Nation digest 05/07/02

Cardinal Law ordered to answer questions in suit

BOSTON -- A judge Monday ordered Cardinal Bernard Law to give a deposition on Wednesday in the civil litigation against John Geoghan, the now-defrocked priest accused of molesting scores of youngsters.

Superior Court Judge Constance Sweeney expressed concern that Law might not be available to answer questions under oath unless the deposition were held soon.

"His choice of whether he available for deposition is not entirely belonging to him," she said. "If the pope tells him to go to Rome, he goes."

She denied a request by the archdiocese for a seven-day notice before the deposition, and also denied a request that Law be required to post a $10 million bond if he leaves the state.

Man steals more than $20,000 in comic books

NEW YORK -- As the "Spider-Man" movie scaled the box office this weekend, a man robbed a store of rare comic books, including the first issue of "The Amazing Spider Man."

Police said a man entered Action Comics in Manhattan on Saturday and approached clerk Stuart Bowler.

The man then reached into a duffel bag and said, '"I have to show you these things,"' Bowler said. "I thought he was trying to sell some books, because everyone's always trying to sell books, but then he pulls out a gun."

Bowler said the man was apologetic as he handcuffed him and took more than $20,000 worth of rare comic books.

The robber even stopped to unload his gun before heading back out onto the crowded street, he said. Police were still searching for the man.

Texas town cleaning up after tornado kills two

Shirley LaRoe's family and friends were hard at work Monday cleaning up debris left by a tornado that ripped the roof off his brick home and destroyed or damaged dozens of other buildings in town.

The twister killed two people and injured four, one critically.

LaRoe, 78, and his wife, Bertie, had heard sirens in time to drive away as the twister approached early Sunday evening.

"We sat and watched it," he said. "There were a whole bunch of people watching."

Ten homes were destroyed, and about 50 other buildings were damaged.

Happy is about 30 miles south of Amarillo.

Snow snarls highway travel in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. -- Forget the calendar. Up to 6 inches of snow made travel difficult Monday across western and central North Dakota.

"I haven't heard anyone say there's no problems out there -- everybody is complaining this morning," said Joy Simon, manager of a gas station in Washburn.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for northwest and north central North Dakota, and the Highway Patrol advised no travel at all in McLean and Williams counties. Snow also fell in parts of northeastern Montana.

By midmorning, the temperature in Bismarck was only up to 28 degrees. More snow is possible through Wednesday.

The last time North Dakota saw so much snow in May was in 1991, when 6 1/2 inches fell in Bismarck on May 3.

-- From wire reports