The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 1

Sports Final Edition I Penn State bowls over Texas Sports s7T ii 171st Year, No. 212. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1999 www.philly.com 75 cents in some locations outside the metropolitan area Li li 1 Inside Boys pulled from icy pond in Bucks rr 7 Morris back and running Local 115 ft0 C5fe -4 3 "XT J- i3' "4 I I jg ejr I CHARLES WAGNER For The Inquirer A frolic across a frozen quarry pond turned tragic yesterday afternoon when the Falls Township ice proved too thin. Rescuers carried Tom Redmond, 9, up a steep bank to a waiting ambulance. He was in critical condition last night.

His cousin, also 9, was treated at a hospital and released. Story, Bl. City police reopen case in 1996 rape of girl, 7 1 ft at. SP An Inquirer article published Dec. 19 described in detail how the case was mishandled.

Last week, sex-crimes detectives began a fresh investigation, reaching out to the victim's mother and launching a search for the man who was identified in 1996 as a prime suspect but was never questioned. Police have obtained a search warrant compelling the man to provide a DNA sample. Police want to see whether his DNA matches a semen sample recovered during a medical exam of the girl hours after the rape. See RAPE on A17 cess to outside information, either coming in or going out, primarily to discourage or stop cyber-hacking, cyber-terrorism, cyber-criminals or viruses," said Matt Hotle, vice president and research director of Gartner Group a technology research firm in Stamford, Conn. Sites maintained by military bases around the country will be among those going dark temporarily.

"Within some defense agencies, I 1 The Teamster was ousted Nov. 15 amid controversy. A federal judge ordered his reinstatement for now. By Stuart Ditzen INQUIRER STAFF WRITER A federal judge reinstated feisty union boss John P. Morris yesterday as leader of Teamsters Local 115, saying the international union had failed to justify his sudden ouster last month.

U.S. District Judge, John R. Pado-va ruled that the international and its president, James P. Hoffa, had not proven an emergency sufficient to remove Morris without an internal hearing from his post as secretary-treasurer and principal officer of Local 115. Morris, 73, who founded Local 115 in 1955, was ousted on Nov.

15 and replaced with an emergency trustee. Four days later, he filed suit in federal court seeking reinstatement. Padova heard testimony about the removal during a hearing this month. In his ruling, the judge granted a preliminary injunction directing the international to reinstate Morris as head of the local by 10 a.m. "Surprised?" a jubilant Morris exclaimed afterward.

"No, I'm ecstatic. We're grateful for the decision." Last night, Edward F. Keyser the emergency trustee in charge of Local 115 since Morris' ouster, said: "I wouldn't be too comfortable if I was John Morris." Keyser said a union hearing for Morris a proceeding that Padova said should have occurred before his removal is scheduled to begin Jan. 5. At that hearing, a panel of three high-ranking Teamsters officials will hear the evidence against Morris, Keyser said.

The panel, he added, may remove Morris if it finds, See MORRIS on A20 they have thought the most prudent action was just to take their sites off-line," Adm. Craig Quigley, Pentagon spokesman, said. The Pentagon intends to keep its central Web site defenselink.mil in operation, Quigley said. But one site being tern-See WEB SITES on A16 Seattle cancels its New Year's Eve Space Needle bash. A16.

Missteps included never questioning a prime suspect. Now, a DNA sample from him is sought. By Mark Fazlollah, Michael Matza and Craig R. McCoy INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS Philadelphia police have reopened their investigation into the 1996 kidnapping and rape of a 7-year-old North Philadelphia girl a case that police had earlier closed after a series of blunders. Slow response to recall Few customers are returning "Pokeballs," area Burger Kings say.

The balls were recalled after a 13-month-old girl suffocated. Bl Getting ready for Y2K What you could eat without electricity. Food, Fl What's on the New Year's menu at some companies. Food, Fl A checklist of things to do before the calendar turns. B2 Storms wallop Europe The death toll reaches 120.

Thousands in France may greet 2000 without power. A2 Hijackers step up demands They want $200 million and 35 Kashmiri militants released. A2 Philadelphia News Say goodbye to the mayor Rendell will hold an open reception and give a farewell speech. Bl Sketch of shooting suspect Police release a drawing of the man they say shot an officer. Bl Constructive lessons City children learn they, too, can build bridges and make maps.

Bl Cable network compromise Pittsburgh and reach an agreement on access for Internet service providers. Business, Dl On Wall Street Dow Jones industrial average: Up 85.63, close 11,476.71 Standard Poor's 500: Up 0.56, close 1,457.66 Nasdaq composite: Down 3.27, close 3,972.11 What local charities need You can reduce household clutter and do some good. Magazine, CI Obituaries Clayton Moore, 85, the masked man who played the Lone Ranger on television. B5 A. Joseph Newman 82, a reporter and financial editor at the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.

