Evening star., 1946-08-23
Another Jewel Theft
lis Charged 10 WAC
In Hesse Gem Trial
BY the Associoied Press

FRANKFURT, Aug. 23.-A new
theft OF priceless heirlooms from
Kronberg Castle was charged by
the United States Army today as
the prosecution opened it's case
against 43-year-old WAC Capt.
Kathleen B. Nash Durant in con-
nection with the million-and-a- r.
half-dollar Hesse crown jewel
theft.
The prosecution alleged that the
former manager OF the Phoenix
tAriz) Country Club had ordered
a German employe of the House of
Hesse to empty a safe in Kronberg
Castle and hand over it's contents.
The prosecution indicated that 1t
would introduce as evidence a "vol-
untary statement" which Capt. Du-
rant allegedly made after her ar
rest in connection with the theft
of a lead-covered box of glittering
gems from the basement Of the
castle.
The new theft was alleged by
Capt. Harold H. Chase of Salina,
Kans., assistant prosecutor, who
opened the prosecutions case.
Hesse Family Took Counsel.
In ADDITION to the jewels placed
in the castle cellar by the Hesse
Foundation, he said Prince August
Wilhelm of Prussia entrusted his
personal possessions with the Prin-
cess Sophia Of Greece and they were
locked in a safe in the castle.
Some time after the jewels were
taken from the cellar, Capt. Chase
alleged, "the accused demanded that
Herr Heinrich Lange, administrator
of the Hesse Foundation, open the
safe and give her the property in it"
Capt. Chase said the Hesse family
took counsel among themselves to
protect their property" when Allied
air raids on Frankfurt intensified
in the fall of 1914.
They gathered the jewels of the
House of HeSse into an organized
he said, added their
tewelry and trusted all to
Prince Wolf2ang, second son of the
Countess Won Hessen."
The jewels were sealed in lead
box and buried in the basement"
Capt. Chase said Shortly after the
Army took over the castle the
Jewels were discovered in November,
1945. by a member of the United
States Army and were turned over
to the accused.
Hesse Witnesses First.
Witnesses will show that, acting
on information received, an Army
agent went to the home of the sister
Of the accused where he recovered
a large proportion of the jewels.
Witnesses will further show that
they were the same jewels as were
deposited in the basement of Kron-
berg Castle by the Hesse family"
The court recessed to await the
arrival from Kronberg of members
of the House of Hesse who will be
called as the first prosecution wit
nesses.
Overnight the Army laid out the
dazzling collection of jewels on
long table below the bench. They
were covered with four drab Army
blankets and two military police
armed with automatic rifles sat mo-
tionless at each end.
After yesterdays small attend
ance, the spectators today num-
bered only four. The courtroom
was cold and craving Capt. Durant
shivered repeatedly.
Attempt to Quash Trial.
Capt. Durant's lawyers tried re-
peatedly yesterday to quash her
trial.
Motion after motion was dis
but one which contended she
was a civilian was held in abey-
ance pending arrival OF certificate
OF discharge. Should the airmailed
document prove she actually was
discharged from the Army before
her arrest in Chicago May 80 and
before charges were preferred, it
would mean the military case would
be dismissed.
The prosecution contended Capt.
Durant had been recalled to active
Army service from terminal leave