davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
Each Hesse Jewel Has a Storv

crowding spectators in the bare
room. the prosecutor checked his
papers and the defense attorney
talked in low tones with the plump
brown-haired defendant-a quiet
figure in her olive drab uniform.
The gavel fell-a hush pervaded
the courtroom-the trial Of the
woman who stole the crown jewels
of Hesse had begun.
Apart from the tragedy of
the trial and the blemish on the
United States Army, I wondered
about this vast collection Of jewels
and other treasures. Who were
these persons Of the House of
Hesse?
Ancient RoyoI House
learned that the House Of Hesse
was actually founded by Sophia and
her son in the 18th century and
that it took its name from q Ger
man landgraviate which was later
grand duchy of Prussia. The
Castle PhilippSruhe near Hanau
and the Kronberg castle near Bad
Homburg were the seats Of the
heads of the family.
Princess Marguerite, the Dowa-
ger Landgrafin of Hesse land
granddaughter of Queen Victoria
of EnglandD had inherited the
Schloss Frederickshof, a baronial
mansion known as Kronberg castle,
in 1901 from her mother, the EN-
press August Victoria of Germany.
AS the tiny Landgrafin sat on the
witness stand and as she walked
slowly before the tables identifying
various items the curtains of history
seemed to draw back revealing the
close kinShip that marriage had
made. Kinship in origin sometimes
romantic and sometimes at the die
tate of kings.
THESE are mine-and these.
That Is mine-and this-and this"
As this refrain went on the tags
Of identification were fixed upon
the mother-of-pearl fan, framed
in gold flowers set with rubieS, dia-
mondS and sapphires and with an
m" on the handle.
The miniatures-"my mother as
a child" the Empress portrait in
delicate coloring framed in dia-
monds). Likenesses in canoes sur
rounded with diamonds, my
father" Frederick III and my
grandfather" Frederick william
IT'D. and that Of my brother"
civilian III.
The pendant, cross shaped Of dia-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
VIRGINIA
Democrats Still Wink at Defectors

The Kellam Committees revisions,
among other things, would have
made the president OF the State
Young Democrats q member of the
State Central Committee and would
have encouraged formation of local
young Democratic clubs under spon-
sorship of the senior party organi-
cations.
The Kellam recommendation
went through the State Central
Committee without a hitch. But TO
the embarrassment of some Of the
old guard members, Mr.. Wicker then
offered his amendment which sent
the whole group Of changes to the
convention as a one-package deal.
lnfiItrotion Choroe
Mr.. Wicker charged that the Ell
senhower Democrats had "infiltrat-
ed" and taken over the Richmond
City Committee.
ITO me-" he said. IAN Eisenhower
Democrat is a Republican travelling
uuueI announcer name.
Under the present party plan, Mr.,
Wicker explained, the forces in con-
troll Of the Richmond committee re-
stricted the vote for members Of
the committee and for convention
delegates to those precincts which
cast 665 votes for Senator Byrd In
his last election.
The result was. he added, that
Democratic voters in % precincts
were denied voice in party affairs
Just because they happened to live
in the wrong part Of town"
A significant thing about 1t was
that Mr.. Stevenson carried 81 of
the % voteless precincts. Mr.. Wicker
was one Of three Stevenson Demo-
Gratis who were displaced from the
city committee.
State Senator Edward L. Breeder,
OF Norfolk. professed TO be shocked
at this series Of events. He said II
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
One Per Cent q Month
REVIEW OF THE WEEK

gloomier last week than ever before.
Mamoru Shigemitsu, japanese
Foreign Minister now in Moscow
for direct talks with Soviet Foreign
Minister Dmitri Shepilov, was fatty
rebuffed in his demand that Russia
return the two southernmost of the
Kuriles, Etorufu and Kunashiri, to
Japan.
Mr.. Shepilov bluntly told Mr..
Shigemitsu that the Soviets will
refuse to consider the return of
former Japanese territory now oc-
cupied by Russia. He urged, in
stead. a tripling Of Japanese
Soviet trade.
Earlier in the negotiations, Rus
STA had agreed to return the tiny
Habomai and Shikotan Islands, of
the northernmost Japanese main
island Of Hokkaido. These islands,
although small, have additionally
served as important bases for
Japan's vital fishing feet.
Mr.. Shigemitsu, however, did not
appear pessimistic on the peace
negotiations. Despite the Russian
attitude, there were still strong
indications that Moscow wants a
peace treaty. and will probably
make some concessions to obtain 1t.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
VIRGINIA
BY ALEX r. PRESTON