B4 Columnists Trudy Rubin: Could the next nuclear war start in Kashmir? A19 Gail Shister: Listen to Dick Clark, the voice of experience. C12 Claire Smith: Save some applause for coaches and mentors. El Rick Nichols: Count the calories, not the tears, for Ben Jerry's. Fl Weather Windy and cold today. High 38, low 28.

Milder tomorrow. High 54, low 38. Full report, B5 Sections Nationallnfl A City Region Magazine Business Sports Food Triclassifieds Features Comics C14 Editorials A18 Legal Notices E8 Movies C4 Newsmakers C2 Obituaries B4 Puzzles C15 Television C12 1999, Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. Call 215-665-1234 or 1-8O0-523-906B tor home delivery. lilliiil J- ft FT? Parts of the Internet hunkering down Business may follow Uncle Sam in curbing access this weekend.

Cyber-crime is the fear. Coming Up Good and bad, highs and lows, Philadelphia sports fans have endured a stomach-twisting roller-coaster ride through the century. On Friday, The Inquirer will publish A Sporting Tradition, a special' section that takes a loving look back on 100 years of bats, balls, blocks and blitzes. On Saturday, Then and Now, a 1 6-page special section, captures the Philadelphia of yesteryear and today through photographs. The accused, from Hong Kong, will face trial after rejecting a plea agreement Charges in heroin ring show role of new gangs By Sudarsan Raghavan INQUIRER STAFF WRITER From his base in Hong Kong, Kin Yan Tam ran his global heroin empire armed with a cell phone and a young Asian crew in Philadelphia, authorities allege.

Using code words, he allegedly commanded his gang to smuggle dope into the United States, sell it, and then wire the profits into his Hong Kong bank accounts. Once, gang members allegedly laundered $70,000 in drug money at Donald Trump's Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City by purchasing casino chips and cashing them in for $100 bills. They hopped on a plane and delivered the money to Kin, 44, in Hong Kong, authorities allege. But after au- Officials say Kin Yan Tarn ran a global drug empire. thorities secretly recorded his phone conversations, Kin's operation fell apart.

Yesterday, he had been expected to plead guilty in federal court here to drug and money-laundering charges for allegedly masterminding the smuggling of Southeast Asian heroin through Canada and onto the streets of Philadelphia and New York in 1998. Federal authorities said Kin's outfit is the first major Asian organized-crime group to be prosecuted in the region. The prosecution comes as heroin use is rising in the region and as Philadelphia's traditional underworld syndicates have been crippled by federal indictments, turncoats and disorganization. At the eleventh hour, however, Kin changed his mind. In front of U.S.

District Judge William H. Yohn he refused to sign a plea agreement that would have resulted in a 10- to 20-year prison sentence, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Labor. Kin's only option is to go on trial, scheduled for Jan. 10.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, Labor said. "I'm not too happy with my attorney," Kin told the court yesterday through a court-appointed Cantonese interpreter. "I want to find another attorney to help me in the case." Organized crime experts are in-See DRUGS on A14 A son's joyous words: Tm coming home' Kosovo's war is over, but the peace is uneasy By Leslie J. Nicholson INQUIRER STAFF WRITER More concerned about potential hackers and viruses than the Year 2000 computer problem, the Pentagon and the federal personnel agency are shutting down some of their public Internet sites this weekend and some large corporations are expected to follow suit. "Many of our clients are telling us that they are trying to turn off ac Philadelphia area.

For three years, Michael, the baby, 29, had been living in Japan. For the last two years there hadn't been a single time when the five of them had been together. Now Michael was coming home to live in Philadelphia, to work for Rosenbluth International. Michael told his parents that a high school friend had just purchased a rowhouse in Center City, 10 blocks from Rosenbluth's offices. "I'm going to move in with Jason," he told his parents.

"He's got an extra bedroom." "You're not going to be home at all?" asked his mother. "I'll be home, Mom, Don't worry about it." The parents were overjoyed, but returning home in only three weeks See EMPTY on A15 Job fair seeks to keep college grads in the region. Business, Dl Last of four parts By Michael Vitez INQUIRER STAFF WRITER 6n Oct. 2, shortly after midnight, the phone rang in the Schmeltzer household. Dick Schmeltzer was asleep in bed, and his wife, Bobbe, was beside him, reading.

Picking up the phone on her A Parent's 8le th w. she heard the Wish voice of her son in Tokyo. "Hey," Michael said. "It's me." Bobbe turned to her husband, who was awakened by the ringing. "Dick, pick up the other phone!" Dick went into the den and grabbed an extension.

"I'm taking the job, and I'm coming home," Michael said. "Three weeks." Bobbe started to cry. For five years, none of the three Schmeltzer children had lived in the JOHN COSTEUO Inquirer Staff Photographer At a mental hospital in the Kosovo town of Stimlje, two patients warm themselves beside a fire in a snowstorm this month. Although Kosovo's war is over, life there is still unsettled, or worse. Photographs and story: A10-11..