Bolton Man Shoots Family, Kills Himself
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MANCHESTER L'-'.X'W CONNECTICUT | in:;:in,i|||in U.S./WORLD Morning In dump state DEP eyes Moderate growth Is for the birds Superfund aid expected In ’87 ... page 3 ... page 4 ... page 7 M r " e.' /I • j • j iiaiirlipatpr HpraI^ ) Manchester — A City of Village Charm Monday, Dec. 29,1986 30 Cents I Bolton man shoots family, E kills himself By Herald Staff home in the past. Tax records show that the family has lived at 10 High BOLTON — A man shot and Meadow Road since 1972. Injured his wife and daughter early At the house this morning, state C this morning before killing himself police combed the yard looking for with his gun after a quarrel with his evidence while detectives spoke wife at their home on High Meadow with Diane Schmidt’s parents and a Road, state police said today. neighbor who was close to the Victor K. Schmidt, 41, of 10 High family. Meadow Road, was pronounced State police Sgt. Jonathan dead at the scene. Police said he Schweitzer said they found "no shot himself with a .4S-caIlber thing significant" in the yard, but handgun after firing at least four declined to specify what was found. rounds at his wife and daughter. From outside the small white They refused to say where the Cape Cod, a decorated Christmas fatal bullet hit him. tree could be seen through the Diane Schmidt, 38, who suffered living room window, while a green injuries to her abdomen, was listed wreath hung on the door. In the in stable condition this morning at mailbox lay an untouched news Manchester Memorial Hospital fol paper. The family dog. Bear, sat lowing surgery, hospital spokes alone inside his dog house in the man Andrew Beck said. Their back yard. daughter. Erica. 16, who also In the distance one could hear car underwent surgery for an abdomi engines warming up as neighbors Herald photo by Pinto nal injury at MMH, was listed in prepared to go to work. Others satisfactory condition, he said. The stood on their driveways watching wife was wounded three times and the activity at the house. State police Stand in the yard at 10 High Meadow Road in Victor K. Schmidt killed himself after shooting and the daughter once. Beck said. "W e’re shocked, as anybody else Bolton this morning after looking for clues as to why injuring his wife, Diane, and 16-year-old daughter, Erica. A son, Victor Schmidt Jr., 8, was would be." said one neighbor as he in the home during the shooting but took his garbage out. " I t ’s crazy. 2 escaped injury, police said. What can you say?” Neighbors said the Schmidts had Neighbors described the neigh -qnother daughter. Lisa, who did not borhood as quiet and expressed live with her parents, but police EPA rule may control acid rain could not confirm those reports. sorrow for the family. Across the street at 11 Sunset Victor attends Bolton Elementary looked into the issue and he did not Lane. James and Mabel Grimes Bv Guv Darst more difficult. Asthmatics are hit gress has not come to grips with the School and Erica is a student at believe any other aides or members stood quietly watching. The Associated Press first, particularly those that exer fact that the long overdue decision Bolton High School, School Superin had. "I feel sorry, it’s a very bad cise outside. could cost enormous sums. "W e’re' tendent Richard Packman said this going to have to do something. Edison, according to Beck, be situation,” James Grimes said. WASHINGTON — The Environ Agency studies suggest that the 9 morning. rule change would benefit only 6 to We’re driven by the science,” said lieves the agency has the flexibility Police gave conflicting accounts Mabel Grimes described it as mental Protection Agency, in con 11 percent of asthmatics, who one high official, speaking on to decide that no new standard is on when the shooting took place, but “ awful.” sidering a new air pollution stand constitute about 4 percent of the condition of anonymity. necessary. "W e already protect 85 most reports said it occurred at James Grimes said Victor ard to protect asthmatics, may be population. In addition to electric generating percent” of the target group, he about 1:30 a.m. Hospital spokes Schmidt had been very sick for the opening the way for a back-door program to control acid rain, say Many environmentalists say that plants, some factories, particularly said. man Beck said the wife and past few months and was taking industry and government experts. the law clearly requires a new smelters and paper mills, could be That position is not popular with daughter were rushed into the medication for emphysema. standard, to protect even that small affected. environmentalists. emergency room at about 2; 20 this The new hourly standard would Schmidt was about 