The Amarillo Globe-Times from Amarillo, Texas • Page 1

Drugs Blamed tor Recruit's Death SAN DIEGO (API An attorney for a Marine drill sergeant on trial in the death of Lynn McClure says the recruit may have died from an overdose of life-saving drugs instead of a training camp beating. Daniel Hunter said Monday at the opening of S. Sgt. Harold L. Branson's court-martial that McClure received a 400 per cent overdose of two anitbiotics, streptomycin and gentamycin, at the Veterans Hospital in Houston a few days before he died.

Hunter, a retired Marine major, said the two drugs never have been given together. He said he would call two Navy doctors to testify that the drugs could have caused McClure's death. Bronson. 30, is charged with assault and negligent homicide in the death of McClure, a 20-vear-old enlistee from Lufkin, Tex. The drill instructor also is charged with violating general orders and maltreatment of a recruit.

Essentially. Bronson is accused of mishandling a close-combat drill in which McClure was knocked unconscious Dec. 5 by fellow recruits wielding padded pugil sticks. McClure underwent brain surgery at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego but never emerged from his coma. He died in Houston March 13.

The 110-pound McClure was considered a problem recruit by the Marines and was a member of the motivation platoon, a special disciplinary unit. That unit was headed by Bronson, a decorated Vietnam veteran. Capt. Robert Meredith, a Navy neurosurgeon from Balboa, testified at the court-martial at San Diego's Marine Corps Recruit Depot that McClure was near death when he was brought in for surgery- He also said that recruit could have been fatally struck despite wearing a protective football helmet. "You can splinter a box without moving the brain inside, as in a skull said Meredith.

"On the other hand, you can pick up that box and move it with such force that it can shatter the gelatin inside." He said that the only way to prevent such injuries would be to eliminate pugil stick fighting altogether. After preliminary challenges by both the prosecution and defense, the two sides agreed to a court of five officers and three gunnery sergeants. Two enlisted men, a captain and a lieutenant colonel were rejected. One of the two prosecutors. Capt Ronald Stout, said Bronson lost control of the train- ing session in which McClure was injured.

"He got so involved that it became a fatal day in the life of McClure," he said. Heading the prosecution is Maj. John B. Fretwell, a Fulbright scholar from Camp Lejeune. N.C.

Two other drill sergeants from the motivation platoon also face courts-martial in McClure's death. Sgt. Henry E. Aguilar, 23. of Hanford, faces charges of negligent homicide, aggravated assault, maltreatment and derelidtion of duty, as well as violating general orders.

S.Sgt. Henry C. Wailraff, 27. of St. Croix, is charged with derelici- tion and violating general orders.

tVone of the men who now faces court- martial is accused of striking the fatal blows. But under military' justice, they are held responsible for the alleged misdeeds of men in their commands. SGT. HAROLD BRONSON in recruit's death. -TZ; P.M AMARILLO GLOBE-TIMES 53RDYEAR, NO.

79 AMARILLO TEXAS. TUESDAY, JUNE 15,1976 26 PAGES PRICE FBI's Kelley Cites Threat Warning! Russia will achieve military superiority unless U.S. increases its defense budget, over the next 10 years, bipar- tjsan report warns. Page 3. No ID Cards A government commission has rejected proposals that would require every American to carry an identification card as a threat to personal privacy Page 12.

take's Alive Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge is getting a facelift from 30 Youth Conservation Corps participants. The teen-agers will live and work at the dry lakebed until July 31, Page 15. Hearst Judge Judge Oliver J. Carter, who presided over the bank robbery 1 trial of Patricia Hearst, died yesterday in San Francisco. A three-judge panel will select a new judge to handle the case, including formal sentencing Page 26.

Where To Find It Carter Endorses Gas Policy DALLAS (AP) Presidential candidate Jimmy Carter has told Texas supporters he favors deregulation of natural gas for a period of time, under existing contracts, but he does not favor deregulation of oil prices. That was the response of the former Georgia governor Monday night to business leaders on his state finance committee who pledged themselves to raise about $200,000 for his bid for the Democratic nomination. About 80 of the committeemen and their ladies attended the dinner gathering. at which they promised to seek 13.000 per couple from their friends in behalf of the Democratic front runner. Questions were raised from the floor (Sec CARTER on Page 2) Gov.

and Dallas. Mrs. Doiph Briscoe end Jimmy Carter shoring a laugh AP at dinner in Amuttmtnl 19 9 2 1 70 6 4 9 Of. 1 16 1 1 The Weather Fair today through tomorrow. Not as warm today.

High today mid 80s. Low tonight low 50s. High tomorrow upper 80s Wind northerly 15 to 25 miles per hour diminishing this afternoon becoming light and variable tonight. Wind warnings are in effect for area lakes today. The low this morning in Amarillo was 55.

The high yesterday was 92 SUNSET TODAY: 9:02 SUNRISE TOMORROW: 6:32 Testing Keeps City Water Up to Health Standards EDITOR'S NOTE: How Amarillo's water is tested by city and federal agencies and the treatment thai precedes its flow through distribution mains is detailed in this third ol six articles on the controversial water supply. By BILL COX Globe-News Suff Writer The city water is safe for people to drink, although some may scowl. But the blend of 70 per cent Lake Meredith water and 30 per cent Carson field well water is in "complete compliance" with standards set down and overseen by the Texas Department of Health Resources and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

And there is continuous sampling of the water to make sure it is safe for human use. ASK ADAM caff 3 76-6464 ADAM i Dynamic Aruwer Mm) will orovide fl rs to hts. Call vour qurstionv solve your problems and sttnd up tor yoyr nchts. Call between noon and m.dnignt every day. or write P.

