Daily News from New York, New York • 6

DAILY NEWS 6 Wednesday, April 26, 1989 'Check the rule book! Do we take 'em in or Is this just another petty Apple Sauce I ft' Ahoy, mateys! Boats away to harpoon Moby Exxon The scent of Exxon blood has drifted down from Alaska. And members of the Gotham legal enclave are poised to close in for the Kill with about 20 class action suits. Most of them deal with the fishermen whose catches have been decimated by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Alan Schulman of Milberg Weiss Bershad Specthrie Ler-ach told Sauce that although Exxon has been making conciliatory noises about settling with the hurting parties, he's wary. "We're trying to get interim relief (for the fishermen)," he explained.

"And we're trying to get payment based on the value of estimated catch for this year." But Exxon, it seems, would prefer that the interim settlement become the final one something that all the law firms involved resoundingly nix. Given that the big money comes from punitive damages, the legal eagles are holding out until the full extent of the oil spill mayhem is revealed. "Punitive damages in the billions are entirely within the realm of contemplation," Schulman said. Stephen Oestreich of Wolf Popper Ross Wolf Jones, also handling class action suits, said the daunting size of the awards will force Exxon to limit the environmental havoc. iiljlS Rlngo Starr Clarence demons and Democratic underdog Richard Ravitch were closeted in a 90-minute tete-a-tete.

The recent Central Park wolf, pack crime spree LaROUCHE LEGACY The trial of four Lyndon La- 7 Peter Frampton Rouche disciples accused of bilking hundreds of people of thousands of dollars could be a real pip. Defense attorney Jeffrey Hoffman plans to subpena a who's who of Republican politics, including former FBI chief William Webster, Henry Kissinger, Joe Walsh What we've all been wafting for; The first Ringo Starr solo tour. Though still just a rumor, we hear guitarists Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton, bassist Jack Bruce, keyboard player Billy Preston and Clarence demons on sax are signed on. Throw in drummer Jim Keltner and you're left wondering exactly what ex-Deatte drummer i promoter David Flshof can pull this off, we'll know the answer this summer. Richard Secord and Ollie North, Hoffman admits his clients so-; licited loans for a LaRouche publishing outfit.

But he said the I loans were never repaid because the "government conspired" to force the LaRouche network into bankruptcy. The evidence is in government documents, Hoffman said. Among them: The now-infamous Ollie North notebooks and a memo to; Webster from Kissinger when he was the President's national secur rity adviser. CASED FAKGS Mayoral candidate Ron Lauder follows up his savage anti-Rudy 1 Giuliani radio attacks with two TV spots. They'll run for two i weeks at a cost of half a mil.

1 They go after Rudy for having 1 voted for George McGovem and accuse him of being willing to raise taxes. i says the gallery grapevine, is Arnold Glimcher's Pace Gallery. Glimcher wasn't available for comment. FACE TO FACE In the first of his meetings with all mayoral hopefuls, Gov. Cuomo WHO GETS de KOONING? The extraordinary and growing body of master painter Willem de Kooning's work is in a state of legal limbo.

The 85-year-old artist's daughter, Usa, and his attorney, John Eastman, want to become the conservators of de Kooning's vast estate. They claim that de Kooning, though still a prolific painter, suffers from Alzheimer's disease and can't manage his affairs. According to papers filed in Nassau County Supreme Court, they want control of his multimillion-dollar holdings. They would also want to put his paintings on the block for the first time in two years. That means big, big money.

The last de Kooning sold fetched $3.6 million. They want to work through a New York City dealer, and the leading contender, PiiilllSlI Takeover artist Carl Icahn wasli -ItA sorivetedbytheplayOther Jj I WSSfk hung around in the lobby and SC?) I 1 A cast' said star Kevin Conway. "We couldn't get rid of him." 3 I Icahn's objection: He says xIwvT' Carl Icahn Conway calls film l-COn. Ksvta Conway.