6 foot 2 inches, be aimed at controlling short bursts number of people, while electric Robert Beck, a lobbyist for the David Doniger, a iawyer for the morning. according to Grimes, and was a power company officials say the Edison Electric Institute in charge Natural Resources Defense Coun State police received the report of — five minutes to 10 minutes — of former drill instructor for the U.S. sulfur dioxide from smokestacks. rule change could cost their indus of environmental questions, esti cil, argued that congressional com the shooting from a phone in the Marines. Current standards are based on try up to $5 billion. mated that the rule could cost mittee reports make it clear that Schmidts’ home, but no informa “ As a drill instructor he’d proba averages over longer periods — Officials at the environmental utilities $5 billion a year. the Clean Air Act is intended to tion was available on who made the bly scare the pants off anybody,” three hours, a day and a year. agency, speaking privately, say Beck expressed frustration in protect asthmatics in the “ normal call, police Sgt. Daniel Lewis said. Grimes said. Sulphur dioxide, converted in the they are reluctant to force what trying to alert Congress to what is course of daily activity.” He said Lewis said Diane Schmidt returned A spokeswoman at Bernie’s TV atmosphere to sulphuric acid and amounts to an acid rain control at stake for his industry: “ Every that includes even asthmatics who home Sunday after being away for a must take medication to exercise in Appliance Store in Bloomfield said other compounds, contributes to program on the utilities, in trying to time we try to raise the issue with week. acid rain, which environmentalists reach another goal, when Congress members, they say: ‘Leave it to the first place. Lewis said the couple had a Diane Schmidt was a salesperson say kills aquatic and plant life. has explicitly declined to act EPA — get out of here.’ ” EPA is not supposed to consider history of marital problems, but he there. Neighbors said that Victor In high concentrations in the air, against acid rain. A key congressional aide on air was unable to say whether police Schmidt was employed by an area sulfur dioxide can make breathing Agency officials say that Con pollution questions said he had not Please turn to page 10 had responded to disputes at the tobacco company. Pay increases aim to bring quaiity into state government Other raises taking effect Jan. 7, raise from $40,000 to $55,000. nor. The new salaries will remain in year, the commission stated that without fair recompense." By Judd Everhart the day the'governor is inaugurated State senators will earn $19,700, effect through 1990. better compensation would "help The commission found that nine The Associated Press and all officials elected in No up from $16,500 while state repre The last raises occurred in 1983. attract people from all walks of life commissioners and one deputy to the service of the state of vember officially take office: attor HARTFORD — Connecticut’s sentatives will see their paychecks The state constitution stipulates commissioner, all of whom report Connecticut and. having attracted ney general, $60,000, up from elected state officials will ring in increase from $16,500 to $18,700. that raises take effect after the to the governor, earned more than them, to retain them.” $50,000: and treasurer, secretary of the new year with some hefty pay elections, so that those who vote on the governor. The highest salary Every four years, the bipartisan "Great public servants often the state, and comptroller, $50,000, raises approved in 1986 by the them and sign them into law must was $79,739. Commission on Compensation of draw from their private careers the up from $35,000. General Assembly after receiving first win re-election to cash in. About 250 other state employees Elected State Officials and Judges experience, the wisdom and the Legislative leaders earn slightly recommendations that qualified recommends pay raises for consti The only top elected official not in received more than the governor: higher salaries than members of 9 understanding of people’s lives, people should be encouraged to the most one earned was $119,000. tutional officers, the governor, office at the time the salaries were needs and aspirations that superior the House and Senate. At the top seek and retain public office. attorney general and the like. approved — excluding legislators state service requires. The com The commission had recom will be the Senate president pro Gov. William A. O’Neill’s salary — was Treasurer-elect Francisco mission believes that the state must mended an $85,000 salary for the tempore, who will get $25,500, and will jump by 20 percent from $65,000 Recommendations must be ap L.