Evening star., 1936-04-01
DISPUTES
STRETz VERSION
Cartridge in Gebhardt Kill
ing Bought in 1888,
Says Witness.
BY the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, April IA ballistics
engineer, called in rebuttal by the
State, coeltradicted testimony Of Vera
Stretz today that she had purchased
In 1881 the cartridges with which she
killed her lover, Dr. Fritz Gebhardt.
Merton A. Robinson of New Haven
Conn, employed by an arms company
was asked to examine the box Of cart
ridges found in Gebhardt's bureau
after he was shot last November II.
Are you able to tell when the cart
ridges were manufactured by the
serial numbers?" inquired Miles
O'Brien. assistant district attorney.
October S. 1885," replied Robinson
He was dismissed.
Miss Stretz, who late yesterday COM
pleted three days on the witness stand,
had testified she purchased a revolver
and cartridges in 1881 after burglar
scare. She gave them TO Gebhardt
last Summer, she said.
Thought In Same Box.
The cartridges found after the
shooting, she added, she thought
were IN the same box.
The 32-year-old blond secretary
charged with flrst-degree murder, wore
a ribbed black coat over the fowered
silk dress in which she has been at
tired throughout the trial.
Detective John B. Kaiser, in charge
Of the investigation followed Robinson
to the stand.
Miss Stretz, at her counsel's table
rested her head on her left hand.
Judge Cornelius F. Collins and
Samuel Leibowitz, Miss Stretz's counsel
engaged in a long colloquy over
whether the attorney had charged
Kaiser with changing his testimony
in open court.
Did you appear before the county
grand jury?" asked O'Brien.
"I did"
Were you asked II you had asked
Miss StretZ if she had been attacked
II was"
And you replied that she said she
had not been?"
u did"
Assault Attempted"
Miss Stretz testified both on direct
and cross on Monday and
Tuesday that Gebhardt had at
tempted" to assault her.
Then this question put to her by
O'Brien:
But we're you?"
IT don't know" she replied.
Leibowitz recalled Robinson. The
attorney had him describe his educa-
ton in ballistics.
Your experience encompasses the
effect on an object and a bullet when
a shot is fired?"
eyes"
"Any tests on fiesh?"
Scores Of them"
Leibowitz had him examine the
Stretz gun.
Miss Stretz began crying quietly as
the attorney read from the autopsy
Of Gebhardts death.
The 32-year-old defendant con-
cluded a three day ordeal on the
witness stand late yesterday, staying
firmly by her story despite gruelling
cross-examination by Prosecutor Miles
M. O'Brien.
With her testimony concluded, only
a few witnesses remained to be heard.
Under O'Brien's questioning, Miss
Stretz again insisted that DR.. Geb-
hardt, under the pretense Of being
sick and needing her aid, lured her to
his Tower apartment and attacked her,
holding her wrists with his hands
and causing "eXcruciating pain"
Recovery of Shoes.
Afterward, she said, she looked for
her shoes which had fallen of.
But you didn't run out of the
room?" inquired O'Brien.
NO." she replied.
She was putting on her shoes, she
told the jury. when Gebhardt de-
manded she submit to an unnatural
relation.
"I screamed" she said. "but he came
toward me
Then, remembering her revolver that
she has said DR.. Gebhardt kept in a
bureau drawer. she grasped it and q
hand -to-hand struggle ensued.
II was pulling away when shot, "
she testified.
Altogether, four shots struck the
nightshirt-clad DR.. Gebhardt, but Miss
Stretz was unable to say the interval
between them.
"I just saw blood" she told the jury.
The young woman then denied the
testimony Of policemen that she told
them when arrested few minutes
after the shooting that there had been
mo assault"