Evening star., 1947-02-15
Durant Trial Recesses
Until Monday After
Gem Sale Evidence
By w. H. Shippen, Jr.

The c0urt-martlal OF Col. JACK w.
Durant in the bizarre looting Of the
Hesse royal jewels was in recess
until Monday, after testimony yes
terday as to how the former Interior
Department attorney disposed Of
more than $4,000 worth of dia-
monds smuggled into. this country
from Germany.
A Washington automobile dealer,
John S. Burrows of 816 Potomac
avenue Sc, said he bought large
solitaire from Col. Durant last March
for more than $500 at the same time
he sold the colonel new car for
$1,375. The prosecution earlier had
told the eight-man court it would
introduce evidence to Show "the sud-
den enrichment of the defendant"
Additional unset diamonds, ap-
praised at $4,000, were smuggled
into the country through the mails,
according to admissions attributed
to the 38-year-old defendant yester-
day by two Chicago customs officials,
Phil G. Fraser and Roy Smolek.
Divorce Evidence Barred.
In the closing hours of yesterdays
session Maj. Joseph Robinson, chief
prosecutor, was prevented from in
Producing copy of divorce proceed
ings between Col. Durant and his
first wife in an effort to prove the
colonel was unmarried at the time
he allegedly told Mr.. Burrows he
had bought the diamond he sold
him with the intention of giving
1t to his wife.
At the opening session of the
court-martial in Germany, Maj
Robinson stated to the court the
prosecution would seek to show that
Col. Durant married former WAC
Capt. Kathleen Nash just after she
had been called back from terminal
leave into the Army, under cir
cumstances indicating the colonel
took this action to stop the woman
from testifying against him later. |
Mrs. Durant, it was said, was re-
called to the Army to permit court
martial proceedings against her.
She was convicted for a part in
looting the Hesse cache and SEN
fenced to five years in prison.
1t was indicated the trial, which
already has built up a record of
some 100000 words, will continue
here for at least two weeks longer
with the possibility it may be moved
to Chicago to obtain the appear
ance of certain witnesses expected
to resist eXtradition from Illinois
The concluding part of the inter-
national trial will be held in Frank
furt, where it began last December.
Adverse Rulings Protected.
Objection of defense counsel
headed by Maj Joseph Bryan, for
mer Chicago attorney, prevented the
prosecution from introducing evi-
dence yesterday as to seizure in
Texas of watches and silverware
from former Army corporal, who
was said to have discovered the hid
ing place of the Hesse jewels in the
endorsement of Kronberg Castle
near Frankfurt and reported the
find to his immediate superior, the
former WAC Capt. Nash. The man
was eXhonerated.
Maj. Robinson told the court that
adverse rulings were making it diff
cult for him to identify all of the
huge assortment of loot recovered
from many parts of the world"
Germany, Ireland, Vir-
ginia, Illinois and Texas. The as
sortment of stolen heirlooms, in
cluding silverware pitchers, the late
Queen Victoria's family Bible, mis-
cellaneous jewelry and large COL
lection of precious gems torn from
diadems, rings and necklaces, has
been spread on double rows of ia
bles before the court-martial board
while the sessions have been in
progress.
Mr.. Smolek's valuation of 106
gems seized by Customs from Col.
Durant was challenged by the de-
fense, who contended that at the
time of the alleged theft, in No
vember, 1945, jeWelry owned by hun
CRY or Impoverished Germans
had only black market" value de-
termined by barter of such articles
as food or cigarettes.
Insists on Value.
The expert insisted, however, that
the diamonds in question had even
wartime value stabilized by the
English and proved by number of
sales made by Germans near their
borders, and that his estimates were
based on this valuation. He said