Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-08
Jewel Theft

night.
Jewel Theft
Continued From First Page.)
Forces in 1941, Col. Durant was en-
ployed in the legal section of the
Office of the Consumers Council of
the Interior Department. Previous
ly he had attended the University
of Illinois and married a girl he
met there, friend said. He entered
Georgetown University in 1886 and
was graduated in 1941.
Five years ago, before the war took
her to Europe and the fantastic ad-
venture, the WAC captain was mar
ried to Kenneth Nash, childhood
sweetheart from Hudson. They
had two children, Burke, now %, of
Tucson, and an adopted daughter,
Mrs. Donald Wilcox of Hudson, the
mother of two children of her own.
Two Met at Castle.
She and Col. Durant met in Kron-
berg Castle, later used as an Army
officers club or rest camp, where
Col. Durant was frequent visitor.
He had not been suspected at
first but when the Army learned of
their marriage, he was Immediately
made No. 2 on the list of 10 persons
suspected of completely in the
mysterious disappearance of the
crown jewels. The search had
centered on the WAC from the start.
Col. Miller, former professor of
the romance languages at Pennsyl-
vania State College, thrilled to the
drama of the story he told at press
conference held by Maj. Gen. Floyd
L. Parks, deputy director of the
public relations bureau.
He emphasized the "Graustark"
atmosphere of the ancient castle,
the buried treasure and as the story
unfolded, it had in it all the inter-
national intrigue of an E. Phillips
Oppenheim mystery, starting with
the vanishing of the WAC captain
and the jewels.
Speed of Manhunt.
The amazing speed with which
the Army's criminal Investigators
tracked down the two principals in
four days was disclosed by Col.
Miller, who bears no resemblance
whatsoever to a manhunter.
When the jewels were discovered
missing last April, the Civil Affairs
Government in Germany conducted
hunt of it's own without much
success. A report was made to
Washington in late May. On Me-
mortal Day the manhunt in the
United States was under way.
Ten persons were under suspicion
Each had been redeployed to the
United States, 1t was reported,
either on terminal leave or on fur
lough That meant the investiga-
ton would have to be quick if the
guilty were apprehended before they
returned to civilian life. To make
sure of this, the Army officially re-
called all 10 to active Army status.
The sergeant, however, has been
discharged and is. subject to civil
authorities.
The two now under arrest and
the other two, if found, will be
charged with the offense of looting
or misrepresentation during wartime
and the charges will be filed in the
European theater, it was explained
Recovered Loot Brought Here.
The loot thus far recovered-con-
sisting of unidentified precious
stones, rings and even an historic
Bible-has been brought to Wash
ington for safekeeping officials are
confident the remainder of the miss
ing jewels will be found soon.
Col. Miller explained that the
couple was arrested at 2 am. Mon
Gay, a fact which probably saved
their lives" as the La Sale Hotel
was burned out next day. The WAC
officer confessed at noon and her
share of the loot was recovered at
4 pm. the same day.
The articles of war, under which
they probably will be charged, carry
a penalty of fine and Imprisonment
or both.
None of Ten at Addresses.
Once the manhunt was under way
in this country difficulties faced the
Army sleuths. None of the 10 sus-
pected persons could be found at
| any of their addresses of which
were said to have been legitimate.
Search finally centered in the
Chicago area. The WAC captain
and her husband were traced to a
small Wisconsin town, but be-
fore officers could reach the place
they gave us the slip, and how
Col. Miller said. Eventually they
were tracked to Chicago.
There was no thriller climax al
the end, however. The two did not
resist the officers.
Story of the Jewels.
The story of the jewels began in
late 1914 while the A.A.F. was bomb
ing German cities right and left
The House of Hesse had removed
the jewels from a bank to the old
castle on the outskirts of Frank
furt. There is an inventory of four
or five pages. The individual pieces
were labeled and wrapped together
in a lead chest which was carefully
sealed. This chest was placed in a
wooden box and buried under the
floor in the rambling cellar. Also
buried in the cellar were 1000 bot
ties of rare wine
In April, 1945, the family was
given four hours in which to move
out of the castle, Col. Miller eX-
nlo inad Mhen American trooraS