Evening star., 1949-06-17

NCu OlIfSIOIS/V "
The defendant. accused of steal
ing Justice Department secret
reports with the intention Of turn
I ing them over to Russian spies,
was wearing a trim black suit
and a white blouse today. Her
cheeks were unrouged but her lips
were tinted scarlet. She appeared
entirely at ease and gestured from
| time to time with her hands to
emphasize a point.
Tells Jury of Romance.
Miss Coplon had first taken the
stand yesterday with the court
room crowded and a line standing
/ In the courthouse corridor hoping
for admittance.
| Her testimony yesterday was
concerned mostly with her meet
ings with Valentine Gubitchev,
the Soviet engineer to whom she
is charged with giving secret
Justice Department information.
Miss Copion has maintained con-
stantly her relationship with
Mr.. Gubitchev was only romantic,
when you met Mr.. Gubitchev." )"
Mr. Palmer asked, did you hnd
him to be a charming person.
Demurely, Miss Coplon lowered
her eyes and said II did"
Mr.. Palmer asked Miss Coplon
to tell the jury what was i'm
pressing your female heart and
mind"
"I thought he was attractive"
the defendant answered in q soft
voice. Also he had sns ENORMOUS
knewledee OF slitsrat,4M H1E azl
mpsic, ansamoan tthat u hadneys3
experienced irf any other psFson9'
I'm any other MANI" asked Mr..
Palmer.
THAT is true" the 2S-year- -old
suspended Justice Department po-
Ilitical analyst answered. .'-or
woman for that matter. He was
a sensitive, intelligent person. He
was gentleman, respectful. I
found his personality attractive
and I thought ne was charm
ing"
Miss Coplon emphatically de-
MED that she had ever given
Gubitchev, who is at liberty un-
der 100000 bond on espionage
charges any secret documents
which the prosecution alleges she
pilfered from Justice Department
files.
Gave Him Cookies and Tie.
Last Christmas, Miss Coplon
said, she gave the Soviet engineer
who was employed by the United
Nations In New York, a necktie
and q bag of cookies. He gave
her q bouquet of flowers. Those
were the only things they ever
CACilu11SCd, oilC SdA0.
After Mr.. Palmer read the in
Idictment charging she stole FBI
secrets with intent to aid foreign
power and injure the United
States, Miss Coplon said firmly.
that is not true"
Denies Subversive Activities.
She denied she had ever en-
gagged In any subversive activities
and added: :
II was never and ! am not now
q Communist"
The grief-stricken. black-clad
mother of Miss Coplon leaned
forward eagerly while her daugh-
ter testified. When Miss Coplon
stepped from the stand. she hur-
ried to her mothers side and knelt
on one knee to snuggle into a
maternal embrace.
First Meeting With Gubitchev.
Miss Coplon gave the following
description of her first meeting
with Mr.. Gubitchev. In answer to
questions by Mr.. Palmer:
@. At the time when MIR. Gu
bitchev met you and you met Mr.
Gubitchev. win you kindly tell us
under what circumstances you
happened to meet him and what
circumstances he met you, and let
the Jury hear 1t?
A. Well, went to the Museum
OF Modern Art the day. which was
| the Saturday of this Labor Day
week end. and ! was looking
around at the pictures. As you
know, it is devoted to modern art
and surrealistic pictures.
@. After you met this gentle
man, Mr.. Gubitchev. on this day.
will you kindly tell me did you dis
cuss with him art?
A. Yes.
/ @. Now. before you met Mr..
Gubitchev. when you were on this
tour, Cooks, and what you men,
toned, did you have anything at
all to do with any Communists or
lany subversive organizations while
lyou we're on this Cooks Tour?
/ A. No.
| @. In so far as you are concern
led. do you speak Italian7
A. No.