February 22, 1992

Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, who had implicitly encouraged a write-in campaign in New Hampshire, tried to shut down the effort. Page 8.

Former Senator Paul E. Tsongas of Massachusetts made a substantial gain in national recognition as a result of his victory in the New Hampshire primary and has drawn close to Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas among Democrats who have chosen a favorite for their party's nomination, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. But all five main Democratic candidates remain virtually unknown to half or more of the likely primary voters in their own party, the poll found.

John E. Frohnmayer, the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, was forced out of his job yesterday, apparently a casualty of the political wars. President Bush's decision to call for Mr. Frohnmayer's resignation came amid reports that Patrick J. Buchanan, the President's conservative challenger, would make an issue of Mr. Bush's support of the arts endowment as he campaigned in the South. On Thursday, Mr. Buchanan scathingly attacked President Bush for having increased the Government's support for the endowment, which he called "the upholstered playpen of the arts and crafts auxiliary of the Eastern liberal establishment." The same day, Mr. Frohnmayer said in a statement released yesterday, he met with the White House staff and "determined that May 1, 1992 should be my departure date."

Drug Dealer's Release Urged Prosecutors are supporting the release from prison of Leroy (Nicky) Barnes, a notorious drug dealer who helped supply much of New York City's heroin in the 1970's. Page 25. Dollar Dry Dock Is Closed Regulators closed the Dollar Dry Dock Bank, and most of its customers' deposits were sold to the Emigrant Savings Bank. Page 37. No Payout on Maxwell Policy Robert Maxwell's insurers do not intend to pay on his $36 million accident policy because investigators say he probably committed suicide. Page 37. Desperate Quest in Mexico After four straight days of air-quality emergencies, Mexico City is examining a proposal to blow its infamous smog away with giant fans. Page 2.

The decision to kill the Lebanese Party of God leader, Sheik Abbas Musawi, slain on Sunday in an Israeli helicopter attack, was made months ago, Israeli officials say. But they say action was postponed during a United Nations envoy's negotiations to trade Israeli-held Arab prisoners for information about missing Israeli servicemen and the Western hostages in Lebanon. With the release of the last American hostage, Terry A. Anderson, in December, the subsequent breakdown of the talks mediated by the United Nations and a sharp increase in the number of clashes in Israel's "security zone" in southern Lebanon, Israeli officials decided it was time to target the Shiite cleric. Violence Before Talks "It has been evident for quite some time that we had to do something about this," said Yossi Olmert, the director of the Government Press Office.