Tuesday. Farabee, D-Wichita
Falls, introduced a proposal that
would require the state comptroller
to certify any appropriation bill
passed bv the Legislature. Farabee's
btl had a near-majority 14 sponsors
of the $ I -member Senate
Since the House-approved budget
bUi does not make up the entire defi
cit. presumably tne comptroller
couki not certify it because the
Texas (^institution requires a bal
anced budget
House Ways and Means Commit
tee Chairman Stan Schlueter. D-Kill
een. said of Farabee's bill. “I under-
stand brinksmanship and
AUSTIN (AP) — The issue of le
galizing pari-mutuel betting in
Texas on Tuesday once again
matched those who say it could help
revive the state's economy against
those who say it would destroy fami
lies and increase crime
Sen O H. “Ike” Harm. R Dallas
said his proposal for local option bet
ting on horse races, as well as dog
races in certain counties, would not
offer “instant money" but would re
sult in more jobs and a diversified
economy.
Harris, chairman of the Senate
Economic Development Committee,
said the money generated bv the bill
eventuallv could head off budget
cuts such as have been recom
mended by the special legislative ses
sion. Whether the measure would
require a statewide referendum was
uncertain, and the bill was sent to a
subcommittee.
Hams' witnesses concentrated on
the economic impact of pari-mutuel
betting, which was outlawed in 1937
after four-year trial runs in 1905-09
and 1933-37
Numerous attempts to start it up
again have failed, including an over
whelming rejection bv the House in
19M5
Garv Keith of the Texas Agricul
ture Department testified Tuesday
that pari-mutuel betting would add
25.0(M) horses to the Texas horse
population of one million with a to
tal “farm-related" impact of $713
million in 10 years
Steve Shumake. a Dallas analyst
who authored a report for the Texas
Horse Racing Association, placed
the economic impact of a full fleged
horse race industry — not including
track construction — at $1.2 Inllion a
Economic growth barely perceptible
WASHINGTON (AP) — Eco
nomic growth slumped to a barely
perceptible 0.6 percent from April
through June, the worst perfor
mance since the end of the last reces
sion. the government said Tuesday .
The Commerce Department said
growth in the gross national prod
uct. the broadest measure of eco
nomic hr ah h. was held back bv a
huge deterioration in the country's
trade performance and a slump m
oil ancf gas production
The new estimate of GNP growth
during the second quarter marked a
downward revision from a month
ago when the government estimated
the economy was growing at a
slightly faster 1.1 percent pace. It
was the poorest performance since
the 0.6 percent advance turned in as
the country emerged from the last
recession in the final quarter of
1982.
The weak showing raised new
tears about the durabuity of the 44-
month-old recovery, which is al
ready the second longest since the
rod of World W ai II
“We are not that far away from a
recession, but I don't think there is
enough conclusive evidence to say
we are in one.” said Lawrence
Chimenne, president of Chase Eco-
metIks of Bala Cvnwvd, Pa.
Among the factors pointing to
growing weakness were three con
secutive monthly declines in indus
trial production, something that has
not occurred since the last recession.
Chimenne said
Still, he said Chase expects growth
will rebound in the second half of
the year to a rate of 2.5 percent to 3
percent, keeping the current 44-
month-old recovery alive.
“If the trade deficit improves, we
will avoid a recession." he said.
White House spokesman Larry
Speakes. m (California with the vaca
tioning President Reagan, trying to
strike a positive note despite the
weak GNP figure, said. "With infla
tion remaining under control and
kev economic indicators strengthen
ing. we are optimistic about the pros
pects for a strong showing the sec
ond half of 1986 '
Alan (ireenspan. former chair
man of the president’s Council of
Economic Advisers, also said he be
lieved growth would improve in the
second half of the year as the fall in
the value of the dollar begins to raise
the price Americans pay for im
ported goods.
He predicted the economy would
grow at an annual rate of 2.5 percent
in the second half of the year, only
slightly better than the 2.2 percent
growth rate turned in during the
first six months.
