Evening star., 1944-07-15
Missing Kent Jewels
Sought by Police in
Baltimore Bank
By JOSEPH YOUNG.

Search for the missing half Of
the $6l, 900 collection Of jewelry
stolen from Otis Beall Kent,
wealthy tax lawyer, has centered
about a safety deposit box in q
Baltimore bank, 1t was learned
today.
A special investigator from the
United States Attorneys Once
made hurried trip to the Balti.
more bank yesterday, but odlcials
there refused to open the box un-
til q court order was obtained.
The deposit box was said to have
been rented some months ago by
Mrs. Frances Dolmage, who un-
covered the other half Of the jewelry
at her home Wednesday after her
return from Mexico City. She had
gone to Mexico shortly after her
acquittal by a District Court Jury
on a charge Of stealing the jewels.
Pleads Guilty to Perjury.
Yesterday in District Court Mrs.
Dolmage pleaded guilty to q per-
jury charge resulting from her testi-
mony at the trial when she de-
clared she had never seen the COL
lection OF jewelry owned by Mr..
Kent. She will be sentenced a week
from Monday. Meanwhile, she Is
free under 5000 cash bond.
Investigators said they learned
yesterday that Mrs. Dolmage had
stored the jewels at one time in the
Baltimore vault, then transferred
some Of them to a hiding place at
Mr.. Kent's farm near Gaithersburg,
Md. Subsequently. they added, she
removed the collection to her home
at l748 M street NV.
Onicals theorized that some of the
jewels still remain in the safety de-
posit box. A city-wide search for the
missing valuables has proved fruit
less. Among the missing items are
an imperial jade necklace, a blue
sapphire pendant. zircon pendant,
a large crystal ball and an aqua
marine lavaliere. They are valued
at $3l 200.
Smartly Clad in Court.
Mrs. Dolmage appeared in court
yesterday smartly clad in a blue ier.
sey dress and wide -brimmed white
nat. This was in sharp contrast to
her appearance the past two days
when she was dressed in a wrinkled
beige suit and sagging hose.
At first Justice Jennings Bailey
had refused to accept her plea when
she told him she had received prom
ises OF leniency If she would plead
guilty. Under the law, a defendant
Is not allowed to plead guilty II in
ducements are offered.
In that case, I cannot accept
your plea. You are either guilty or
not guilty" Justice Bailey said.
He then ordered the clerk to enter
a plea OF not guilty for her.
Following hurried conference at
the bench by opposing counsel.
Assistant United States Attorney
Bernard j. Margolius explained to
the court that Mrs. Dolmage had
been informed by a police ofiicer in
his ONCE that she would be placed
on probation If she would cooper
ate with authorities. Mr.. Margolius
said he learned Of the conversation
and explained to Mrs. Dolmage that
his office could not make any prom.
ise of leniency.
Apparently satisfied with the ex-
planation. Justice Bailey then &C.
cepted her plea. She was repre-
sented by Attorney Robert H. Nc
Neill.
Following her court appearance
Mrs. Dolmage was closeted for three
hours with 1t. Joseph w. Shimon
of the District Attorneys Once
who had flown to Mexico to ques-
ton her.
Emerging from his ONCE, she was
asked by reporters what they had
discussed.
oh" she remarked with a wave
OF the hand. I'VE talked about the
wonders and beauty of Mexiro"