LOOTED JEWELS FOUND IN UNITED STATES

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1946, Page 8

LOOTED JEWELS FOUND IN UNITED STATES

Received Sunday, 7.30 p.m. NEW YORK, June 8. A. colonel and W-.A-.C., arrested' in eonnection with the tlreft of the Hesse jewels, have been identiJied as Colonel J. W. Durant, of Falls Church, Virginia, and Captain Kathleen B. Nash Durant, of Ilndson, Wisconsin. Accused will probably ' be returned to Gerinany to faee a courtmartial and possibly be charged with looting. It is believed the loot will be returned to t-he Honse of Ijesse and not turned over to the Americans for repara'tions. An Army Publie Relations Director said the army was mo'rtified over ue grave breaeh/of honour and "was doing its level best to clean the house of its own criminals. " Investigators deelared practically all the jewels have been recovered. The Jirst lot was found in Captain Durant 's home at Hudson, Wisconsin, and the second lot in a box in the Chioago railway station cloakroom. Investigators said a lie detector aided the extraction of confessions. The Associated Press says a Bible onc-e owned and inscribed by Queen Yictoria, with liandsfnl of diamonds, rubies and other jewels, were among the recovered loot displayed to journalists by the War Department. The entire cache of 193 items could be placed in two suitcases although the intrinsic value is estiniated at nearly 1,500,000 dollars. I11 addition to Queen Yictoria 's Bible tliere were bound volumes of letters written by Queen Yictoria from 1891 to 1893, a red plush autograph book dating back to 1603 with inscriptions in several languages, and three gold table services. The diamonds ranged to 12 carats. Two diamond and ruby bracelets are valued at more than 25,000 dollars each.