Daily News from New York, New York • 43

0 :43" I Thursday, September 17, 1987 .4 i By ADAM NACOURNEY Mews Washington Bureau WASHINGTON A Brooklyn federal worker forced to end her Florida retirement because of I )'v fk HI 111 5 Department official said Rand had been put in holding tank with eight other protective-custody prisoners awaiting van to go to court. Supreme Court Justice Norman Felig ordered him held without bail for an Oct. 7 hearing and also ordered that he be segregated from other prisoners. tm hushes daily news ACCUSED of kidnap and murder of Jennifer Schweiger, 12, Andre Rand, 43, leaves Staten Island court yesterday after pleading not guilty to the indictment. He charged that he had been beaten by other inmates and refused to come back to court unless he is put in separate quarters.

Correction bureacratic bungling won the backing of a key congressman yesterday in her bid for $8,000 to help cover her expenses. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) signaled his support after listening to Fleurette Seidman tell the story of how she was forced to return to work two months after retiring with cancer. "I admire your willingness to cope with this kind of situation," said Frank, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Administrative Law and Governmental Relations. He.

told the Brooklyn grandmother, "It does not seem to me fair for people to be victimized this way." Seidman said the incident had caused her such distress that she cried uncontrollably, broke out in hives and finally went to a psychiatrist who gave her tranquilizers. At her side was Rep. Stephen So-larz, the Brooklyn Democrat who By CHARLES DELAFUENTE has pushed the legislation to reimburse her for her troubles. Holding up a copy of Tuesday's Daily News and pointing to a front-page head line about her plight, Solarz told the committee: "The passenger was able to free his leg, then he left," TA spokesman Ter-maine Garden said. On Saturday, a woman reported she was boarding a northbound train at Herald Square at noon "with a shopping bag in each arm and that her body got caught in the door," Garden said.

The rider, who identified herself only as Miss Hahn, "stated that a man on the train pulled the door panels open and she pulled her body and leg out of the door onto the platfornTbut her right arm was caught inside the Daily News Staff Writer Another rider was trapped in a subway car's doors yesterday, and the Transit Authority revealed yet another similar dragging incident last weekend. Neither rider was seriously hurt Transit police received a call at 12:30 p.m. yesterday from a rider who said he saw another passenger whose leg was trapped in the doors being dragged 10 or 20 feet by a northbound train at the Canal St station. "This is not a minor or trivial matter. The largest general circulation newspaper in the country the Daily News had this case as a banner headline on its front page.

So the attention of 7 million people in New York and people around door, with her package in her hand," Garden said. "The train started to move and she ran about 25 steps on the platform before being able to free her arm," Garden added. Hahn told the TA that she was bruised and that her chest hurt The two cases have not yet been listed as confirmed draggings. There have been 16 such confirmed incidents this year, including one in which a woman was dragged to her death in the Union Turnpike, Queens, station of the IND line Aug. 28, and three others in the last month: The accidents occur when passengers get limbs or bags caught in subway doors, which can be as much as three inches apart when a train begins to move.

The victims are dragged along the platform, sometimes until they hit the wall at the end of the station. The victim in the Union Turnpike accident, Stella Romeo, was killed that way. Her body was found on the tracks by the engineer of the next train. the country who read the Daily News is focused on this case." Seidman, 59, a Customs aide at the Customs Service's Manhattan office for 27 years, was told by her office in 1984 that she could retire early with a partial pension to live with her children in Florida. Two Eye platform conductors for safety The Transit Authority is considering bringing back platform conductors at problem stations to cut down on subway dragging incidents by making sure doors are clear before trains move.

"It's one of the things we're looking at" as part of a major review aimed at improving safety, a TA spokesman said. "We may use platform conduce tors at selected stations." Platform conductors help riders board, and assist train conductors in making sure that the doors are clear. months after she gave up her rent- controlled apartment and all Tier furniture, she was told the government had made a mistake and she had to come back to work or be put on leave without pay. What would you do if you were caught by a subway door? II iSM Si! ffgMiSJ xi 1,, -t 'v A ir-ii--- Tina Mitchell Insurance broker Scream for help and wait for the conductor to open the doors. I sit near the center of the train.

It isn't quite as lonely and the conductor can see you boarding or leaving the trainA John Abbate Product manager The first thing is not to panic. The train probably won't start If it did, that would be dangerous. I'd shout for someone to pull the emergency cord. Then I'd call my lawyer and doctor, in that order. Joan McAleer Home I'd scream as loud as I could and hope that someone understood my plight.

Every rider should be aware of the emergency cord in each car that locks the brakes when pulled. It's for just such a situation. James Henry Operations manager I'd make a lot of noise. The biggest danger is to be caught outside the train. I can't contemplate being in that situation.

I've ridden trains all my life. If you pay attention, it cant happen. Maria Olarte Assistant buyer I'd make a big commotion. If I didnt panic, I could withdraw my hand because of the rubber strip on each door. But every rider should realize each car has art emergency cord to stop the trains Vanessa Martin Office worker I'd scream bloody murder, hoping someone would act.

I don't think the train could start if a leg was caught. And there should be enough room to free your hand if you drop what you are carrying. Paul Mulzoff Billing representative I'd engage a lawyer if I survived. Actually, I'd pound on the door and shout for someone to yank the emergency cord. If the train moved, I'd drop what I was holding and free my hand..