Evening star., 1936-03-26
MISS STRETzSO
AT NEW EVIDENCE
Detective Testifies She Told
Him "There Was No
Assault"
By the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, March 26.-Vers
stretz sobbed and buried her face In
her hands today when Q detective
testifying for the State quoted her as
saying there was no assault" on the
night she fatally shot DR.. Fritz Geb-
hardt. wealthy German importer.
The attractive blond secretary lost
her composure as she heard for the
fourth time the story Of how she was
found by officers in q corridor Of the
fashionable apartment hotel where her
employer was killed.
WAS anything said about ASSAULT"
asked Judge Cornelius Collins Of De-
tective John Kaiser. In charge Of the
investigation.
"Yes, she said there was no assault.
Kaiser replied.
Hits Defense Contention.
This was contrary to the contention
of Miss Stretz's counsel that the slay-
ing was in elf-defense after she had
been attacked.
Have you read in the papers that
the defense In this case is self-de-
fense?" asked Samuel Leibowitz, Miss
Stretz's counsel. in cross-examina-
ton.
The question was the first indication
he has given in the court room Of the
defense claim, although he announced
that as his contention before the trial
opened.
O'Brien objected to the question, and
Kaiser was not permitted to answer.
Leibowitz pressed his view that the
detective was Influenced by press &C.
counts. Judge Collins interrupted:
why don't you get the grand jury
records of that matter2 They coulc
be made available. believe Kaiser.
testimony there came prior to pres!
disclosures of your self-defense
Il move for mistrial." Leibowit.
shouted.
Motion denied" replied the Judge
Held in Another Room.
Detective Kaiser said that after HI
saw DR.. Gebhardt's body. clad in {
nightshirt, he and other officers ordered
Miss Stretz held in another room
Asked about gun found in her smar
black handbag. he answered.
she said she owned the gun anc
had permit for It. asked her VIII!
she killed Gebhardt. I asked her If i
was robbery. assault, murder. ! asket
her if they had words.
She said, mo-
Il asked her where she was goinl
(when officers found her). She sais
she was going to give herself up to tn,
police. I asked her for her motive fo
the killing. She said, It's a lons
story"
Admits No Assault.
After testifying he sought to learr
the details, he quoted Miss Stretz
wait until morning"
At the police station the next day
he said, she admitted there had beer
no assault on her.
Patrolman Theodore Hansen pre-
ceded the detective, telling how Mis-
Stretz was shown Gebhardt's body.
Please don't make me 60 int
that" he quoted her in reply to 1
question Of motive.
Patrolman Walter A. Mitchell mar.
rated a similar story. Gebhardt'.
blood-stained night shirt was intro
duced in evidence, and the officer tolc
Of seeing blood on the bed.
Did you notice anything near tn,
feet of the deceased?" asked Assistant
District Attorney Miles O'Brien.
Under the right foot was a shee
and blanket"
At that point Miss Stretz begar
weeping, and reached for a bottle O.
smelling salts. She averted her fac,
when the night shirt was dsplayeS
to the jury.
Injects New Mystery.
An unexplained question by counse
for Miss Stretz injected fresh mystery
in her trial.
Leibowitz put the question to De
tective Daniel r. Barry, police pho
tographer, who took pictures OF tn,
slain German industrialist and tn,
scene of the Staying.
you didn't take photographs Of tn,
hand of DR.. Gebhardt, showing its po
sition and the wrist watch he wa.
wearing?" Leibowitz demanded.
Barry replied he had not.
The defense attorney, despite hi
implication that a mysterious impor.
tance was attached to the watch anc
the position Of the slain mans hand
gave no explanation.