Evening star., 1947-03-04

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the prosecutor was reading from
this statement when he questioned
the witness.
The court ruled, however, thai
there was no indication of what
document Maj Robinson was look.
ing at while he conducted the ex.
animation.
did you not obtain quantity
Of diamonds from your brother ane
try to sell them to various per.
sons?" Maj. Robinson asked.
The witness refused to answer.
Were not Col. Durant and Capt
Nash in your home last April PIP
he then was asked.
Defense Objection Upheld.
Maj Robinson was referring tx
Col. Durant's wife, former WAC
Capt. Kathleen Nash, who has beer
convicted in the case and sentenced
to five years.
The defense objection to the
question as not being based on pre-
viouS testimony was upheld.
did Col. Durant hand you $28, ,00C
in cash and ask you to bury it?"
An objection to the question was
sustained.
well then, did he give you
$28, 8,000?"
The witness refused to answer.
did Capt. Nash telephone you
last June and tell you to warn Col
Durant that she had left Hudson,
Wise, one step ahead of the MP.s?'
The court sustained an objection
to the question.
The witness refused to say If he
had made a statement ITO Army
agents regarding the case Ia. the
presence Of Col. Durant.
Questioned on Gold Wire.
when you read Of the Hesse gem
theft in the newspapers, did you not
become alarmed over bali of gold
wire and throw it into the under
brush in Falls Church?"
The witness would not answer.
It was at this point that the
court suggested the examination be
terminated as soon as convenient.
After Mr.. Durant was excused,
Maj. Bryan stated to the court that
he had served written notice on
Maj. Robinson asking him to turn
over an investigator report testi-
fed to by 1t. Col. Ralph Pierce of
the Criminal Investigation Division.
Maj. Robinson petulantly refused
to give me this paper and we never
have received it," Maj. Bryan said,
NOR have We been given report on
what steps have been taken to OBJ
tain the paper for use of the defense
in cross-axamining Col. Pierce"
The colonel has not been recalled
to the stand pending settlement OF
this issue.
Consults Attorney.
did they sign the guest book in
your home?"
Mr.. Durant consulted with his at
torney and refused to answer.
Mr.. Durant refused also to say if
he. went with Col. Durant to the
attic of his home or to admit that
he kept his brothers property in the
attic.
The witness would not say If his
brother gave him diamonds at any
time, nor would he admit that he
accompanied Col. Durant to a place
in the woods off Lee highway in
nearby Virginia where some of the
$1,500;000 Hesse loot was recovered.
WAS there an occasion when you
went with your brother to point
near the intersection Of Leesburg
pike and U. s. Route No. SOP"
This question received the same
reply.
Ink Bottle Brought Up.
did Col. Durant in your pres
ence bury an ink bottle full of
precious stones and were you pres
ent when the ink bottle was dug
up?"
The witness stated the same
grounds for refusal to answer. Then
he was asked:
Were you present when two
Mason jars full of precious stones
were buried in nearby Virginia by
Col. Durant?"
The court upheld a defense objec-
ton to the question.
Maj. Bryan contends that the only
reason for Withholding the investi-
gators report that he knows of
would be that the agent used third
degree" methods to obtain the state
ment. On the other hand, Mai
Robinson insists the report is con-