August 21, 1974

Bookmakers Thomas Musto and Michael Astarita indicted on Aug 20 in connection with $26-million-a-yr sports gambling operation that focused on professional football; NY Giants orthopedic surgeon Anthony Pisani named in indictment as agreeing to confer with Musto and Astarita on regular basis regarding extent and nature of players' injuries so to better gauge performance of team and increase winnings; Pisani appeared as witness during grand jury probe and cooperated with Manhattan Dist Atty's office; Musto described as soldier in Vito Genovese crime family; indictment detailed; illus; chart of Giant scores in '73 (L)

HR, in major victory for Pres Ford, overwhelmingly approves 6-yr mass-transportation bill after slashing it from $20-billion to $11-billion; reduction may doom NYC's 35c transit fare if Sen follows HR; HR vote on bill, 1st major mass transit measure since '67, is 324-92; earlier, over opposition of NYC Reprs, HR approves by 257 to 155 key amendment by Repr William H Harsha, Ohio Repub, to cut size of bill nearly in half; bill, while continuing massive Fed aid for mass-transit capital projects, also provides Fed operating subsidies for 1st time; NY transit officials have said that $200-million Fed operating subsidy is needed this yr; HR bill would provide total of $760-million for construction grants and operating subsidies for NY and 8 other cities that have rail systems in operation or under construction; Ford had called for bill in range of $11- or $12-billion as move to hold down inflationary spending; Fed funds under bill would amount to 75% of cost of approved capital projects but only 33% of approved operating subsidies; before final passage, amendment is approved that is major blow to trucking indus; bill had included provision to allow increase in weight of trucks on nation's Interstate Hwy System from 73,000 to 90,000 lbs; amendment, introduced by Edward I Koch, Manhattan Dem, and approved by 252-159 vote, deleted provision; Reprs Bella Abzug, Manhattan Dem, and Hugh L Carey, Bklyn Dem, comment; 4 categories of new bill outlined (L)

Vice-Pres nominee Nelson A Rockefeller says he believes Pres Ford has 'every intention' of running for full 4-yr term as Pres in '76; there is gen agreement that Ford has broadened his base of support and increased his chances for being elected in his own right in '76 by choosing Rockefeller, a moderate Easterner with considerable influence and resources, as his Vice Pres; Ford and Rockefeller illus (S)

Investigators of NYC Addiction Services Agency on Aug 21 charge irregularities in financial and admission practices of Odyssey House, holding program has violated funding contract with city; agency comr Jerome Hornblass accused by Odyssey House founder and exec dir Dr Judianne Densen-Gerber of trying to 'build an empire;' Densen-Gerber disputes various charges including conflict of interest in real estate and failure to spend required hrs per wk in NYC program; her por (L)

N A Rockefeller's nomination as Vice Pres lauded by all but few Dems and Repubs in Cong; he faces intensive scrutiny of his family's vast internatl fortune; Rockefeller meets with Sen Rules Com Chmn Sen H W Cannon and HR Judiciary Com Chmn Repr P W Rodino Jr; these coms will conduct confirmation hearings; aides to Rodino and Cannon say Rockefeller promised to make available his income tax records and whatever other information coms should request; Rockefeller's personal fortune, including family trusts, has been estimated by friends to be as much as $500-million; HR Speaker C Albert, Sens M Mansfield, H D Scott comment; Sen B Goldwater is disappointed over nomination; Cannon says he has written to Atty Gen W B Saxbe requesting full FBI inquiry of Rockefeller, including medical records; Rodino plans similar investigation; Sens C T Curtis, E M Kennedy, W E Brock 3d, C H Percy, J G Tower and Repub Natl Com Chmn George Bush, Reprs O G Pike, J M Ashbrook comment (L)