Virginia Democrats made a big
show of party loyalty at their recent
State convention yet their leaders
refused to change the rules that
permitted wholesale defections to
President Eisenhower in 1852.
When the issue came to a head
at the get-together in Richmond,
it focused attention on how UNI
democratic the Virginia Demo-
cratic Party Plan can be.
IoyoIists' Punished
That document was used by a
group of 1852 Eisenhower Demo-
Gratis to disfranchise loyal" party
members (who voted for Adlai
Stevenson in about one-third of
Richmond's precincts not long ago.
The "loyalists," led by former
State Senator John j. Wicker, IT..
won a preliminary skirmish before
the State Central Committee on the
eve OF the convention. They OBJ
obtained committee endorsement
OF an amendment to the party plan
that would guarantee all members
OF the party voice in the election
OF committee members and con-
vention delegates.
But on the following day, the
conventions Resolutions Commit
tee, headed by Gov. Stanley,
quietly squelched the proposition
while meeting in executive session.
Scuttled with 1t was a four-year
study by a committee headed by
Sidney S. Kellam OF Virginia Beach.
containing other revisions to the
party plan.
Chief among the Kellam groups
recommendations was more recog-
milton to younger members OF the
party. Only a week earlier the Re-
puolicans, converting at Roanoke.
had taken on newer and more
youthful look when they elected as
year-old I. Lee Potter Of Arlington
as their State chairman.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
BY ALLISON HEATON

A trial has just ended in Federal
Court in Alexandria, Va, where
lawyers argued over the proper
claimants" Of $4,000 in United
States currency found in a glass
fruit jar. This jar, together with,
another containing loose Jewels and
twisted gold. was dug up in 1916
from an earthly hiding place near
Falls Church in Fairfax County.
Federal Judge Albert v. Bryan
has given attorneys until Septem-
Der is to file additional arguments
IN the case. But the two-day hear
ing recalled the fabulous story of
the most spectacular jewel theft Of
modern times. More than that, it
re-emphasized the fact that jewels
worth an estimated 81 million are
still missing, according to the Hesse
family's inventory.
The German royal family of
Hesse claims that the $4,000 came
from the sale of some of the fab
ulous crown jewels of their family
which were stolen in 1945 from
Kronberg Castle, near Frankfurt,
Germany. In 1916 United States
Army Col. Jack Durant and
WAC Capt. Kathleen Nash Du-
rant were convicted of the theft and
sentenced to Is and years, re-
Spectively. Both are now out of
prison and living in California.
AS I listened in this Virginia
courtroom, I thought of that make
shift courtroom midst the ruins of
postwar Frankfurt where, in 1916,
I sat as spectator at the trial Of
the Durants and heard the unfor-
gettable story of the fantastic theft
Of SIS million in jewels and other
treasures of the House of Hesse.
The long cloth-covered tables
were cold and hard as the wealth
Of the Landgrafin and the princes
lay heaped upon them. A black
pearl, once q birthday gift from
the Car of the Russias. The icy
sparkle of diamonds-bracelets.
tiaras. rings and pins. The bril-
lance of small piles Of sapphires.
diamonds and emeralds; rubies
added color and pearls cleaned in
the dazzling display. Golden knives
and forks lay alongside golden
chaliceS and velvet and jewel
encrusted prayer books. A box held
twisted gold that once had FASH
Toned delicate settings for royal
jewels.
While stern guards watched the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05

was busted with DOT as a precau-
ton.
1T was Million to-one chance
that Mr.. Sakacs happened to be
hiking in the midst of an epizootic
area. and that an infective flea
happened to bite him." Mr.. Jones
said.
Health authorities have been
quietly fighting plague in wild
rodents in is Western States and
two western Canadian provinces for
half a century.
They have found that epizootics
break out periodically and decimate
the rodent population of an entire
area.
The last California plague death
prior to Mr.. SakacS' occurred in
l947. The average since 1907 has
neen about one case every two years.
In its basic form. bubonic attacks
the lymph glands of the human
system 1t takes its most dangerous
form when it spreads to the lungs
and becomes pneumonia. Then it
is extremely contagious. With each
breath. the infected person expels
plague bacilli.
EVERY person with whom Mr..
Sakacs came in contact after be-
coming i'll was given antibiotics and
no additional cases developed.
Plague is still a potential
danger" Mr.. Jones said, "but it is
not the dreaded disease it once was.
Medical advances in the use of
antlbioticS and sulfa drugs for treat
ment OF human cases have reduced
mortality to a negligible point"
ASSOCIATED Press)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
MARYLAND
18 Convention Votes on the Block

