Evening star., 1947-02-24
Former Corporal Tells
OF Mailing Packages
To u. 5. for Durant
By ~. H. Shippen, Jr.


Mailing of packages for Col
Jack w. Durant to "Falls Church
or Church Falls, Va" was de-
scribed today to the court-mar-
tial board trying Col. Durant in
connection with theft of the
Hesse crown jewels in Germany
Former Corpl. Charles Mareno OF
Brooklyn testified he prepared "20
or 80 packages" for Col. Durant and
two other alleged conspirators and
turned them over to the mail orderly
at the Frankfurt personnel Office of
the AAF between November, 1945
and the spring of 1916.
The prosecution is seeking to show
that Col. Durant while overseas
transmitted parts Of the jewel loot
to his brother, James E. Durant
Falls Church city councilman, who
has been suspended as Federal &C
countant pending outcome of the
inquiry.
Mailed One for Watson.
Mr.. Mareno said he mailed one OF
the packages for Maj. David
Watson, who was associated with
Col. Durant in the personnel office
and was convicted in Germany and
sentenced to three years in prison.
The prosecution witness said he
mailed another of the 40 or 30'
parcels for WAC Capt. Kathleen
Nash, whom Col. Durant later mar
ried. Mrs. Durant also was con-
victed in Germany and sentenced
to five years imprisonment.
Most of the packages, however
were sent by Col. Durant, to whom
Corpl. Mareno reported after the
parcels had been turned over te
the mail orderly, it was testified.
Where were the packages sent?'
Mr.. Mareno was asked.
ITO Mr.. Durant in Falls Church
or Church Falls, Va, or w. Va.
I can't recall which," was the
reply.
Some Sent Registered.
The former corporal said Col. Du-
rant instructed him to have the
packages sealed and banded. He
said most of them were wooden con-
tainers of shoe box size or. larger,
and some were sent by registered
mail. He said he had no idea what
the parcels contained. In some cases
he wrote out the addresses at Col
Durant's direction, he said:
Maj. Joseph Bryan, chief of de-
fense counsel, brought out in cross
examination that many of the pack.
ages were sent during the mailing
rush prior to Christmas.
Mr.. Durant was expected to take
the stand as a prosecution witness
in the next few days, probably TO-
morrow. His efforts to avoid testify
ing against his brother have beer
overruled by a Federal judge.
The third week of the court
martial opened at the Pentagon to-
day after a recess since Wednesday
to enable the prosecution to check
the million word record before max
ing it available to defense counsel
Additional testimony was expect
ed this week as to the source OF
$28 900 In bills of denominations UP
to $500 which was dug up by Army
investigators in nearby Virginia last
June, sealed in fruit jar.
Admitted Over Objections.
Maj. Joseph Robinson told tht
court he proposed to connect thi!
evidence with the accused later, ane
the testimony was admitted over OBJ.
lection of Maj. Bryan with stipula'
ton that it would be stricken unles.
the alleged connection is proved
The packages Of currency were
banded with bank wrappers con.
tanning certain Identification marks
it was testified.
Presentation Of the case against
Col. Durant has been slowed by
sharp and frequent clashes ovel
admissibility of evidence, with tn
court ruling for the defense as tx
statements of the defendants wife