Aspen Chipping In to Get Gonzo Golfer Off the Hook

An industrial-sized mayonnaise jar on the bar at the Woody Creek Tavern, near Aspen, Colo., has a small American flag on top and a sign that reads: “Hunter S. Thompson Defense Fund. Help save this pathetic victim of police brutality. Free the doctor!” Author Thompson is charged with shooting a firearm within the town of Aspen. “I am very grateful my friends and neighbors came to my aid like this,” the defendant said, while eating his lunch at the bar. Details of the incident are sketchy. A police investigation was launched July 7 after officers received anonymous reports from people who said they saw Thompson with a gun near the first green of the Aspen Municipal Golf Course. No one was reported injured and the nearest thing to a witness was CBS reporter Ed Bradley. Bradley, an Aspen resident who was playing golf with Thompson, said he heard shots but did not see anything. Meanwhile, Thompson, who turned himself in to answer charges, faces a fine of up to $100. Inside the jar, so far, reside a few dollar bills, some bullets, keys, a hacksaw blade and a file.

--Chrysler Chairman Lee A. Iacocca was uncharacteristically nervous, but it was the day of his daughter’s wedding. “I had to go through this with (daughter) Kathi 15 months ago,” the father said Friday. “I wish I had three or four more daughters to get it down right.” About 400 people attended the Roman Catholic Mass, celebrated at St. Hugo of the Hills Church in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., for Lia Iacocca, 23, and James Frederick Nagy Jr., a supervisor for a landscape company. Several top Chrysler executives attended the wedding, including Vice Chairman Gerald Greenwald. Celebrities included New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who is a family friend. Vic Damone, who had planned to sing at the wedding, called to say that he would not be able to make it because airport restrictions brought on by the papal visit would not allow him to return to Las Vegas in time for his show there. Iacocca’s wedding gift to his daughter was a necklace with a piece of sculptured gold, hanging from two strands of pearls, and matching earrings.

--In another wedding ceremony, Alfio and Marina Fontana, members of Italy’s acrobatic parachute team, jumped from 8,000 feet and floated to a perfect landing in a churchyard at Ortonovo, Italy, amid the cheers of guests. The newlyweds swapped their parachuting overalls for a traditional suit and bridal gown after landing.