Adlai Stevenson last week, thus re-
leasing the Maryland delegates
from their legal obligation to sup
port the Tennessean on at least the
first ballot.
George P. Mahoney and other
leaders Of the delegation did not
let Mr.. Kefauver's dramatic an
nouncement sway them from what
apparently has been their purpose
all along-namely, to keep them
selves as free as possible to deal
with the presidential aspirants.
IL Votes at Auction
When delegation leaders declined
TO indicate their presidential pref
erences to newsmen in the wake
of the Kefauver retreat, it was the
same as putting Maryland's 10 votes
on the political auction block.
This is not to suggest that the
Free State votes are going to be
sold for cash.
What is suggested is that the
Maryland leaders might like to
trade those votes to Mr.. Steven
son or possibly to New York's Gov.
Hartman in return for such things
as promises of future Federal
patronage If the Democrats return
to control in Washington.
1t would suit delegation leaders
just fine. II, when the chips are
down out in Chicago, it turns out
that Mr.. Stevenson or Mr.. Harri-
man Is just about 10 votes shy of
the 1854 needed to win the nomi-
nation.
Caucus Next Sunday
The Maryland delegation Of SO
delegates and 10 alternates, most
OF whom are entraining to Chicago
on August IL, will caucus the next
day on the eve of the convention.
A party also is being held that eve
ming by James Bruce. q delegate
from Carroll County, and Mr..
Stevenson. Mr.. Hartman, Senator
Symington Of Missouri and other
presidential possibilities are expect
ed TO attend.
Delegation leaders are in a fairly
good position this year to be able
to deliver Marylands Is votes II
any trades are made.
All but small handful Of the
delegates are politicians closely
allied with Mr.. Mahoney, ambitious
Office seeker who took over party
reigns at the State Democratic
Convention last May after narrowly
losing the senatorial primary TO the
still-ailing Millard Z. Tydings.
To make II easier for them 10
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05

represented a "perversion" Of the
Party Plan.
The next day, the convention
adopted a rule that all resolutions
coming before it must be cleared
by Gov. Stanley's Resolutions Com
mittee.
Mr.. Wicker's amendment, which,
by then, was incorporated with the
Kellam Committees recommended
tons, went before the Stanley
group.
Proceedings Of that committee
were secret and events that occurred
there were learned second hand
from some members who were pres
ent.
The Wicker amendment, guaran-
teeing all Democrats q voice In
party affairs, ran into opposition
from Southside Virginia represent
atives. They. apparently, wanted to
retain the gimmick that would per-
NIT them to disfranchise selected
precincts, particularly those DOM
mated by Negroes.
AS Mr.. Wicker suggested, what
is to prevent q local committee from
barring Democrats who failed to
cast 999. or any other number OF
votes?
Standing on FormoIiN
Gov Stanley ruled that the party
plan changes had not been formally
placed before the convention even
though the State Central Commit
tee, the night before. had specif-
ically sent the package deal there.
So, the Young Democrats will 20
on without official recognition
from their elders for a while longer.
The State Central Committee may
revise the party plan when the
convention Is not In session.
Best guess is that the committee
will adopt the Kellam Committee
changes. but ignore the demo-
cratic" Wicker amendment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
BY GENE GOODWIN

The Maryland delegation to the
Democratic National Convention
appears to be trying to play it coy
with the 10 votes it has to cast for
the presidential nominee.
This was so even before Senator
Kefauver withdrew in favor of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
By HECTOR MCLEAN

