The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 1

6ULLDD6 Firms weave net across Indiana Page 21 Mild Continued sunny, pleasant. Low, 25. High. 45. Details on Page 43.

The Indianapolis Star TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1987 'Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty" II Cor. 3:17 sc'oT25 Cents Howser quits Northrop gals as Royals skipper follow routine Page 13 Page 12 I "v-r GM CIA, FBI told to check plant joins engine venture for rocket sabotage By EARL GOLZ COX NEWS SERVICE Mesa, Ariz. The CIA and the FBI prodded by former agency colleagues are investigating whether sabotage was involved in an unprecedented string of failures of defense-oriented space missions, Including the Challenger explosion that killed seven astronauts. Six launches four by the United States and two by the French failed within 12 months spanning 1985 and 1986. They either carried reconnaissance payloads or were essential In Implementing the Star Wars program.

The U.S. Senate In October quietly added a classified amendment to the CIA's appropriations bill directing that agency to Investigate whether "Soviet bloc sabotage" caused the Challenger space shuttle disaster and other recent U.S. "strategic space mission explosions." Rep. Jesse Helms, Introduced the amendment, one of his congressional aides said. Specific details of the amendment were not available because the document Is classified.

A presidential commission found no evidence of sabotage during Its investigation of the Challenger disaster, concluding the booster rocket's flawed Joint seals may have contributed to the shuttle's disintegration. tff? "way jftmf miBr3 Project could add thousands of jobs in city By BILL KOENIG STAR STAFF WRITER Detroit Allison Gas Turbine and Pratt Whitney formed a Joint venture Monday, hoping they can be the first to develop the next generation of commercial aircraft engines. PW-Alllson Engines Is the name of a partnership between the Indlanapolls-based General Motors Corp. unit and Pratt Whitney, a subsldary of United Technologies Corp. of Hartford, Conn.

The two have been developing the propfan, a high-technology version of the old propeller engine, during the past two years with plans for it to be In commercial use by 1992. A successful venture could diversify Allison Gas Turbine's production and add thousands of new jobs In Indianapolis and Connecticut. At a news conference, Lawrence W. Clarkson, president of commercial products division, described the formation of PW-Alllson as "a commitment to go forward." "It's like we've been engaged for two years and now we've decided to get married," he said. Executives of both companies discussed the partnership at GM headquarters, speaking in front of a large model of the experimental engine.

A.S. Novlck, chief project engineer for Allison Gas Turbine, declined to say how much each firm Is initially Investing. However, the eventual cost could be from $500 million to $1 billion. As a result, and Allison Gas Turbine opted to pool their talents and spread the risk. "Either one of us could have tried to do the thing alone," Novlck said after the news conference.

"But that wouldn't bring the best of both companies together." PW-Alllson begins Us corporate life In a race with General Electric Co. to market propfans. Designers say they believe propfans can be up to 30 percent more efficient than current turbofan Jet engines. That kind of Improved performance with no decrease In speed makes the propfan potentially lucrative. The engine comes along as two major makers of commercial aircraft, McDon- See ENGINE Page 9 lift, who had information about possible missile sabo tage, dating back to the Apollo space capsule fire on the launch pad that killed three astronauts In i nc7 I 3U 1 1 1 mmHUam confirm nor deny they are Investigating the incidents for sabotage.

Prior the rash of accidents, none of the rockets had an alarming rate of major accidents. The Incidents are as follows: The Challenger space shuttle explosion Jan; 28, 1986. Seven astronauts were killed, and the shuttle fleet was grounded, postponing the launching of an estimated 21 "high priority" Department of Defense payloads. The shuttle program had had 24 launches without a major Incident. Two unmanned Titan 34D rockets failed See ROCKET Page 9 The propfan engine PW-Allison Engines will develop (top) has two rows of blades.

Below is a model of a commercial aircraft McDonnell Douglas plans for the 1990s, complete with propfan. Prosecutor checks Meese's role in scandal Wants to know if he doctored Iran chronology charges against some administration officials. The report came as a special review board, the Tower commission, prepared to issue Its report Thursday on NSC operations. The report is expected to be highly critical and to name officials believed involved In a White House effort to cover up Mr. Reagan's role In the plan to sell weapons to Iran.

Meese testified before the commission once, a spokesman, said. The Journal Indicated UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL Washington Special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh Is examining whether Attorney General Edwin Meese helped to doctor a chronology to protect President Reagan In the Iran affair and If he misled Congress on when the i secret arms sales were approved, I The Wall Street Journal reported Monday. Walsh, the court-appointed Independent counsel investigating the scandal. Is said to be pursuing obstruction of Justice Walsh's investigation of Meese's knowledge or participation In the secret operation has expanded. The special prosecutor had already taken over a probe by the Justice Department's Internal inspector, who was trying to determine why Meese did not conduct a criminal investigation sooner and possibly prevent some key evidence to be destroyed.

