Thanks for responding.
Indeed, when I finally was able to free the old compressor , one of the hoses (coming from the condensor) dripped a nasty, black (smelly) oil.


Post-mortem : Several weeks before this compressor froze, my daughter mentioned the climate system seemed dead (blower motor wouldn't engage). Heat would only drift through the car if it was moving. I found the car had blown fuse #7 which is tied to several things (the climate computer being one of them) and wouldn't you know it, the refrigerant high pressure switch (S32/1) ( I guess built into the A/C Compressor ) . Now that I have removed the compressor and I've replaced the fuse, I have the climate system back on-line w/ the blower motor (but of course no A/C).

So one symptom of a failing A/C compressor may be blowing of the fuse controlling the switch to the dying unit.