After an absence Of some 40 years,
pawnbrokers are being invited back
into the District.
The invitation to the immemorial
profession, passed by both House
and Senate, is before President Eli
senhower for signatures formality
he is expected to complete by next
Saturday.
Although one sees "pawnbroker's
exchange" signs on downtown win
dows crowded with watches, sex
tants and knives, the shops are
technically those Of secondhand
dealers.
The proprietors are buying and
selling the merchandise in their
windows and on their shelves, rather
than merely lending money on the
items. Some, it is charged, agree
illegally to resell--at q profit which
would be usurious on a loan-to
their down-and-out Cor merely f.
nancially embarrassed) clients. IN
der the new bill the "pawnbroker"
signs and the three-ball symbol
would be prohibited to all but
licensed dealers.
Looms and SoIes
The true pawnbroker is money
lender, not a secondhand dealer.
AS security for his loans, he takes
items of tangible personal prop
erty," such as watches, which event.
ually are forfeited if the loans are
not paid. Until then, though, the
right of ownership is still the bor-
rower's. The secondhand dealer
buys outright and this owns the
goods. The distinction is significant
in setting up procedures by which
police can watch for and seize stolen
goods.
What happened to the pawn
broker in the District is spelled out
in the Senate District Committee
report on the bill regulating and
licensing pawnbrokers in the District
of Columbia:
From 1889 to 1918 pawnbrokers
were licensed and carried on busi-
ness in the District; however, dur
ing that same period unlicensed
money lenders carried on a very
extensive business in the District,
charging exorbitant rates Of in
terest on small loans. The voracity
of these unlicensed lenders was so
great that the public demanded
relief, and the act of February 4,
1918 (the present Small Loan Law,
was enacted primarily to drive the
unlicensed money lenders out Of
the District by reducing the au-
thorized interest rate on small loans
to per cent per month on loans
of 5000 or less"
One Per Cent q Month
The pawnbroker is different
from the small loan dealer in that
he lends money on tangible per-
sonal property" whereas the small
loan dealer lends money on writ
ten or printed evidences Of in
debtedness"- signed notes from the
borrower, which leave his shop I'M
bedecked by all the odds and ends
which clutter up the average pawn
shop or secondhand store.
In any event, the 1918 act and
its ! per cent month interest
rate on small loans ran pawn
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
continued From Page A-2a


agreement. One year later (Febru-
airy 1859 the authority for main
tanning the base would be ended.
The Kef1avik base. an important
link in the far northern system
OF free world air power, also serves
as an early warning" station
guarding against surprise attack on
North America. American military
leaders have been gravely con-
cerned lest the advantages Of the
base be lost.
The present Iceland government,
elected on a promise to effect the
withdrawal Of American forces,
yesterday had given no indication
OF its reaction to the NATO recon-
mendations.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05

wheel and deal. the Mahoneyites
forced through a resolution at the
convention directing the delegates,
who also were chosen at that time,
to cast Maryland's 10 votes as
unit.
The other two top leaders Of the
delegation are State. Controller j.
Willard Tawes and Michael j.
Birmingham, who was elected ma
tional committeeman by the con-
vention delegates as a reward for
managing Mr.. Mahoney's campaign
last spring. Mr.. Tawes is supposed
to get his reward later on since he
wants to run for Governor in 1868.
The New Guard-as the Ma
money Tawes Birmingham trium-
virate is now being referred to-
decided last week to give the
vacancy on the delegation created
by Mr.. Tydings' resignation to
State Senate President Louis L.
Goldstein, a Tydings supporter.
For while it had appeared that
this seat would go to Philip B. PERL
man, who is almost a charter mem
Der Of that group of Old Guard
Democrats whose generation of
party domination was abruptly
ended by Mr.. Mahoney's convention
coup.
Mr.. Perlman declined to take the
delegates seat when the Mahoney-
ties cold shouldered requests from
national party heads that the for
mer solicitor general again be
Maryland's representative on the
conventions platform committee.
Mr.. Perlman wrote the civil rights
plank in the 1852 Democratic plat
form and helped shape the l94s
version.
Dorsey for Platform
The Mahoneyites decided instead
TO put Philip H. Dorsey on the plat
form committee. Mr.. Dorsey, st.
Marys County lawyer, was Mr.. Ma
honey's running mate for attorney
general in 1854.
1t was reported at the time that
many Of the Mahoneyite delegates.
particularly those from Southern
Maryland and the Eastern Shore,
were influenced in their selection Of
Mr. Dorsey by their dislike Of the
more liberal civil rights views held
by Mr.. Perlman.
Strangely enough, II Is q fact that
Mr.. Perlman and many other Old
Guard leaders (such as z. Brooke
Lee and former Gov. Lane) aener-
ally take more liberal views on ma
tional Issues than the generals Of
the New Guard.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-05
Soviet Rebuff
For Nippon