The attorney general's role or testimony, however, was not questioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee's earlier report. Evidence that some key evidence was destroyed mounted during the weekend. Lt. Col. Oliver North's secretary has told Walsh's investigators she helped him shred documents Just before Meese's initial review.

North helped run the Iran arms-sale operation and Meese has said he was the architect of the subsequent scheme to send profits from the sales to the NIc-araguan Contras. North was fired Nov. 25, the day Meese See MEESE Page 8 Sex crimes suspect tries to kill self with pencil By SUSAN CRITTENDEN STAR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Terre Haute, Ind. The man accused of raping a 17-year old girl he reportedly heid hostage for four months slashed his wrist Monday with the broken end of a pencil, sheriffs deputies said. The Incident came a day after authorities discovered the body of another woman police have linked with Bill J.

Benefiel, 30. Beneflel was treated at Union Hospital here after deputies found him conscious and bleeding in his cell at 8:30 a.m. Monday when they brought his breakfast. Police also are investigating Benefiel in connection with the death of an 18-year old Terre Haute woman whose nude body was discovered Sunday by a search party. An antnnsv rnnHnrtpri In In ASSOCIATED PRESS Did Attorney General Meese mislead Congress? Man's 'nightmare9 ends as charges are dropped Index Arts, Leisure ..........18 Bridge 32 Business Classified Ads 3442 Comics ...........20 Crossword ......43 Doonesbury ...32 Editorials ..........6 General Assembly .31,33 Graham 32 Horoscope .....43 Jumble ......43 Dr.

Lamb 17 Landers 17 LifeStyle ...16,17 Lighter Side ...44 Movies 18 Obituaries ..33,34 Sports 11-15 Statistics 43 TV-Radio ...18,19 Weather 43 Werner 6 attorney, Duge Butler, for believing in him. The "nightmare" started on Oct. 20, 1986, when Byers was arrested after Marlon County deputy sheriffs saw him leave a Village Pantry on the Southside. The deputies had a composite picture of the suspect in two Village Pantry stores as a result of the Crime Stopper program and were watching other Village Pantries to see if the suspect would return. They were seeking a man, 6 See CHARGES Page 9 By WILLIAM E.

ANDERSON STAR STAFF WRITER Charges were dismissed Monday against a Southside man who had tearfully denied he had committed two robberies and a rape. Four months after he was charged with the robberies of two Southside Village Pantry stores and the rape of clerk. Stephen L. Byers was told all charges had been dismissed. Byers, 39, who called the arrest a nightmare, credited his Ww dianapolis Monday confirmed the body was that of Delores Wells, who had been missing since Jan.

26. Mrs. Wells died of asphyxiation and was already dead when she was burled In a shallow grave, said forensic pathologist See SUSPECT Page 9 STAR STAFF PHOTO ROB GOEBEL With all charges dropped, Stephen Byers will move to Illinois so he and his wife, Rebecca, can "try to forget." Phone numbers Circulation 633-9211 Main office 633-1240 Classified Ads 633-1212 Scores after 4:30 p.m. 633-1200 Chuckle The difference between dentists and other people is when they're feeling down In the mouth. It's yours.

Prayer You, gracious Lord, have created a perfect symphony through musical and colorful tones In nature. Let us thank You for life's beautiful harmony we can see, hear and feel every day. Amen. VOLUME 84, No. 264 CARRIER DELIVERED $1.20 PER WK MOTOR DELIVERED S1.25 PER WK Copyright 1987 The Indianapolis Star Coroner says couple were murdered before car fire curred on a rural county road one mile south of Logansport.

Detectives have not revealed if there is a motive or suspect. Marocco said the evidence led him to suspect the couple had been murdered. "There was definitely foul play. There are many indications it was foul play," Marocco said. son, 29, had each been shot once in the head at close range, Coroner Louis R.

Marocco said. The couple were discovered after area residents told sheriffs deputies at about 11 p.m. Sunday a car was on fire on the Kokomo Pike, near Logansport. Tests showed the blaze was started by an explosion Inside the car. Tolleson, who was badly A been shot In the right shoulder.

Marocco said. She had suffered some burns, but the burns were not serious enough to kill her, the coroner said. Residents who heard the explosion pulled Mrs. Tolleson away from the burning car and onto a nearby yard and covered her with a coat. The explosion, which destroyed the station wagon, oc- By DAVID J.

REMONDINI STAR STAFF WRITER A Burlington man found dead inside a burning car and his wife, who was discovered outside the passenger side door, were murdered, the Cass County Coroner said Monday. Autopsies performed Monday at Purdue University revealed that Anthony Wayne Tolleson, 29. and his wife, Lois J. Tolle- f' burned, was found in the driver's seat. Logansport firefighters were unable to remove him until the blaze was put out.

But Marocco said he believes he was already dead. He said he thinks the Tollesons were shot Inside the automobile before the fire began In the 1978 Chevrolet Vega station wagon. In addition to the head wound, Mrs. Tolleson also had.