Box Amaniio Full Name, address and telephone be given when you call or write, but initials onlv will Oe used I would like to get some information on those Cadillac cars parked out west of Amarillo out in the field up on ends. Some of the boys at home in Missouri wanted me to investigate and ask why they are there, how they got there and what the deal was. W.G.Preston Cadillac Ranch, owned by Stanley Marsh III, was built in June 1974 by the Ant Farm, a group of underground architects consisting of Chip Lord. Doug Michael and Hudson Marquez. The "roadside spectacular" on Highway 66 consists of 10 Cadillacs bearing nose down to the prairie showing the 10 changes in the Cadillac fin from its inception in 1948 through its demise in 19H according to Marsh.

The Cadillacs were placed so far back from the highway so someone coming over the road from Tuciimcari would see the fins and tail lights just as they sec the sign on the road "Tall in Texas Marsh said the roadside spectacular "has been compared favorably to our beautiful (See Fife 2) The water standards promise to grow even tougher as the EPA--working under -he Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974-makes- further studies and recommends new water quality requirements. Right now Amarillo is one of 112 cities in the nation undergoing a series of new tests by the EPA. following the earlier testing of 80 other large cities by the agency. Amarillo was not on the first list of tested cities, but was included in the second testing program because the EPA wanted more- of the bigger cities in ali of its regions to be tested in the latest study. The EPA scientist-detectives look for the presence in water supplies of organic compounds--living bacteria from fish, animal, human waste and algea.

They ponder the effect of the commonly used chlonnation process in producing undesirable organic compounds, the New Orleans water supply early in 1973 set off a furor that resulted in an over-dramatized television documentary about the possible "cancer causing" organic chemicals found in the New Oilcans water. Since then, the hue cry raised by the New Orleans fiasco has died out. and the "cancer causing" speculation mostly discredited. As for chlorination possibly producing compounds in that might contribute lo cancer in humans. Ron Freeman of Canyon, regional representative of the Texas Department of Health Resources, said.

"It's a bunch of baloney." But the testing for hazardous organics continues. The EPA conducted two tests of the Amarillo water at the water treatment plant. 34th South Osage. in March and May. and two other samplings will be taker, in July and September.

In these tests the EPA is seeking "seasonal variations" said Tom Jones. EPA public affairs representative in Dallas. C. H. Scherer.

city water reclamation superintendent, said the EPA's most recent tests were for "pesticides, herbicides and other organics." The water samples will be analyzed at the EPA laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the i Staff PHoio by JOHN EBL10 Terry Lowler, biochemist at the city water treatment planf, runs water sample on EPA testing equipment brought here from Dallas. findings will not be known for several months. The City of Amarillo had a brush with the EPA in tho summer of 1974, when three water samples taken by what city officials described as "bad techniques" resulted in Amarillo's water getting a temporary "thumbs down" by the EPA. After seeing the three test results, the federal agency issued a "use prohibitive action" stopping interstate carriers--such as planes and (Sec H'ATLR on 2) Firms Targets WASHINGTON (AP) FBI Director Clarence M. Kelley warns that businesses and individuals should be on the alert for letter bombs similar to a series of bombs already received in five U.S.

cities by seven corporations and a business executive. Kelley said Monday night that the FBI was conducting an active investigation into the mailed explosives. The FBI said the letter bombs were contained in manila envelopes 9 by 12 inches or-10 by 13 inches, three- quarters of an inch thick, bearing typed addresses on sticker-type labels and postmarked from Atlanta. and Texarkana, Tex. "Extreme caution should be taken in the event letters of this description are received and the FBI ex local police should be notified at Kelley said.

An FBI spokesman declined to comment on possible motives behind the series of mailed bombs. Four women were injured slightly when one of the bombs exploded Monday, but bomb squads deactivated the other devices. The letter bomb which went off was opened in New York City by an employe at Merrill Lynch parent company of the stock brokerage firm, police said. Letter bombs also were sent to the New York office of the Bunge an international grain dealer, and to a Bunge executive. Roger Noall, at his Manhattan apartment.

Other bombs were delivered to the DuPont Co. in Wilmington. the Exxon Building in New York City: McDonald's Systems in Oak Brook, 111., a Chicago suburb: and Beatrice Foods Co. in Chicago, while a small package containing a bomb went to Marathon Oil Co. in Findlay.

Ohio. A secretary at McDonald's, the hamburger chain, apparently escaped injury because she hesitate-d while opening the envelope containing a bomb, authorities said. Police said the secretary, Mary McShane. cut the end of the 9 by 12 inch envelope with a letter opener but had difficulty removing the contents. (See BOMBS on Page 2) Ambulance Fires Claim Patient NEW ORLEANS (API 8-- State police have ordered an investigation into a bizarre pair of ambulance fires which left one man dead and two other? seriously burned.

A spokesman said investigators from the state crime lab would examine the ambulances and any other evidence today. State police said the first ambulance caught fire early Monday after picking up a menial patient from Plaquemines Parish sheriff's deputies in Buras. The patient. Robert Cognevich. 36, reportedly burned to death in his straitjacket.

Two attendants were burned trying to free him, state police said. A spokesman said the second ambulance picked up the two attendants and was en route to a hospital when it also burst into flames. Both ambulances were destroyed. "That's just too great a coincidence." the state police spokesman said Monday night. "We've ordered a special investigation to determine whether there is anv indication of sabotage." wWe lltWIlfy,.