The long-drawn-out negotiations
between Japan and the Soviet
Union for a peace treaty looked
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-25
FAMOUS FABLES
BY E. E. EDGAR

y
BINGE: Essayist Ralph Waldo
Emerson, the pride Of very
proper Boston. was in the habl,
Of taking daily walks. Every
afternoon. at the same time, hi
would pass a certain saloon.
Almost invariably he woulc
see DRINKS come staggering Out
of the place. Although he him.
self was a model Of sobriety, and
had never crossed the threshold
lof such an establishment, he
could not help wondering what
it felt like to be intoxicated.
He questioned several Of the
saloons regular patrons, but
their answers did not satisfy
him. One day he decided to
find out for himself. Assuming
his most dignif1ed manner, he
pushed his way through the
swinging doors and stepped ur
to the bar.
The aristocratic and impec-
cably dressed writer looked out
of place in the noisy, smoke
filled room. but he did not falter
BE so kind as to give me a
drink. please" he said to the
bartender. as nonchalantly as he
was able.
The bartender studied him fol
a moment and shrugged his
shoulders. Then he placed a
tall glass Of water in front OF
the author.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-25
FEATURE Rcz
How to
STOP KILLING
YOURSELF
Hypochondriocs Deserve sympathy
By DR.. PETER J. STElNcRoHN

our society. People who do moi
understand-and that includes
family members - say You're
mot sick. Snap out Of It'll ThG
doctors all say nothing is really
the matter"
But there Is. And it need.
finding out. Often the internisl
or general practitioner eithei
doesn't have the time or the
knowledge to get at the bottom
OF it.
I was getting nowhere fasi
with this patient, SO I recon-.
mended q psychiatrist. / wa.
surprised when the patient
agreed. Many people still won'I
go to a psychiatrist, because they
attach q stigma to it.
Within 6 months the lawyer
was well. 1t doesn't always worl
out that way, but it does OTTER
enough to deserve q try.
Conclusions: No doctor shoulc
give UP on his patient with i'm
aginary heart trouble. These
people suffer. They deserve every
chance. Quite often the psychia.
trist can restore their health.
You can't disassociate tn,
mind from the body. Therefor,
all Of us deserve consideration
and sympathy for any fears WI
may have-imaginary or real.
released BY The Bell Syndicate. Inc.
Tomorrow: EquobIs mild climates ar
better for the oiIins.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-25

Mr.. Dumas: dry suit balloonec
in lighter pressure and he SCARED
toward Mr.. Todd's little plat
form. Mr.. Dumas looped the
line around his ankle to hold
9 decomposition stage is feel
down.
They came up the ladder with
heavy effort, Mr.. Male removed
his tight rubber helmet. Some.
one said, whats wrong witt
your carp" The left side Of hi
head was splotched with coagu.
lated blood and his ear drippet
red. Mr.. Male said with sur.
prise. u don't feel anything. !
He had burst an eardrum. w,
knew 1t was the end Of sever
weeks effort on the Doria. Al
I'VE sped to Nantucket, the vino
blew harder In the moonlight
Autumn had begun.
released By North Aneriean
NeWepapor Alliaucel
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-25

with the first pay period after
September 80. The salary de-
duction has been six per cent.
Other changes which 60 into
effect october / are: ~ A more
liberal formula for figuring re-
tirement payments; (2) A less
sharp reduction in the payments
for retirement before age so;
go A more liberal disability pay
ment set up: a. Higher pay
ments for children Of deceased
workers; 90 Refunds Of con-
tributions at any time up to q
month before eligibility to re-
tirement payments and co. Nc
interest earned after December
81, 1856 on refunds Of contribu-
lions to people leaving govern
ment work after five years.
Details Of the first two changes
listed above will be explained in
this column. Details Of the re-
naming four changes will be
covered Thursday.
/. New formula for retirement
payments: For most Government
workers, their annual retirement
payments under the new formula
will be CAD Ia per cent of theil
average salary multiplied by fivs
years Of service, plus (B) 1s4 PEI
cent Of their average salary null