HUGE JEWEL THEFT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24897, 10 June 1946, Page 5

HUGE JEWEL THEFT

German Family’s Property TWO U.S. OFFICERS •ARRESTED (N Z. Prai^zAssociation— Copyright) (Rec. 10 pjn.) WASHINGTON, June «• The United States War Department has announced that a W.A.C. officer, Captain Kathleen B. Nash Durant, and her husband, Colonel J. W. Durant, have been arrested for the theft from Kronberg Castle of jewels valued at £75,000 belonging to the Hohenzollern House of Resse. The jewels included a large diamond tiara, a pearl necklace, an amethyst brooch, es well as items of sentimental value. The accused will probably be returned to Germany to face a courV martial and possibly will be charged with looting. It is believed the loot will be returned to the House of Hesse and not turned over to the Americans for reparations. . „ The Army’s Director of Public Relations said the Army was mortifiec over the grave breach of honour, ana was doing its level best to clean its house of Its own criminals. Army investigators said that practically all the jewels had been recovered. The first lot was found in Captain Durant’s home at Hudson. Wisconsin, and the second lot was discovered in a box in a Chicago railway station cloakroom. Queen Victoria’s Bible The Associated Press says a Bible once owned and inscribed by Queen Victoria, with handfuls of diamonds, rubies and other jewels, was among the recovered loot displayed to journalists by the War Department. The entire cachp of 193 items could be placed in two suitcases, although their intrinsic value is estimated at nearly 1,500,000 dollars.

In addition to Queen Victoria’s Bible there are bouna volumes of letters written by Queen Victoria from 1891 to 1893. a red plush autograph book dating Back to 1803, with inscriptions in several languages, and three gok table services. The (Hamonds ranger up to 12 carats. Two diamond and ruby bracelets were valued at more than 25.000 dollars each. Princess Margerita of Hesse, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, reported the loss to German officials last December.

A War Department official said that two other persons implicated were a major still on active duty, and a discharged corporal. Captain Durant and her husband were picked up by military authorities at La Salle Hotel, Chicago, early on Monday morning, two days before the fire. The jewels disappeared from the basement of Kronberg Castle. 15 miles from Frankfurt, during the time the castle was being used as an American officers’ club.

Box Blasted Open The Provost Marshal’s office in Frankfurt stated that an investigation showed that a jewel container was removed from the basement on November 6, 1945, seven months after the castle was requisitioned. A War Department official said the jewels comprised a magnificent array of necklaces, rings and diadems. He added that in April, 1945. the Hesse family were forced to flee from the castle because American troops were approaching. The Americans occupied the castle, found certain trinkets, and went on scouting expeditions looking for something to drink. They found about 1800 bottles which were not very carefully concealed. Searching further, they found choice wines in a hiding place, and because they were very caijefully secreted the soldiers felt there must be something else hidden So they continued searching and finally discovered a hidden box which local workmen blasted open for them. Discovery Net Reported The jewels were entrusted to Captain Durant, who was then in charge of a rest home, but she failed to report the fiiscovery to the military authorities. The theft was discovered only when Princess Sophie of Hesse asked the Americans for them, as she was marrying and wanted them. They were then found to.be missing. Six to 10 suspects were listed and then the marriage of the colonel and the W.A.C. on June 1 aroused suspicions. The couple were trailed to a Wisconsin town, where they were on a honeymoon, but they slipped away to Chicago and registered at the La Salle Hotel,

“We probably saved their livea as they were on one of the floors which were burned out.” said the official.

The official added that interrogation started immediately, and Captain Durant soon broke down and confessed. A lie detector aided the extraction of confessions.