Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-10-19
Jury Hears
OF Scarbeck's
Love, Despair
BY PHIL THOMAS
Star Staff Writer

trict Court yesterday as a jury
finished hearing Irwin c. Scar
beck's story of international
intrigue and despair.
The long hours of listening
close to l0-came as a result
of a lengthy interrogation of
the former second secretary of
the American Embassy in
Warsaw by American security
agents.
The jury which heard the
series of tapes must decide
whether the 41-year -old Mr..
Scarbeck is guilty of passing
American secrets to Polish
agents between January l and
May 80 of this year.
Against a background Of the
sound Of trucks, the singing of
birds and the voices Of children
playing in the streets outside
the building in Frankfurt where
Mr.. Scarbeck was questioned
June 5. the jury heard the ex-
diplomats voice tell how he
was caught in bed last Deem
Der % with his Polish mistress
-22-year old Ursula DiScher-I
when Polish security agents
burst into her Warsaw apart
ment.
The jury also heard the per-
Sistent voice Of the State De-
partment security officer. Ken
meth Knauf, pleading with Mr..
Scarbeck to tell the whole story
of how he was blackmailed and
made to cooperate.
Records Sobs
The jury also heard the sobs
of Mr.. Scarbeck as he talked to
his sweetheart, who was only a |
few block away being ques-
toned herself.
Does she love your" Mr..
Knauf asked softly.
"One thousand per cent with
out any question" Mr.. Scar
beck replied. II am to her
father. mother, sister, brother,
wall, rock, strength"
The jurors strained their ears
in the small jury room where
the tape has been played dur
ing the past two days as Mr..
Scarbeck's almost inaudible
voice told how his wife. 81
year-old Karen Scarbeck. first
learned of his affair with the
Polish brunette.
Mr.. Scarbeck's voice recited
the words-in agoni8ing detail
of an anonymous letter his
wife received at their Warsaw
home in mid-December.
1T said" Mr.. Scarbeck re-
called. al want to tell you some
thing for your own good"
The letter, the ex-diplomat
said, told his wife that he had
been going around with a girl
with thick lips. big nose, goat
legs"
And the voice Of the ex-
diplomat said the letter also
told his wife, Il think only Of
your future and Of your chill
dren you must do some
thing before it is too late"
Got Letter
Mr.. Scarbeck said his wife
whom he had described to Mr..
Knauf as fine girl"-reacted
to the letter with my goodness,
what is this?"
He said he then took her to
a movie, but later got the letter
and turned it over to the Polish
security police.
Where's the letter." Mr..
Knauf asked Mr.. Scarbeck.
They have it. They kept
putting me off. They still have
it." Mr.. Scarbeck said.
During the questioning Mr..
Knauf allowed Mr.. Scarbeck to
call Miss Discher. Tell her
you made a mistake and you
know it-she knows it," the
security officer told Mr.. Scar
beck.
Then came the telephone
conversation, and Mr.. Scarbeck
broke down. He hung up the
phone and sobbed, I'm
ashamed of this"
During a later phone call on
June 5 to Miss Discher, he
spoke to her softly and gently
in Polish, advising her to tell
her questioners the absolute
truth"
Mr.. Scarbeck said that after
the two lovers were caught in
compromising position" by
the Polish agents, she about
died of shame and a guilty con-
science"
Earlier during the tapped in
terrogation, Mr.. Scarbeck de-
MED that he had passed any
secret documents to the Poles,
saying he had given them
only miscellaneous informa-
ton" that did not compromise
the security of the United
States.
Insists on Disclosure
But Mr.. Knauf's voice per-
sisted, insisting Mr.. Scarbeck
was holding out" charging
that Mr.. Scarbeck must have
given the Polish agents pres
ent" before they helped the ex-
diplomat get passport to send
his sweetheart to Germany.
You took documents out
they photographed them
you brought them back"
the security officer said in
cutting voice.
At this point in the record
ing Mr.. Scarbeck sighed and
said, "YeS-a secret document"