The Reagan administration,
which began the year forecasting the
economy would grow at a robust an
nual rate of 4 percent, has already
scaled that estimate back to 3.2 per
cent growth.
year.
Shumake said over $100 million a
year already is leaving Texas for
race tracks in Louisiana, and a new
track in Oklahoma City is "banking
on” expenditures bv Texas visitors
! Palestine veterinarian Steve Hicks
said the Texas Veterinary Medical
Association had endorsed pari-mu
tuel betting. Hicks said East Texas,
with ample supplies of water and rel
atively cheap land, could be an ideal
location for horse f arms.
Larry Prehn, gn Austin business
consultant, said hVjtudies of possi
ble greyhound racing in Galveston.
Nueces and Cameron counties,
showed an economic impac t of $.322
million a year after the dog tracks
are in operation.
Mexican government
to investigate death
of U.S. drug agent
WASHINGTON (AP) — The
Mexican government has prom
ised the United States quick and
decisive action in its investigation
of the kidnapping and beating of
a U.S. narcotics agent, the State
rtment said Tuesday,
puty spokesman Charles
Redman said the assurances were
offered Monday by Mexican For
eign Secretary Bernardo Sepul
veda fottowing a U.S. protest of
the “unprovoked, brutal and
criminal acts" against Victor Cor
tez. a Drug Enforcement Admin
istration official taken into cus
tody by Jalisco state police in
Guadalajara last week
SepuKeda told U.S. diplomats
that Mexico was moving to re
solve the case quickfv and decisi-
vefv. Redman said, adding that 11
Jalisco state police officers have
been suspended and detained fot
questioning in the investigation
Mexico has denied that Cortez
was tortured, but the DEA said
the agent was subjected to electric
shock treatment and had numer
ous contusions on his body
Meanwhile, a report published
Tuesdav said that an advisei to
Mexican President Miguel de la
Madrid confirmed that Mexican
police tortured Cortez, and that
I some officials were giving false
information about the agent’s
treatment
It was the first time a Mexican
official had confirmed that the
agent was tortured during his de
tention in the state of Jalisco last
Wednesday , the Chicago Tribune
said. Other officials have either
denied the incident or refused to
comment directly, the newspaper
said.
The Mexican official, a senior
adviser to de la Madrid, asked not
to be identified, according to the
Tribune
It said that when the official
was asked about denials made by
authorities in Jalisco, he replied.
"That is their version." The offi
cial made it clear that federal offi
cials did not agree, but he refused
to sav what was done to Cortez,
the newspaper said.
A However, the Tribune quoted
a source with access to informa
tion about Cortez's interrogation
as saving the agent "got the
works." The source said Cortez’s
captors used electric cattle prods
on sensitive parts of his body and
spraved carbonated water, in
w hich hot chili peppers had been
soaked, up his nose, the newspa
per reported.
According the Tribune, offi
cials close to the investigation said
Cortez reported that while he was
blindfolded and being tortured in
a jail cell in Guadalajara, one of
his captors told him, ‘Tf vou think
this is bad. wait until we get you
out into the country and you’ll see
what Camarena went though."
Killer denied reprieve, executed
HUNTSVILLE. Texas (AP) —
Randy Lynn Woolls, who beat,
slashed and burned a dnve-in movie
cashier to death, was executed early
today after the U.S. Supreme (xMirt
and Gov. Mark White rejected his
last-minute appeals
Woolls, a 36-year-old drug addict
who claims to remember nothing of
the 1979 slaving of Betty Stotts, was
pronounced dead at I2:$3 a m after
receiving a drug injection. Attorney
(•cneraljiin Mattox said.
“I'd like to say goodbve to my
family." Woolls said after he helped
his executioners find the veins in his
arms tor the fatal fluid that began
flowing at 12:13 a.m. “I love all of
them.
“I'd like to tell the people fighting
against the death penalty to continue
their work." he added “I'd like to
sav l‘m sorr* for the victim and fam
ily. and I wish there was something I
could do to make it all right."
To the sobbing witnesses standing
nearby, he said only. “Take care."
He then coughed slightly, closed his
eves halfway and died
Woolls is the 16th Texas inmate
put to death since the state resumed
executions in 1982. Five prisoners
have been killed this year alone, a
pace that pared the number of pro
testers outside the death chamber
Tuesdav night to zero.
One of two lethal needles were in
serted into his right arm just below a
tattoo of a buzzard grasping a sv-
nngr.
Woolls said tattoos on his left arm
dealt with the theme of death, and a
second needle carrying the fatal
drugs was inserted among pictures
of the Grim Reaper and a large swas
tika.
His final meal was two cheesebur
gers, french fries and iced tea. and
he designated two cousins, Natrona
Mills and Tvobe Mills, to witness his
execution, said prison spokesman
Charles Brown
Woolls said he was introduced to
drugs about age IS Drug use was re
sponsible for each of his three prison
sentences, he said
“My whole complaint is that I'm
being executed for a crime I can't re
member committing.” he said. “I was
flipped out on drugs.
“I don't know what's supposed to
be done with me," he said “I don’t
know whether I deserve a life sen
tence. 1 feel death is a little severe
for something that was a mistake."
Stotts was collecting ticket money
the evening of June 16, 1979. when
she was killed
“They said I beat this woman
down with a tire tool, cut her throat,
then 1 piled everything in the booth
on top of her and set it on fire,"
Woolls said.
"Then while this booth is on fire.
I’m sitting there selling tickets to
people coming into the show." he
said “Then I get in her car and
drive inside the show and am sitting
inside the show in her car when the
cops got there. It's obvious I was out
of my mind."
The family of the murdered
woman had expressed pits for
Woolls. Stotts' daughter. Deborah
Coonfield. had expressed a desire to
talk to him before the execution.
‘Tvervbodv seems to expect me to
hate him. but 1 don't," she said. “I
wasn't brought up that wav ... 1
don t want to say that I want him
(Woolls) to die. I understand why he
has to. I have a lot of pity for him."
Daughter Wanted to meef killer
KERRVILLE (AP) — A Ker
mile woman wanted to meet the
man convicted of killing her
mother before his execution,
scheduled for early today, was
earned out.
“In the beginning I hated him,
but that was something I had to
overcome," Deborah Coonfield
told the San Antonio Express
Sews. “1 knew my mother
wouldn't have wanted k that
way."
Coonfield said she nevertheless
wanted to know why Randy Lynn
Woolls killed her mother — Betty
Stotts — on June 16, 1979, as the
woman worked at the ticket win
dow of a Kerrville drive-in the
ater.
The daughter was 20 years old
that night more than seven years
ago when her oldest brother told
her their mother was dead
Stotts. 44. was a deeply reli
gious woman who had premoni
tions of death.
The whole ordeal has been a
nightmare for Coonfield and her
three brothers. Her father. Jo
seph Stotts, died two years ago.
“He was 20 years older than
my mother," Coonfield said. "He
never got over her death."
She said the tragedy hit her
youngest brother. Roger, the
hardest He was 13 years old and
at the drive-in on the night of the
slaymg
The teen-ager had been told
about a fire at the ticket booth
where he knew his mother was
working. He saw someone driv
ing his mother's car at the drive-
in. approached the car. stuck his
head in a window and saw a man
wearing bloody clothing. Evi
dence at the trial showed that
man was Woolls.
"All of us still have flashbacks
and pain," Coonfield said. “I
think ne (Roger, now 20) has ma
tured better than any of us and
has dealt with what happened.
Because of what happened, he
was forced to grow up fast "
She said her ok lest brother,
Ronnie, was searching through a
desk drawer at his mother's house
two davs after the slaving. T he
drawer contained five envekipes,
each containing a letter Stotts
wrote to her husband and each of
her four children.
The letters apparently were
written only a few oays before the
killing. Coonfield said In the
notes. Stotts told the family she
would not always be with them in
body but that her spirit would.
Stotts next-to-last journal en
try read: “The burning and cut
ting of oneself for natural self h
sorrow, and when it is all gone,
the higher self n left.”